This heirloom tomato Greek salad without cheese is an alternative to the classic horiatiki. Even though there's no feta cheese, the rest of the salad is super delectable with the sweetness and acidity of ripe heirloom tomatoes balanced by briny olives, crisp cucumber, red onion, and dried oregano making a dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free, easy to pair side dish.
This salad is ideal when heirloom tomatoes are in peak season during the summer time.
For an alternative tomato salad with protein, try this heirloom tomato and tuna salad. For an anytime of year tomato salad, this Asian tomato salad is made with cherry tomatoes. To cook with fresh tomatoes, this classic Chinese tomato egg stir fry can be made in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
This salad is all about the quality of the raw ingredients. Since there is no cheese to hide behind, choose the best you can find.
- Heirloom Tomatoes: A mix of sizes and colors. Slice the large ones into wedges and halve the cherry-sized ones.
- English Cucumber: English cucumbers do not need to be peeled. Peel if you prefer not to eat the skin.
- Kalamata Olives: Pitted or whole. These provide the salty "punch" usually offered by the feta.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Dried Oregano: The essential Greek herb.
- Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper: To taste.
Optional Ingredients
- Green Bell Pepper: Many traditional Greek salads will use green pepper for a slightly bitter, earthy crunch.
- Red Onion: Very thinly sliced into slivers. Rinse under water to remove its sharp edge.
See recipe card for quantities.
Origin of Greek Salad
Greek salad, known in Greece as horiatiki salata, or “village salad”), is a relatively modern dish whose roots are tied to rural eating habits, seasonal produce, and the rise of tourism in 20th-century Greece.
- Farmers ate what was available locally and in season: tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, olive oil, and vinegar. Farmers ate what was available locally and in season.
- These ingredients required no cooking, were cheap, and suited hot Mediterranean summers
- Olive oil and bread were staples. The juices from marinated vegetable salads were soaked up with bread rather than neatly plated dishes.
- Early village salads were often cheese-free, since feta was expensive and not always available. The now-iconic slab of feta on top became popular after World War II, especially in tavernas, as food distribution improved and urban dining culture expanded.
Re it. I like to use this bristle-free barbecue brush (affiliate link) for cleaning the grill.
Variations
Heirloom Tomato & Caper Greek Salad
- Add capers for extra brininess
Lemon Greek Salad
- Replace red wine vinegar with lemon juice
Avocado Greek Salad
- Add sliced avocado for richness
Tomato-Forward Greek Salad
- Skip cucumber and double the tomatoes
How to Serve Greek Salad
- With chickpeas or white beans for a heartier dish
- Alongside grilled fish or seafood
- As part of a mezze platter
- Spoon over crusty bread
FAQs
Q: Why no feta cheese? A: Omitting the cheese makes this salad lower in calories and saturated fat. It’s also ideal for those following a vegan, Paleo, or Whole30 diet. Plus, without the heavy cheese, the unique flavors of the heirloom tomatoes really shine.
Q: Can I make this in advance? A: Greek salad is best served within an hour of making it. Tomatoes should never be refrigerated if possible (it ruins their texture), so we recommend prepping the veggies, but only adding the salt and vinegar right before you eat.
Q: What should I do with the leftover juice at the bottom? A: In Greece, dipping bread into that mixture of olive oil, vinegar, and tomato juice is called papara. It is arguably the best part of the salad—don't let it go to waste!
Q: Can I use regular tomatoes? A: You can, but the flavor will be less complex. If you must use standard tomatoes, look for "Vine-Ripened" or "Beefsteak" varieties and ensure they are very soft to the touch.
Recipe
Heirloom Tomato Greek-ish Salad (without cheese)
Ingredients
- 1 lb heirloom tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ ea English cucumber sliced into rounds about ¼" thick
- ¼ c Kalamata olives packed in brine or oil
- 2 Tb extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tb red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional Additions
- ½ ea small red onion sliced into thin slivers or rounds (rinse under water to remove its sharp flavor)
- 1 ea green bell pepper seeds and removed, sliced into 2" dice
Instructions
- Remove the stem end from the tomatoes with a pairing knife. Slice into thick wedges and toss with salt in a bowl. Set aside to marinate for about 10 minutes.
- Drain the tomatoes and arrange the wedges on a serving platter with the cucumbers and olives. Arrange in the red onion and green bell pepper if using.
- Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar with a pinch of salt. Drizzle over the platter.
- Sprinkle over the dried oregano. Season with freshly ground black pepper and additional salt to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This will serve 2 as a large salad (more like a main course) or 4 as a side salad.
- Fresh tomatoes should generally not be refrigerated for best flavor. This salad is beset made just before serving.
Nutrition
Fortune Cookie
If you have knowledge, let others light their candle in it.
Margaret Fuller
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