Use your garden to it’s full potential
As much as I love a good leafy green salad, it’s nice to ditch the greens once in a while in favor of an easy tossed salad like this Crunchy Greek Salad with Avocado and Feta. I almost called this a “Garden Bounty Salad” because it truly is a salad that utilizes the bounty of a summer vegetable garden. When coupled with some Kalamata olives, avocado, feta, and a light vinaigrette, this veggie-packed salad really shines.
Though we’re several weeks out from the official start date of summer, I’m getting this recipe to you now because if you’re like me, you’ll soon be up to your elbows in tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and herbs and the temps will be way too warm to even think of turning your oven on. Whip this beauty up in less than 10 minutes with a simple chop and toss and enjoy it all summer long!
The right vinegar is key to a perfect vinaigrette
The veggies, Kalamata olives, and feta are all perfectly capable of doing the heavy lifting in this recipe, so it’s important that the vinaigrette stays simple. I prefer to use a champagne vinegar in this dish because it is particularly light and mellow, offering the perfect tang to this Crunchy Greek Salad without overpowering any of the fresh produce. If you do not have champagne vinegar on hand, you may swap for an alternative but it will have varying effects on this dish:
- White wine vinegar: This would be my second choice for this salad if you aren’t able to procure champagne vinegar. White wine vinegar is very similar to champagne, but with a slightly bolder flavor. This is still a great option for vinaigrettes, but pales slightly in comparison to the mellow flavor of the champagne vinegar for this particular salad.
- Red wine vinegar: This is another great option for vinaigrettes in general. Slightly more pronounced in flavor than a white wine vinegar, but still mellow enough to enhance the flavor of a vinaigrette without dominating the flavor profile. This is certainly not my first choice for this particular salad, but a perfectly copasetic option if it’s all you have on hand.
- Apple cider vinegar: I use this vinegar for so many dishes, that it’s a primary staple in my pantry. It’s considerably more tart than it’s champagne and wine counterparts, but still a reasonable option if you really wanted to use it. Remember, we’re trying to elevate the vegetables, not overpower them, so you may want to decrease the amount of apple cider vinegar you use in proportion to the preferred champagne vinegar in this recipe. Either way, you will most certainly end up with a zippier and tangier salad using this option though, so keep that in mind.
- Traditional distilled white vinegar: I’ve listed this only because I feel confident I’m going to get questions about it. Though traditional distilled white vinegar is acceptable in “some” vinaigrettes, it’s quite bold and pungent so I highly recommend you skip this one for this particular dish and save it for when you’re ready to pickle some of the gorgeous vegetables from your garden instead.
What should I serve Crunchy Greek Salad with Avocado and Feta with?
This Crunchy Greek Salad is stellar with just about anything you’re grilling! It’s a great way to dress up simple grilled chicken breasts or as a side for burgers. If you’re vegetarian, I think this would be beautiful served with grilled halloumi or tofu steaks. I also particularly love serving this Crunchy Greek Salad with these recipes:
- Greek Lamb Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
- Mediterranean Turkey Burgers
- Salmon dressed with this Lemon Dill Cream Sauce
How long will this dish keep?
Because this Crunchy Greek Salad contains high-water content produce like cucumbers and easily bruised avocados, the salad will eventually begin to break down, so I prefer to eat this dish within the first 2 days or so for the best texture. Leftovers should be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
WHAT TOOLS DO I NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE?
- A cutting board
- A chef’s knife
- A large bowl
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Two wooden serving spoons or salad serving utensils
Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.
A note about Garlic Oil
I use garlic-infused olive oil rather than whole garlic in my recipes because I personally don’t tolerate whole garlic very well. Garlic is high in fructans, a type of Fodmap (short-chain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine). As an alternative, a good garlic-infused olive oil can be a great substitution for those with similar intolerances or who follow a SIBO-specific or Low-FODMAP diet. I personally love using garlic-infused olive oil in my cooking to get that delicious garlic flavor without the tummy-ache.
I understand that this particular food intolerance is not a problem for many others though, so I always try to make sure that a reasonable swap is listed in my recipes. This salad is perfectly delicious with fresh minced garlic and a good extra virgin olive oil, so there’s no need to run out and buy special ingredients for this salad. If you do have a similar intolerance or are just interested in trying garlic-infused olive oil out, I usually buy this one.
A note for special diets
This Crunchy Greek Salad is grain-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, low-carb, and friendly for Keto and Vegetarian diets. Though technically friendly for Low-Fodmap diets, you’ll want to watch the amount of avocado you use in this dish if you follow this diet. If you omit the feta, this dish is friendly for Paleo and Whole30 diets, but the feta is so good in this that I hope you don’t have to!
