Description
This vibrant Greek Salad is a refreshing and wholesome dish featuring crisp cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, and creamy feta cheese tossed with chickpeas and fresh parsley. The salad is brought together with a zesty homemade dressing made from avocado oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, and herbs, making it a perfect light lunch or side dish for any Mediterranean-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber, unpeeled and diced
- 1 cup kalamata olives (black and green)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ small red onion, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- ½ cup pepperoncini peppers, sliced, plus a few whole for garnish
- 1 (16 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 12 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Dressing Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons avocado oil (can substitute extra-virgin olive oil)
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: Combine the avocado oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper in a small 8 oz. container with a lid. Secure the lid tightly and shake vigorously until all ingredients are well emulsified. Refrigerate the dressing to allow flavors to meld.
- Prepare the Salad Vegetables: Dice the English cucumber without peeling, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the red onion and green bell pepper, and slice the pepperoncini peppers. To ensure the salad isn’t watery, place the cut vegetables between paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the prepared vegetables, kalamata olives, drained chickpeas, and chopped fresh parsley. Add three-quarters of the crumbled feta cheese.
- Toss with Dressing: Drizzle the refrigerated dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently but thoroughly to ensure everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve: Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or plate. Top with the remaining feta cheese and garnish with a few whole pepperoncini peppers for a classic presentation. Serve immediately and enjoy the bright, Mediterranean flavors.
Notes
- To keep the salad crisp, remove excess water from vegetables using paper towels before assembling.
- You can substitute extra-virgin olive oil for avocado oil if preferred.
- Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week; shake well before using again.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
- For added protein, consider topping with grilled chicken or shrimp.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Greek/Mediterranean
Keywords: Greek salad, Mediterranean salad, chickpea salad, feta cheese, healthy salad, vegetarian, no-cook salad, avocado oil dressing
