Best Greek Salad with Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

🥗 The Best Greek Salad Recipe with Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Greek salad – or horiatiki – is one of the most loved dishes in the Mediterranean. It’s simple, colourful and incredibly fresh: ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumber, sweet red onion, green pepper, briny Kalamata olives and a generous slab of feta, all brought together by high-quality extra virgin olive oil. 

This version is designed to showcase the flavour of organic extra virgin olive oil from Domaine de Cugis – a family estate in Provence where olives are grown and pressed with the same respect as fine wine. The oil is used three times in the recipe: to gloss the vegetables, to bind the dressing and as a final golden drizzle just before serving.

 Why Greek Salad + Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is a Perfect Match

•  Authentic ingredients – Traditional Greek salad is built on tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, red onion, olives, feta, extra virgin olive oil and oregano. No lettuce is needed. 
•  Mediterranean diet hero – Combining fresh vegetables, olives, feta and olive oil gives a mix of antioxidants, fibre, calcium and heart-healthy fats that fits perfectly into the Mediterranean way of eating. 
•  Extra virgin olive oil is the star – Good Greek salad doesn’t hide behind a heavy sauce. It lets the fruity, peppery notes of the oil shine through with just a touch of vinegar or lemon.

With Domaine de Cugis oil, each bite carries a subtle hint of Provence – sun-ripened fruit, wild herbs and a clean peppery finish.

 Ingredients for the Best Greek Salad

Serves: 2 as a main, 4 as a side
Prep time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Very easy

 For the salad

•  4 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunky wedges
•  1 medium cucumber, half-peeled in stripes and sliced into half-moons
•  1 small green bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into thin rings
•  ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced into half-rings
•  12–15 Kalamata olives, pitted (whole or halved)
•  180–200 g Greek feta, in one thick slab (not crumbled)
•  1 tsp dried oregano (plus a pinch more for finishing)
•  Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 For the Domaine de Cugis dressing

• 3 tbsp Domaine de Cugis organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard (optional, for a slightly creamy emulsion)
• ½ tsp runny honey (optional, balances acidity)

 Extra finishing touch

• 1–2 tbsp Domaine de Cugis extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling on top just before serving

 Step-by-Step: How to Make the Perfect Greek Salad

1. Prepare the vegetables

1. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, red onion and Kalamata olives to a large shallow bowl.
2. Sprinkle gently with a pinch of sea salt and half of the dried oregano.
3. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of Domaine de Cugis olive oil directly over the vegetables and toss very lightly with your hands.
   •  Why? This first contact with the oil coats the vegetables, softens the onion and makes the flavours bloom even before you add the dressing.

2. Mix the Domaine de Cugis dressing

In a small jar or bowl:

1. Combine 3 tablespoons of Domaine de Cugis olive oil with the red wine vinegar or lemon juice.
2. Add Dijon mustard and honey if using.
3. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
4. Shake or whisk until the dressing looks glossy and slightly thickened.

You now have a bright, balanced vinaigrette where the extra virgin olive oil is clearly the hero, not hidden behind other flavours.

3. Assemble the salad

1. Pour most of the dressing over the vegetables and toss once more, gently – you want everything coated but not crushed.
2. Place the slab of feta cheese on top of the salad.
3. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the feta.
4. Finish with:
   • A generous pinch of dried oregano
   • Freshly ground black pepper
   • 1–2 tablespoons of Domaine de Cugis olive oil as a final glossy ribbon

Serve immediately at room temperature with crusty bread for dipping into the juices and oil at the bottom of the bowl.

 How to Highlight Domaine de Cugis Olive Oil in This Recipe

Use the oil at three key moments:

1. First drizzle – “wake up” the vegetables
   • A tablespoon of oil directly on the chopped vegetables makes the tomatoes shine, softens the onion and carries aromas of herbs and olives.
2. Signature vinaigrette – balanced but oil-forward
   • Use more oil than acid (about 3:1). This ratio keeps the texture silky and ensures that the flavour of Domaine de Cugis oil remains at the centre of the dish.
3. Final flourish – gourmet restaurant finish
   • Drizzling a thin line of oil over the feta and just around the edge of the salad right before serving adds fragrance and a luxurious look.
   • The peppery notes of high-quality extra virgin olive oil are often due to natural polyphenols, which also contribute antioxidant benefits. 

This way, your Greek salad becomes a delicious way to introduce guests to the taste of organic extra virgin olive oil from Provence.

 Make-Ahead, Serving & Variations

 Can you make it ahead?

• For the best texture, cut and assemble just before serving.
• You can slice the vegetables up to 2 hours in advance and keep them in the fridge, then dress and add feta at the last minute.

Perfect occasions

• Light summer lunch on the terrace
• Side dish for grilled fish, chicken or lamb
• Fresh starter before a Mediterranean dinner menu

Simple variations (still focused on the oil)

• Add a handful of crisp lettuce only if you want a modern twist – the traditional version is made without lettuce. 
• Top with grilled chicken, shrimp or chickpeas for extra protein.
• Add a spoonful of capers for extra briny depth.

In every variation, keep the dressing simple and let the olive oil from Domaine de Cugis do the talking.