Name: Greek Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 English cucumber, diced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved (mixed colors if you can find them); 3 stalks celery, sliced; ½ small red onion, thinly sliced (optional — I never add onion to mine); 4 ounces fresh feta or goat feta, crumbled; ½ cup fresh oregano leaves; ¼ cup fresh rosemary; ¼ cup fresh basil leaves; 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves; ¼ cup fresh parsley; 3 cloves garlic; ¼ cup balsamic vinegar; ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; Optional: 1 teaspoon honey

Greek Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

This is my Greek salad. Not the one you get at the food court with the sad iceberg and the dressing that tastes like it came from a bottle. This one has a real vinaigrette — blended fresh herbs, garlic, and balsamic — that actually tastes like something. The dressing is the whole point. Make it, ble

Ingredients

1 English cucumber, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved (mixed colors if you can find them)
3 stalks celery, sliced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced (optional — I never add onion to mine)
4 ounces fresh feta or goat feta, crumbled
½ cup fresh oregano leaves
¼ cup fresh rosemary
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 1 teaspoon honey

Method

Combine the cucumber, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, celery, and red onion if using in a large bowl.
Make the vinaigrette: Combine the oregano, rosemary, basil, thyme, parsley, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper in a blender. Add the honey if using. Mince the garlic separately (or grate it) and add it — blended whole garlic can be grainy and sharp. Blend on high until smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother texture if desired.
Taste the dressing. It should be bold — adjust salt, vinegar, or oil as needed. The flavor should be bright and herby.
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well. Let it sit for 5 minutes so the vegetables absorb the dressing.
Top with crumbled feta. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the dressing.
*Variations:**
**With pasta**: Add 1 cup cooked fusilli pasta for a heartier meal. Toss it in with the dressing and let it absorb before adding the vegetables.
**With avocado**: Add 1 ripe avocado, diced, and fold it in gently just before serving.
*Storage:** The dressed salad keeps for 1 day in the fridge, though the vegetables will soften. The vinaigrette keeps for 1 week in the fridge — shake or blend before using.
*Seasonal note:** The tomatoes matter here. A mix of colors and varieties — yellow pear, red cherry, Sungold, Sweet 100s — makes this salad look as good as it tastes. The herb vinaigrette is endlessly adaptable: swap basil for mint in summer, add a serrano pepper for heat.