This rustic and refreshing simple Greek village salad takes minimal prep to throw together! It's made with tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs and a delightful homemade Mediterranean dressing. Ready in 10 minutes!
Since I've been cultivating a home garden, I've been so excited to find recipes that utilize the in-season veggies and herbs I'm growing!
This Greek cucumber salad recipe (also known as Horiatiki) uses crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, red onion and a whole cast of fresh herbs served with a homemade dressing to make a classic dish that I come back to again and again. It's really quick to assemble and full of Mediterranean flavors.
What is a Horiatiki Salad?
Horiatiki is a truly authentic Greek cucumber salad. It's one that Greeks make with the freshest, simplest and most classic ingredients, and it pairs well with any Mediterranean dish... or by itself for a wonderful, light lunch!
Traditional Horiatiki is made with vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, raw onion and tangy feta cheese. It's dressed simply with salt, pepper, oregano, and olive oil. I tried to stay true to these basic principles with this cucumber Greek salad!
Ingredients
This Greek salad recipe consists of simple ingredients, with the stars being fresh vegetables and herbs! See the recipe card below for quantities and full instructions.
- English cucumber - I prefer peeling the cucumber but it is not required.
- Roma tomatoes - plum, grape or cherry tomatoes work just as well!
- Red onion
- Fresh dill - chopped (or swap for fresh parsley leaves)
- Fresh chives - diced
- Homemade Mediterranean house dressing - I am obsessed with this dressing. It consists of extra virgin olive oil, white distilled vinegar, fresh lemon juice, tahini, maple syrup, garlic, salt and black pepper.
Optional Add-Ins
- Avocado - I almost always add avocado because it adds such a creamy texture in addition to providing healthy fats and fiber.
- Red bell pepper - I enjoy chopping them roughly. You could also use green bell pepper.
- Crumbled vegan feta cheese - There are no hurdles to keeping this salad vegan! Simply swap vegan feta (such as VioLife brand) for regular feta.
- Kalamata olives - These olives are always used in a traditional Greek salad but it is optional for those who aren't huge olive lovers. Black olives work too!
How to Make this Greek Cucumber Salad
1. Slice the cucumber. Slice the peeled cucumber in half lengthwise and then cut it into ½-inch chunks. This salad is rustic and chunky in nature so there is no need to dice. Move the cucumber half moons to a large bowl.
2. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl. Add chopped tomatoes, chopped red onion and herbs to the sliced cucumbers in the mixing bowl. Add any of the optional ingredients (avocado, red pepper, vegan feta, olives) as well.
3. Toss with dressing. Add ¼ cup of the dressing overtop the veggies and toss well. Taste and add more dressing if desired.
4. Serve well chilled. I like to chill my ingredients in advance of assembling so I can serve immediately.
Health Benefits of Cucumbers
I love serving cucumbers in the summertime because they have such a high water content that they're great for staying hydrated. Their fresh flavor makes them perfect as a snack or sliced into a chilled pitcher of water. Cucumbers are low in calories and high in vitamin C. They’re also high in fiber, which makes them great for stomach health in addition to having great flavor.
For this recipe I prefer English cucumbers because they tend to be sweeter than regular cucumbers (and have fewer seeds!).
Health Benefits of Tomatoes
I love a dish that lets tomatoes shine! Fresh tomatoes in the summertime are one of life's simplest pleasures. Tomatoes are high in potassium, vitamin C and fiber, all while being very low in calories. Grab either Roma or plum tomatoes for this salad and cut them into wedges. Cherry or grape tomatoes also work here.
Homemade Greek Village Salad Dressing
I use and love my Mediterranean house dressing for this salad! It's a super simple combination of pantry ingredients that come together to create my favorite dressing. You can use a store-bought dressing, but making your own is so, so easy to do and I swear you can taste a difference!
Measure all of your ingredients into a Mason jar, give it a good shake, and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to use. That's it!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days. The fresh veggies will get a little soggy after a day so the best way to enjoy it is to serve immediately while fresh.
This simple salad is totally vegan, raw and gluten-free. Everyone can enjoy it, and everyone will love it! I hope you post this Greek village salad on Instagram and tag me so I can cheer you on in the kitchen. Leaving a review is incredibly helpful both to me and other readers as well!
More Salad Favorites
- Watermelon Avocado Mint Feta Salad
- Simple Summer Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Easy Plumcot Stone Fruit Salad
- Asparagus Ribbon Salad
- Broccoli Salad with California Avocado
- Mango-Avocado Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pepitas
- Creamy Broccoli & Zucchini Pasta Salad
- Pear & Roasted Beet Arugula Salad with Hazelnuts
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Easy Greek Cucumber Salad (Greek Village Salad)
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This rustic and refreshing simple Greek village salad takes minimal prep to throw together! It's made with tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs and a delightful homemade Mediterranean dressing. Ready in 10 minutes!
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber, peeled
- 2 Roma or plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped dill (or sub parsley leaves)
- ¼ cup diced fresh chives
- ¼ cup my homemade Mediterranean house dressing (or more to taste)
Optional Add-Ins
- 1 ripe avocado, chopped (I usually add this)
- 1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup crumbled vegan feta cheese (such as VioLife brand)
- ¼ cup kalamata olives (this is traditionally used in this dish)
Instructions
- Slice the cucumber. Slice the peeled cucumber in half lengthwise then in cut into ½-inch chunks. This salad is rustic and chunky in nature so no need to dice. Move the cucumber half moons to a large glass mixing bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients to the bowl. Add chopped tomatoes, chopped red onion, and herbs to the cucumber in the mixing bowl. Add any of the optional ingredients now too.
- Toss with dressing. Add ¼ cup of the dressing overtop the veggies and toss well. Taste and add more dressing if desired.
- Serve well chilled. I like to chill my ingredients in advance of assembling so I can serve immediately.
Notes
You can substitute grape or cherry tomatoes but this is not the traditional tomato variety used in a Greek village salad. It works just fine though and I do this all the time.
Add cooked chickpeas to make this a meal.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Side
- Cuisine: Greek
Alejandro Flores says
Just made this recipe for the first time. I have to say just like the medateranien quinoa salad Elaine knocked it out of the park. Thank you for this recipe its a talking point right now as the family can't stop eating it.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much! I'm so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed this one so much! This time of year it really satisfies and it is so quick to make!
Elaine Rohne says
I love this salad, it is so delicious and easy to make! My mom loves when I make this because of our Greek heritage. I always had a hard time understanding my great-grandfather because of him trying to talk English in his Greek accent. Greece has been on my bucket list to visit since I was very young, because of my great-grandfather.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe
Elaine
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Elaine! Thank you so much! Wow, I'm touched and honored you make this for your Greek family and that they approve! Greece is definitely on my bucket list as well! Seems like the most gorgeous country! Thank you for this five star review! Best, Elaine
Monique says
My kids gobbled this up! Love the dressing and I made it a meal by cooking some Mediterranean lentils, as well as pita and hummus.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Monique! I'm so happy to hear you and your kiddos enjoyed this one. I love that dressing too and use it on so many things since it is so versatile. I love your addition with the lentils, pita and hummus to make it a meal! I will have to try that myself next time! Best, Elaine