Description
This Mediterranean salad is a vibrant, fresh, and satisfying lunch packed with crisp vegetables, briny olives, creamy feta, and a zesty lemon-oregano vinaigrette. Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s naturally gluten-free, endlessly customizable, and perfect for meal prep or a quick, healthy meal any time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium cucumbers (about 2 cups), diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 cups), halved
- 1/4 medium red onion (about 1/2 cup), thinly sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper (about 1 cup), diced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (optional)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove, minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Optional: Toasted pita chips
- Optional: 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
Instructions
- Wash and dry all vegetables and herbs.
- Slice cucumbers into bite-sized pieces, halve the tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion (soak in ice water for 5 minutes if desired), dice the bell pepper, halve and pit the olives, and chop the parsley and mint.
- In a small bowl or jar, combine olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Whisk or shake until emulsified.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, olives, parsley, and mint. Toss gently to mix.
- Just before serving, crumble feta over the salad and pour the vinaigrette on top. Toss gently until everything is coated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Transfer to a serving platter or bowls. Top with toasted pita chips or chickpeas if desired, and garnish with extra herbs.
- If meal prepping, keep dressing and feta separate until ready to serve.
Notes
For best texture, add feta and dressing just before serving. Pat veggies dry to avoid a watery salad. Customize with chickpeas, grilled chicken, or seasonal veggies. Keeps up to 3 days undressed in the fridge. For vegan, omit feta or use a plant-based alternative.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 2 cups (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 5
Keywords: Mediterranean salad, healthy lunch, easy salad, gluten-free, vegetarian, meal prep, feta, cucumber, tomato, olive, lemon vinaigrette