Easy Chopped Greek Salad

updated January 08, 2024

5 from 4 votes

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This simple chopped salad is packed with Mediterranean flavors like tomato, cucumber, olives, feta, and a simple citrus-herb vinaigrette. Enjoy this chopped Greek salad with or without lettuce for potlucks, picnics, BBQ, and as a summery mid-week salad!

Maybe it’s that I’m longing for warm summer days, or that I’m currently obsessed with finely chopped salads (like this broccoli apple salad, rainbow chopped salad, and green chopped salad), but I can’t get enough of this Mediterranean/Greek-inspired chopped salad right now!

Not only is it packed with classic, summery Mediterranean/Greek flavors, but you can enjoy it year-round. It’s also an excellent combination of flavor and texture, with freshness, salty, savory, tangy/zingy, and crunchy!

Unlike a regular Greek salad, this chopped salad is cut into teeny pieces. That way, you get a bit of everything in each bite, AND it’s easy to eat, too. When left to combine and marinate, this Mediterranean chopped salad is practically bursting with flavor. It’s coated in a juicy, flavorful lemon-herb dressing that mingles with the tomato and cucumber juices for top “yummm” worthy results!

Best of all, the entire recipe is basically just chopping and mixing (made even quicker with a food chopper). Plus, did you hear that the Mediterranean diet was voted the number 1 diet of 2022?! This means it’s the perfect time to get acquainted! Enjoy it as an appetizer, side or main, alongside gyro, meat, fish, or as part of a mezze platter with hummus, tzatziki, and warm pita bread!

Want to enjoy more simple, healthy salads? You may enjoy this chopped beet and carrot salad, simple arugula pomegranate salad, or browse through this list of 40+ easy salad recipes!

The ingredients of a Greek salad

This rainbow salad recipe relies on a combination of different colored, textured Mediterranean/Greek salad vegetables, including:

Tomatoes: try to use fleshy tomatoes rather than too seedy ones, diced. If using small tomatoes, like cherry/grape tomatoes (best out of season), you can chop them in half or quarters.
Cucumber: use a low-seed variety like Persian or English cucumber. If you only have regular or thick-skinner cucumber, you may prefer to peel it.
Onion: red onion works best in this salad. If you’d prefer a more mellow flavor, soak the chopped onion in ice water (or lemon juice) for 10-15 minutes before adding it to the salad.
Chili pepper: technically optional, but a small amount of red chili helps to add small pops of heat throughout the chopped salad. Instead of fresh chili, you could use a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Olives: use kalamata olives for the best Mediterranean Greek salad. Though any olives should work (and in any color).
Feta Cheese: Feta is a popular component of several types of chopped Mediterranean salad and helps to add tangy, salty, savory, creamy elements alongside the fresh, crunchy vegetables. Enjoy the feta as crumbles or cubes.

For a vegan version, you can use vegan feta cheese or omit it entirely.

Salad dressing: for this Mediterranean chopped salad, I used a simple olive-oil vinaigrette with extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic (I use fresh, but roasted garlic could also work or even garlic powder, but only in a pinch), and salt and black pepper, combined with dry mint.

Other acids would also work, including red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, balsamic, etc. If you aren’t a mint fan, then fresh parsley or fresh/dried oregano or thyme also work amazingly.

Optional Add-ins and Variations

Below is a list of some fairly popular additions to the Mediterranean/Greek chopped salad, as well as some more “non-traditional” recommendations (that I still enjoy!).

Lettuce: I love enjoying a Greek salad with lettuce (in fact, I’ve shared a vegan Greek lettuce salad already). Simply finely chop Romaine lettuce/Iceberg lettuce into the salad, too.
Bell Pepper: bell peppers are a popular option in a Greek vegetable salad. I prefer to use red pepper, but orange, yellow, or green would work.
Legumes: chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or white beans will add fiber, protein, and creamy texture to the chopped salad and help turn it into more of a full meal.
Greek pasta salad: I prefer to use fairly standard pasta shapes (like fusilli, farfalle, penne, etc.) rather than long noodles.
Grains: for a heartier, protein-packed salad, add 1/4-1/2 cup of cooked quinoa (technically not a grain), couscous, farro, buckwheat, or bulgur.
Avocado: cubed avocado will add healthy fats and wonderful creaminess.
Artichoke: finely chopped artichoke hearts pair well with all the Mediterranean flavors.
Dijon mustard: a small amount (literally around ½ tsp) within the dressing will add extra zing.
Pita chips: to use in place of croutons, for crunch.