Crunchy Greek Salad with Avocado and Feta
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 portions 1x
- Category: Salads & Dressings, Sides
- Cuisine: Greek
Description
This Crunchy Greek Salad truly utilizes the bounty of a summer vegetable garden. When coupled with some Kalamata olives, avocado, feta, and a light vinaigrette, this quick veggie-packed salad really shines.
Ingredients
- 2 bell peppers (about 2 3/4 cups), chopped (I prefer red and yellow)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 2 cups English cucumber, halved and sliced into half moons
- 1 cup avocado, diced
- 1 cup feta cheese, diced block or crumbled
- 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped (may sub 4 tsp dried parsley)
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped (may sub 2 tsp dried oregano)
- 3 tbsp garlic oil (may sub 3 tbsp olive oil + 3 cloves minced garlic)
- 3 tbsp Champagne vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Gently toss ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
- Calories: 262
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 1082 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 7 mg
Keywords: Crunchy Greek Salad
Yum! This looks so refreshing – I love a good greek salad!
This salad looks amazing, I love Greek everything. This is the perfect summer recipe. (Minus the olives because I just can’t stand them! Lol).
★★★★★
This sounds absolutely delicious! Heading to the store today so that I can make this for dinner!
★★★★★
This looks so fresh and perfect for the summer months, plus I’m always on board with feta cheese!
★★★★★
What a great salad for summer! Especially with some grilled chicken. I’m not a big fan of feta do you tho k goat cheese would work? Can’t wait to try!!
★★★★★
My idea of the perfect salad. I really need to get my hands on some champagne vinegar, I’m seeing it pop up everywhere lately.
★★★★★
Wow, this salad looks so light and refreshing! Perfect for any summer day!
★★★★★
All my favourite things are in this salad. This is a great dinner salad, and I know we would devour this. If it has feta I’m in…not to mention black olives too.
★★★★★
I love the high crunch factor in this salad! And adding feta cheese is so delicious!
★★★★★
That salad looks amazing! Greek salads are my hubby’s favorite, I need to make this for him!
★★★★★
Such a gorgeous salad! Can never go wrong with feta.
★★★★★
This looks so fresh and tasty, I just love a good avocado salad also, will need to make this summer!
★★★★★
I love anything with avocado, and the idea of using a garlic oil with this salad is brilliant! What a great way to add a punch of flavor. Definitely looking forward to enjoying this salad all summer long.
★★★★★
Lunch today! So many great flavors, and the avocado makes it filling!
★★★★★
This is a wonderful summer salad! Love almost everything in it (I’d have to take out cucumbers because I just cannot stand them 😉 ), especially that champagne vinegar and the garlic oil. Wow, what flavors it must have!
★★★★★
This is truly the perfect summer salad and a great way to use fresh garden veggies and herbs!! Pretty soon I too will have so many cherry tomatoes and bell peppers I won’t know what to do. I love that you use the champagne vinegar , it really does make a nice mellow dressing. Everything in this Greek salad I adore, I can’t wait to try it very soon.
★★★★★
This is fun and delicious way to mix things up. The flavors from this salad have me excited to eat a whole bowl of fresh veggies.
★★★★★
Love all these textures and colors, especially the addition of avocado which I never would’ve thought of. This is perfect for the summer!
★★★★★
Pinning this for the summer. We get a bunch of these veggies from my farm share all at once, so this salad will be perfect!
★★★★★
I love it! This tossed salad is just what I need for a hot summer day. It is full of health, light and it is easy to make – the result is amazing!
★★★★★
I LOVE a good chunky Greek salad, one of my absolute favorite dishes! I love your tip about using garlic oil instead of garlic in recipes. I have IBS and eat lower FODMAP, so this is something I should try (I can’t eat much onion for this reason, those really bother my stomach).
★★★★★
Crunchy salads are the best!
I LOVE how you broke down all of the vinegars. I always get so overwhelmed looking at them at the grocery store, trying to figure out which one is the right one to use!!
★★★★★
Love fresh crunchy salads like this! I could eat this every day! Loving the creamy avocado in there 🙂
Perfect timings.
Grilling tonight and was just looking for a salad option
★★★★★
This looks like the the most amazing salad! I’m so glad you listed out the vinegars and gave details around them!! I’m like you, I love champagne vinegar. And I love a good flavored olive oil, like garlic olive oil. Such a helpful post!
