Mediterranean Salad Flavors (Printable)

Bright mix of Mediterranean vegetables, olives, and feta dressed with olive oil and herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
02 - 1 large cucumber, diced
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Cheese

04 - 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or cubed

→ Olives

05 - 3.5 ounces Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

→ Dressing

06 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Garnish

11 - Fresh parsley or mint, chopped

# Steps:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and Kalamata olives.
02 - Gently fold in the crumbled or cubed feta cheese, taking care to preserve its texture.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing evenly over the salad ingredients and toss gently to combine all components.
05 - Optionally, sprinkle chopped fresh parsley or mint atop the salad and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes flat, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore and more like a treat.
  • There's a reason this combination has fed people around the Mediterranean for centuries—it just works, every single time.
  • You can pronounce every ingredient and actually recognize them, which feels like a small rebellion against kitchen complexity.
02 -
  • The biggest mistake I made early on was letting the salad sit in the dressing too long before serving—the vegetables weep liquid and everything becomes waterlogged, so always dress it as close to serving time as possible.
  • The quality of your tomatoes and olive oil will determine whether this is a good salad or an unforgettable one, so buy the best you can find and trust that investment.
03 -
  • Chill your bowl for five minutes before assembly if you want the salad to stay crisp longer, a small trick that makes a noticeable difference on warm days.
  • Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning yourself rather than following the measurements exactly, because tomatoes vary wildly in sweetness and intensity depending on season and source.
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