Other Mix-ins

Potato: finely chopped boiled potato/new potatoes are a hearty addition to the chopped Greek salad.
Nuts/Seeds: for protein and crunch, add chopped nuts (like walnuts, almonds, cashews) or seeds (sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds).
Egg: add chopped hard-boiled eggs for protein and texture.
Sweetcorn: to add a subtle sweetness to the Greek chopped salad.
Spinach: shred some baby spinach for tons of extra nutrients.

How to make a chopped Greek salad?

First, rinse and finely chop all the vegetables using a sharp knife or food chopper. At the same time, juice the lemon.

If you want to enjoy the salad over several days, it’s a good idea to de-seed any seedy tomatoes and cucumber. That will help it to avoid becoming too “soggy” too soon.

Optionally, in a small bowl, whisk the greek vinaigrette.

Next, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well.

I crumbled the feta directly into the salad, but feel free to chop/use little cubes of feta instead. It’s up to you!

I then highly recommend allowing it to sit and “marinate” for 20-30 minutes before tasting, adjusting the seasoning if necessary, and enjoy!

How to serve?

My favorite way of serving this Mediterranean chopped salad is alongside the protein of your choice (chicken breasts, chicken shish kabobs, marinated tofu or tempeh, shrimp, etc.) and some fresh, warm pita bread (or pita chips to scoop up the finely chopped Greek salad). However, you could also enjoy it with:

Gyro salad: within or alongside the wrap. It will also pair well with a falafel wrap.
Sandwiches/wraps: this Mediterranean chopped salad pairs reasonably well with many sandwiches and wraps, or can even be turned into lettuce wraps with hummus.
Pizza (or flatbread): like this Neapolitan pizza, butternut squash pesto pizza, or hummus and veg topped flatbread.
Baked potato: enjoy this chopped salad as a side for a baked potato or sweet potato.

You can also enjoy it as part of a Mediterranean mezze platter with all your favorite Mediterranean dips and sides (hummus, tzatziki, pita, etc.)

How to make ahead and store?

Make ahead: you can chop the vegetables a day in advance and store them in separate containers. Some vegetables can be stored together, but keep the very “wet” ones – like tomato and cucumber – away from the dry ones. You could also prepare a large batch of the simple vinaigrette to use over several days. Then, when ready, simply combine everything.

Store: once assembled, store the chopped veggie salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. The veggies will soften and release excess liquid in this time, becoming more “watery.” If you want to store it for longer, keep the salad and dressing separate and store it for an additional day or two.

If you want to enjoy the salad over several days, preparing the dressing separately in a small bowl/jar is a good idea. You can pour some on the first day and top it up before enjoying it the next time.

FAQs

Is Greek salad healthy?

Absolutely. This chopped salad is full of classic Mediterranean ingredients. When you consider that the Mediterranean diet was just listed as the number one healthiest diet of 2022, it must be doing something right! In fact, this rainbow salad is packed with different vitamins, nutrients, and heart-healthy fats, while remaining reasonably low calorie.

Does Greek salad contain lettuce?

Traditionally, no. The Greek salad ingredients are usually tomato, cucumber, onion, olives, and feta with an olive oil-oregano dressing. However, in America and the UK (and possibly elsewhere too), many restaurant versions of this dish add iceberg lettuce, which has made it a popular inclusion for many. It also works amazingly as a gyro salad with or without lettuce.

Recipe tips and notes

To speed up the prep: rely on a handy food chopper to get your ingredients ready in just a couple of minutes.
For a chunkier salad: if you prefer more of a traditional salad texture, simply chop larger pieces of the veggies and enjoy!
Allow it to “marinate”: this will give all the flavors a chance to meld and create an overall more flavorful chopped Greek salad.
Use the best ingredients: this simple, fresh chopped salad relies on just a few fresh veggies – so make sure they’re high quality. During tomato season, I choose the best of the best. Small tomatoes like cherry tomatoes are best for the rest of the year, as they’re the juiciest option year-round.
For a vegan salad: simply swap out the feta for vegan feta, and you’re good to go!

More simple salad recipes

If you try this Mediterranean/Greek chopped salad recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!