★★★★★
Wow! This is so pretty! I can taste all the yummy flavor from here.
★★★★★
I love a creative spin on classic salads like this! Adding avocado to a Greek salad sounds like a great idea and I’ll make sure to give it try next time I host a BBQ party!
★★★★★
I love a good Greek salad, and this salad is full of fresh and delicious ingredients, just perfect for the summer!
★★★★★
This salad looks delicious. It’s so refreshing and perfect for summer. I bet my family will enjoy this too. Love the addition of feta. Must make this asap.
★★★★★
Greek, avocado & feta, are some of my most favorite things! This is my kind of salad 🙂
★★★★★
We love greek salads. We usually make ours with spinach but I like your idea of ditching the greens altogether. I have never used avocado before but I really like this. I actually have never heard of champagne vinegar. I do have a lot of vinegars, besides citrus it is my favorite way to add acid to a dish. I will keep a lookout for this vinegar. Thanks for another great recipe!
★★★★★
What a beautiful and colorful salad! It just is so inviting — the ingredients are all of our favorites. We also like to use infused oils — especially the garlic olive oil. It gives such a great taste to all of the salads and really any dish we make. Champagne vinegar is so good! I’ll have to pick up a bottle and use it for this salad.
★★★★★
This is a beautiful salad! I love Greek salads with olives and feta. They add so much flavour and texture! I’ve never tried champagne vinegar. Have to look out for that!
★★★★★
Absolutely gorgeous – I love simple salads like this that would go as a side with almost anything but it can be a meal on its own too. Delicious! I need to look for that intriguing champagne vinegar – I love the sound of it!
★★★★★
I’m not a huge fan of olives, but I have to admit I would devour this entire salad! I’m loving the combination of flavors and the bold colors. This is perfect for all summer long
★★★★★
These colors are amazing and I’m sure the flavor is even better!
★★★★★
This is such a nutritious salad and although you didn’t mention rice vinegar, that works too! That’s all I had on hand and I would use it again. I skipped the avocado because I don’t have a ripe one, but next time, I’ll make sure to add it. Great salad. Thanks!
★★★★★
I love all flavours greek! Olives, feta etc. Plus the tips on using the right vinaigrette were very useful indeed. There’s a lot of choice there. This salad would be the perfect accompaniment to some grilled meat!
★★★★★
I love so many things about this salad! First, I can’t believe that it only takes 10 minutes to make! Second, I’m always delighted to see salads that make use of a ton of veggies because I tend to go overboard at the farmers market, and then worry about my veggies going bad. Finally, thank you so much for the tip on the garlic-infused olive oil. I can’t do raw garlic anymore because it upsets my stomach, so I will definitely give the oil a try.
★★★★★
I think you read my mind of what are my favorite ingredients and combined them to make a perfect salad. I know my Hubby would really love the addition of the Kalamata olives and Feta cheese. This salad would be the star at the table – forget the meat.
★★★★★
This is my kind of salad. And what a great tip about using the champagne vinegar! It made such a huge difference, so light and mellow! Thanks for another great recipe!
★★★★★
How did you know greek salad is my favourite? Haha! This looks so refreshing, can’t wait to give it a try!
A colourful and an inviting bowl of salad. I love avocado and feta both and this would be a lovely addition for my summer salads.
★★★★★
This kind of salad is RIGHT up my alley. I totally agree—sometimes it’s nice to dish the greens and make a salad that’s chockfull of all the crunchy goodies. (The healthy adult equivalent to having a bowl of Lucky Charms with marshmallows only? haha). I also love that this encourages using your summer bounty. Sadly I won’t get to dig up my yard and start my garden until next summer, but I am SO ready. Until then, the Farmer’s Market it is.
★★★★★
Fantastic salad that is all about what a salad should be in my opinion. I am really excited to try it very soon!
★★★★★
Delicious, healthy and looking absolutely amazing! I’ve been looking for a great salad recipe to replace my current go-to option, and this looks like it could be it.
★★★★★
What a delicious looking salad! Thanks for the tip on the garlic oil …on my must-try list now!
★★★★★
This is my perfect salad. As soon as I saw feta and avocado, that was it! Perfect dressing too!
★★★★★
Beautiful, love the freshness and crunch in the salad and your tips on the vinegar for the dressing, this is going into my summer menu plan for sure!
★★★★★
i’m always on the hunt for salad recipes around this time of year, definitely trying this!
★★★★★
A wonderful and easy salad for hot summer days and sides for BBQ. Just what I needed.
★★★★★