These 3 Summer Salads don’t have a piece of lettuce in them. Serve them alongside barbecued lamb, chicken, or baked fish. They pair well with everything. Fresh, delicious, and so easy to make!
The Horiatiki: Classic Greek Village Salad
This is the classic Greek Salad that is served throughout Greece. Fresh, cucumbers, sweet tomatoes, belle peppers, a few red onion slices, and a big chunk of feta cheese on top drizzled with lots and lots of Greek olive oil. Simple and delicious.
It is crucial to use the freshest ingredients when making this salad. Use the best tomatoes that you can find. If you have a backyard garden those would be perfect. Local farmer’s markets are also a great option. Tomatoes taste best when they are in season and ripened on the vine. Refrigeration ruins their taste. So, if you grow them, never refrigerate the tomatoes that you plan on using in salads.
The Olive Oil
I’m very picky when it comes to the kind of olive oil that I use. I’ve been spoiled by my parents who send me a year’s worth of olive oil straight from their olive trees in Crete, Greece. It is green, fruity, and so delicious. This olive oil tickles the back of the throat. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s almost peppery.
When I’m running low, I usually look for a cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil with a PDO stamp (Protective Designation of Origin). We plan on bottling our own in the near future and will hopefully sell it on this website. So, keep an eye out.
In the meantime here are some of my favorite brands for sale on Amazon (affiliate links):
Melon & Feta Salad
This is such a simple salad with layers of flavor. The sweet melon goes so well with the tangy, creamy feta cheese. I make a sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette to compliment the melon and garnish it with fresh mint.
Use the sweetest melon that you can get. Cateloupe, watermelon, and honeydew all work well for this recipe.
Which feta should I use in these salads?
Buy a good quality sheep’s milk feta for these salads. It is a little more expensive than the cow’s milk variety but worth it. Feta that is made with cow’s milk is great for recipes like spanakopita, dips, and anything that will be baked. When adding feta to salads, the sheep’s milk variety is the best. It is creamy, tangy, and soft. 2 of my favorite brands are: Kolios and Dodonis.
Sweet Pea & Mint Salad
Open up a pack of frozen green peas and make this simple salad. All you will need is a few ingredients:
- green peas
- mint
- feta cheese
- olive oil
- dill
- lemon juice
- salt & pepper
This salad comes together in a few minutes, just like the other 2 and is so flavorful. Serve the green peas with lamb and some tzatziki for an elegant dinner party main course. It also pairs well with chicken and fish. Let me know how you will serve it in the comments section 🙂
This post is created in association with American Express Essentials as part of their series “The Tastemakers” – featuring recipes and insights from a diverse line-up of top food vloggers around the globe. American Express Essentials is an online lifestyle magazine covering the most distinctive trends and ideas, from travel to food, culture, style and design. Discover more at https://www.amexessentials.com
I hope that you give these recipes a try. If you do, let me know what you think in the comments section, below. I read ALL of them and respond as soon as I can. Thank you so much for being here today and I will be back soon with another delicious recipe worth sharing. Kali Orexi!
Horiatiki: The Village Salad
This is the classic and most traditional Greek Salad that is served in Greece with every meal. The ingredients are simple so, use the freshest and most ripe vegetables that you can find. Also, sheep’s milk feta is a must in this salad. It is complex in flavor and so creamy. Follow this recipe to recreate this Greek classic at home.
Ingredients
- 3-4 ripe tomatoes cut into wedges
- ½ of a small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1-2 English cucumbers, peeled and cut into pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced into rounds
- 6-7 ounces of feta cheese block
- ¼ cup (or more) of olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- 1-2 teaspoons of dried oregano
Instructions
Combine the tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and cucumber in a bowl and add the olive oil. Season with salt and toss together. Add half of the oregano and toss. Cut the feta into strips or place the block on top of the salad. Sprinkle the remaining oregano on top and serve with toasted bread to soak up the juices. Enjoy!
Melon & Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cantaloupe, peeled and cut into wedges
- 4 ounces (or more) feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
Combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and honey along with a pinch of salt and whisk together until emulsified.
Pour the dressing onto the bottom of a serving dish.
Arrange the melon wedges on top of the dressing.
Crumble feta cheese over the melon slices and garnish with the mint.
Serve.
Sweet Pea & Mint Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound of frozen green peas
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon of dried dill
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Add the frozen peas to a pan and season them with salt and black pepper. Cook them over medium heat until warmed through. About 5-6 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the dill and mint.
Add the olive oil and lemon juice.
Toss together and transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy!
You mentioned and here that you had some favorite olive oil brands on Amazon but you didn’t give the names. Could you please tell me what they are? Thank you so much