Chopped Greek Salad with Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette
Chopped crisp veggies, briny accents, and creamy feta get tossed in a bright lemon vinaigrette for a scrumptious Greek-style salad that comes together fast and works with just about everything.
Ingredients
Greek Chopped Salad
- 2 cups romaine, chopped (or mixed greens)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped (English or Persian, skin on)
- ½ cup bell pepper, chopped (any color)
- ⅓ to ½ cup red onion, chopped
- ½ cup crumbled feta, or parmesan for a sharper finish
- ¼ cup kalamata olives, chopped
- ½ cup pepperoncini, chopped
- ½ cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 5 ounces chicken, cut up or shredded
Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette (makes about 1 cup)
- ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt, see Notes for swaps
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, ~2 medium lemons, plus optional zest
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth.
- Build the salad: In a large bowl, combine the romaine, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, feta, and any optional add-ins you’re using.
- Toss: Add about ½ cup of the dressing and toss well. Taste and add more if you’d like (you’ll have extra).
- Serve: Enjoy right away or refrigerate for 15–30 minutes to let flavors mingle.
Notes
Three dressing options (pick your vibe!)
• Light sour cream: swap 1:1 for the yogurt (½ cup).
• Using mayo: best as ¼ cup mayo (regular or light) + ¼ cup yogurt. If you want all mayo, add 1 extra tablespoon lemon juice to keep it bright, then taste and tweak. Make it vegan: Use dairy-free yogurt in the dressing and skip the feta (or use a plant-based cheese). Make it gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free as written—just double-check labels on pepperoncini/condiments. Storage:
• Best crunch: store salad and dressing separately. Salad keeps 2–3 days refrigerated; dressing keeps up to 5 days in a sealed container.
• Already dressed: the salad is best within 24 hours.
- Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette (my default): Use the recipe above. It makes ~1 cup and I typically use ~½ cup for tossing, then save the rest.
- EVOO & Lemon Drizzle: Toss with extra-virgin olive oil + fresh lemon juice, then season with kosher salt + black pepper to taste. (The salt is key — it wakes up the whole salad.)
- Hummus Dressing (quick + delish)
• Light sour cream: swap 1:1 for the yogurt (½ cup).
• Using mayo: best as ¼ cup mayo (regular or light) + ¼ cup yogurt. If you want all mayo, add 1 extra tablespoon lemon juice to keep it bright, then taste and tweak. Make it vegan: Use dairy-free yogurt in the dressing and skip the feta (or use a plant-based cheese). Make it gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free as written—just double-check labels on pepperoncini/condiments. Storage:
• Best crunch: store salad and dressing separately. Salad keeps 2–3 days refrigerated; dressing keeps up to 5 days in a sealed container.
• Already dressed: the salad is best within 24 hours.
Nutrition Information per serving
Serving Size: 2 cupsCalories: 210Carbohydrates: 12gProtein: 15gTotal Fat: 11g— Unsaturated Fat: 7.5g— Saturated Fat: 3.5gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 520mgPotassium: 440mgFiber: 4gTotal Sugar: 4g— Natural Sugar: 4g— Added Sugar: 0gVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 140mgIron: 1.2mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.