This Mediterranean salad recipe is packed with crisp greens, rich cheese, and plenty of summer veggies, all blended in a tangy vinaigrette dressing to make one of the most delicious salad recipes! It’s a combination of a Greek salad and a loaded green salad.
This isn’t one of those run-of-the-mill salads that fill space on the table. It’s scrumptious and hearty enough to be a meal itself, but it’s also a great side salad that goes with virtually everything.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS SALAD
- It’s quick and easy to make, and it’s delicious with virtually everything!
- It’s versatile, and I can customize it to whatever I’m craving.
- I’m crazy about the dressing!
CAN I MAKE AHEAD?
Well, yes and no! You can prep all the salad ingredients and the dressing up to two days in advance and store them separately in the refrigerator. Once tossed, the salad is best eaten within a few hours.
I like to make the balsamic dressing in the morning and let it chill in the refrigerator. Then I’ll put the salad together around lunchtime, and it will be ready for dinner. A little chill time can be a good thing.
MAKE IT A MAIN DISH
This makes a delicious, hearty main dish salad with the addition of protein such as Greek grilled chicken, grilled flank steak, honey glazed salmon, grilled shrimp, leftover Italian sausage from our Italian sausage and peppers, or shredded rotisserie chicken.
MEDITERRANEAN SALAD RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- Greens: Most Mediterranean salad recipes call for romaine lettuce. But when I’m feeling a little spicy, I like to replace some of the romaine lettuce with peppery arugula, which is slightly bitter (in a good way). It adds a very welcome extra bite.
- Cucumbers: I prefer to use English or Persian cucumbers in this classy salad, but any kind will work. English cucumbers have thinner skin and fewer seeds than other types, making them more suitable for salads. They also have a milder flavor than slicers and usually come wrapped in plastic.
- Tomatoes: I prefer grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes in most salads these days. I adore their flavor, and they seem to have fewer seeds and more tomato flesh. I love that you can buy these in rainbow colors.
- If you don’t have access to grape tomatoes, go ahead and substitute either chopped regular tomatoes or the Roma tomatoes, which have more flesh and less juice than a regular tomato.
- Chickpeas: I add one can of drained and well-rinsed garbanzo beans. If you’d prefer, switch up the garbanzos and use white beans.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: I prefer to use sun-dried tomatoes that are in oil.
- Onions: I love red onions in this salad. They are the perfect combination of pungent and sweet, with “just the right onion-i-ness” (my new favorite word!) to enjoy raw.
- Olives: I love this salad with kalamata olives.
- Feta: I love the tangy, salty taste of this cheese. It’s like a flavor powerhouse.
- If you add the Feta to the salad before tossing it all together with the dressing, the feta will break down into the salad, adding a bit more creaminess to the overall dish. If you like your feta whole and in more separate chunks, sprinkle it on top of the salad at the end.
- Salad Dressing: Add the dressing to taste. You may not use it all, so go slowly. There’s nothing worse than a salad with too much dressing! Homemade balsamic vinaigrette or red wine vinaigrette: Both of these homemade dressings are wonderful with this salad. Both have the right amount of fresh garlic in the mix, Dijon mustard, and extra-virgin olive oil. The main difference between them is the type of vinegar. Balsamic is sweeter than the red wine vinegar. But our red wine vinaigrette doesn’t have as firm a tangy acidity, so it doesn’t have the “puckery” characteristic. Both are delicious enough to drizzle on any salad. If you’re short on time, you can, of course, grab a suitable salad dressing from the grocery store. I’m all for shortcuts, but I want to encourage you to try homemade salad dressing because they’re really quick and easy to make, and I find them sooo much better tasting. Let me know if you give them a try! You can also dress this salad simply with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and S+P!
ADDITIONS + VARIATIONS
The additions to this salad are endless! Here are a few I add, depending on what’s fresh, available at the market, what’s in my fridge, or my mood!
- Change The Cheese! Feta is terrific in this salad. At some supermarkets and specialty stores, you can find marinated feta, which adds delicious flavors without any extra effort. I also love fresh mozzarella. It comes in many shapes that can work. Trader Joe’s often has it at decent prices. During the summer, Costco has large balls of fresh mozzarella that can be cut up. You can also add regular mozzarella, cut into small cubes. Goat cheese will also work!
