Authentic Greek Salad Recipe (No Lettuce!) – How to Make a Real Horiatiki

In Greece we do not really say “Greek salad.” We say Horiatiki, which means village salad. It is a very simple food from the summer, made with what the garden gives us. And first thing I tell you: there is no lettuce inside a traditional Greek salad. Never was.

A real Horiatiki has ripe tomatoes cut in big pieces, cucumber in thick slices, a little red onion, Kalamata olives, and one nice block of feta cheese on top, not broken into small pieces. We add dried oregano, a bit of sea salt, and plenty of good extra virgin olive oil. That is all. No creamy dressing, no heavy sauce. The juice from the tomatoes mixes with the olive oil and this becomes the dressing by itself.
Many places outside Greece add lettuce to make the salad bigger, but this is not traditional. Greek salad was always a farmer’s plate. Simple ingredients, strong flavors, nothing extra. If you put lettuce, the taste becomes lighter and more watery, and you lose the character.
The most important ingredient is the olive oil. Because the salad is so simple, the olive oil must be fresh, fruity, and a little bit peppery in the throat. When you use good olive oil, you understand immediately why we don’t need anything more. Real Greek salad is about quality, balance, and simplicity. And without lettuce.