- Avocado: While avocado isn’t a traditional Mediterranean ingredient, it’s fantastic in this salad. I love it added, especially if I’m adding protein and serving this salad as a main course.
- Bell Peppers: All colors will work. I prefer sweeter colors such as red, orange, and yellow.
- Fresh Herbs: This is lovely with a sprinkle of fresh herbs like fresh parsley, fresh mint, rosemary, basil, oregano, or a hint of sage.
- Add Nuts: This is delicious with toasted pine nuts. I adore their buttery flavor.
- Artichoke Hearts: I love these in this salad! I prefer to use artichoke hearts that come marinated in oil and not in brine. Don’t rinse them, the added oil will be fine and add another little layer of flavor.
- Leftover Grilled Vegetables: Cauliflower, sweet potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, carrots, or just about any cooked or grilled veggie will work!
HOW TO STORE
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? This yummy salad is best enjoyed on the day it’s dressed. Leftovers of dressed salad turn into a mushy mess! You can keep the tangy Balsamic Vinaigrette in the fridge for up to a week, but I bet you’ll eat it sooner.
- Meal prep: You can portion out servings of this salad, without dressing, and eat it throughout the week.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
MEDITERRANEAN SALAD SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
If you do decide to have it complement the main course, it pairs well with creamy lemon chicken pasta, Italian sausage and peppers, chicken riggies, or Italian dressing chicken. You can also try it for lunch with a chicken gyro. I promise you’ll be full ‘till dinner.
I like how this adds crispy freshness to slow-cooked favorites like Mississippi pot roast, crockpot pork tenderloin, crockpot pork chops, and French dip sandwiches.
If you’re making a Mediterranean feast or having a themed party, serve this salad alongside my sheet-pan Mediterranean vegetables, Mediterranean pasta salad, Greek pasta salad, tortellini pasta salad, Italian pasta salad, Greek rice, cucumber-tomato feta salad, honey glazed carrots, or sliced pita to dip into my tzatziki sauce! In my book, you can never have too many side dishes!
HOW TO MAKE MEDITERRANEAN SALAD RECIPE
Whipping up this sophisticated, refreshing salad only takes a few minutes.
- Just chop the veggies and combine them in a large bowl.
- Now whisk up that tangy vinaigrette in a separate container.
- Add the dressing to taste. You may not use it all, so go slowly. There’s nothing worse than a salad with too much dressing! Toss the salad in the dressing to coat, then top with feta cheese. BAM! Fresh deliciousness. Be sure to taste and adjust the salt and black pepper if needed. Serve in a large salad bowl or platter.
***See the full instructions below.
MORE YUMMY SALADS
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Strawberry Salad with blue cheese and sherry vinaigrette
- Quinoa Salad
- Pea Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Dorito Taco Salad
- Marinated Tomato Salad
- Taco Pasta Salad
- 1905 Salad
- Pizza Salad
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Mediterranean Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 8 cups romaine leaves, torn
- 1 (10-ounce) container grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 English cucumbers, seeded chopped in small cubes
- 1 cup red onion, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups pitted kalamata olives, sliced
- 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and well rinsed
- 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes rinsed, well-drained and sliced
- 10-12 ounces feta crumbled
- homemade balsamic vinaigrette
Instructions
Salad:
- In a large bowl combine the romaine (8 cups), tomatoes (10 ounces), cucumbers (2), red onions (1 cup), olives (1 1/2 cups), garbanzo beans (15 ounce), and sun-dried tomatoes (1 jar). Add dressing to taste and toss well. You may not use all of the dressing. Sprinkle Feta 10-12 ounces) evenly over the salad.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
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It’s very healthy and it tastes great.
Hey Sandra! So happy you enjoyed this salad! Thanks so much for the 5 star rating!!
Are the sun-dried tomatoes in oil, also, what size jar is it that you use? Thank you!
Hi Janet. I used an 8.5 ounce jar.
Love this recipe. I like a good salad in the summer. Have you ever made a Pittsburgh salad. You make a salad and add hot french fries and either chicken or steak on top with your favorite dressing. I am from the Pittsburgh area and the restaurants carry it there. It is really good.
Hi Phyllis no I haven’t tried Pittsburg salad. It sounds delicious!!
I like this recipe very much and keep on posting these kind of recipes.
thank you!
My new favorite salad
It looks delicious I loved it Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome! <3