Classic Mediterranean Salad Recipe

Here is my favorite Mediterranean salad recipe, with crisp romaine lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, tangy pepperoncini, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and a creamy homemade Greek dressing that brings it all together.

This Mediterranean salad has become our go-to dinner on busy weeknights. I love that I can prep most of the ingredients ahead of time, and my kids actually eat their veggies when they’re tossed in this tangy dressing. Plus, it’s filling enough to serve as a main dish!

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What Kind of Romaine Should I Use?

You can use either whole heads of romaine lettuce or the pre-washed romaine hearts for this salad, depending on what’s easier for you. If you’re going with a full head, you’ll want to remove the outer leaves if they look wilted and give the inner leaves a good rinse and dry. Romaine hearts are a bit more convenient since they’re already trimmed and tend to be crisper, but they can cost a bit more. Whichever you choose, make sure the leaves are nice and crisp with no brown spots or sliminess. For the best results, dry your romaine really well after washing – excess water will make your dressing slide right off and leave you with a watery salad.

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Options for Substitutions

This salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Romaine lettuce: You can swap romaine for iceberg, butter lettuce, or mixed greens. Just keep in mind that softer greens will wilt faster once dressed.
• Kalamata olives: Any brined olives work here – try green olives, Castelvetrano, or even canned black olives if that’s what you have on hand.
• Feta cheese: If you’re not a feta fan, crumbled goat cheese or shredded mozzarella make good alternatives. For a dairy-free option, just leave it out or add some toasted pine nuts for extra texture.
• Pepperoncini: Banana peppers or pickled jalapeños can step in if you don’t have pepperoncini. You can also skip them if you prefer less tang.
• Yogurt in dressing: Greek yogurt works best for thickness, but sour cream or even extra mayonnaise can substitute. If using regular yogurt, you might want to add a bit less liquid to keep the dressing creamy.
• Fresh herbs: Don’t have fresh herbs? Dried herbs work fine – just use about 1/3 of the amount called for since dried herbs are more concentrated.
• Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or even extra lemon juice can replace the red wine vinegar without much difference in taste.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making Mediterranean salad is adding the dressing too early, which causes the romaine to wilt and become limp – always dress your salad right before serving to keep everything crisp and fresh.

Another common error is not drying your lettuce and cucumbers properly after washing, as excess water dilutes the dressing and makes your salad watery, so use a salad spinner or pat everything dry with paper towels.

To keep your croutons from getting soggy, add them at the very last minute or serve them on the side so people can sprinkle them on their own portions.

Finally, make sure to cut your vegetables into similar-sized pieces so every bite has a good mix of ingredients, and don’t skip salting your cucumbers and letting them sit for 10 minutes before adding them to the bowl – this draws out excess moisture and prevents a watery salad.

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What to Serve With Mediterranean Salad?

This salad is pretty hearty on its own, but it pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, lamb kebabs, or even some pan-seared salmon if you want to add protein. I love serving it alongside warm pita bread or flatbread that you can use to scoop up any extra dressing and toppings that fall to the bottom of the bowl. For a full Mediterranean spread, try adding some hummus, tzatziki, or baba ganoush on the side for dipping. If you’re feeding a crowd, this salad works great as a side dish next to grilled meats, roasted vegetables, or even a simple pasta dish.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep the salad and dressing separate if you’re planning to save leftovers. The undressed salad will stay crisp in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 days, while the dressing keeps well for up to a week in a sealed jar or container.

Make Ahead: You can totally prep this salad ahead of time! Chop all your veggies and store them in separate containers, then mix the dressing a day or two before. Just wait to add the croutons and feta until right before serving so they don’t get soggy or lose their texture.

Serve: If you’ve stored dressed salad, it’s best eaten within a few hours since the lettuce will wilt. Give the dressing a good shake before tossing it with fresh ingredients, and add your croutons last for that perfect crunch.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 800-950
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 55-65 g
• Carbohydrates: 55-65 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 large romaine lettuce head (chopped into 1-inch bite-sized pieces)
• 1.5 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup cucumbers (sliced into 1/4-inch thick half-moons)
• 3/4 cup pepperoncini, sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion (thinly sliced into 1-inch long slivers)
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup croutons
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (preferably full fat)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp local honey
• 2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese

Step 1: Prepare All Fresh Vegetables

• 1 large romaine lettuce head
• 1.5 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup cucumbers
• 3/4 cup pepperoncini, sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion

While the dressing comes together, prepare all your vegetables for maximum efficiency.

Chop the romaine lettuce into 1-inch bite-sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl.

Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the cucumbers into 1/4-inch thick half-moons, thinly slice the red onion into 1-inch long slivers, and slice the pepperoncini.

Keep all prepared vegetables separate or loosely combined in the bowl—we’ll add the more delicate items last to prevent wilting.

Step 2: Build the Creamy Herb Dressing

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp local honey
• 2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt and mayonnaise until smooth and well combined.

Add the red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil, whisking continuously to emulsify the dressing and create a cohesive, creamy texture.

In a small bowl, combine all the dried herbs and spices (parsley, dill, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper), then whisk this mixture into the wet ingredients along with the honey and grated Parmesan cheese.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—I like to add a touch more vinegar if the dressing feels too heavy, as it brightens the final dish considerably.

Step 3: Assemble and Dress the Salad

• prepared vegetables from Step 1
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• dressing from Step 2

To the bowl with the lettuce and prepared vegetables, add the kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese.

Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the salad and toss everything together gently but thoroughly, ensuring every piece of lettuce is coated with the creamy herb dressing.

I find that using salad tongs or two large spoons makes this much easier than a fork, and it helps prevent bruising the more delicate vegetables.

Step 4: Top and Serve

• 1 cup croutons
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Just before serving, top the dressed salad with the croutons and a final sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.

Add the croutons at the very end so they stay crispy and don’t absorb too much moisture from the dressing.

Serve immediately while the croutons are still crunchy and everything is at its best.

Classic Mediterranean Salad Recipe

Delicious Classic Mediterranean Salad Recipe recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 875 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad::

• 1 large romaine lettuce head (chopped into 1-inch bite-sized pieces)
• 1.5 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup cucumbers (sliced into 1/4-inch thick half-moons)
• 3/4 cup pepperoncini, sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion (thinly sliced into 1-inch long slivers)
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup croutons
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing::

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (preferably full fat)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp local honey
• 2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• While the dressing comes together, prepare all your vegetables for maximum efficiency. Chop the romaine lettuce into 1-inch bite-sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the cucumbers into 1/4-inch thick half-moons, thinly slice the red onion into 1-inch long slivers, and slice the pepperoncini. Keep all prepared vegetables separate or loosely combined in the bowl—we'll add the more delicate items last to prevent wilting.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt and mayonnaise until smooth and well combined. Add the red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil, whisking continuously to emulsify the dressing and create a cohesive, creamy texture. In a small bowl, combine all the dried herbs and spices (parsley, dill, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper), then whisk this mixture into the wet ingredients along with the honey and grated Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—I like to add a touch more vinegar if the dressing feels too heavy, as it brightens the final dish considerably.
• To the bowl with the lettuce and prepared vegetables, add the kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese. Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the salad and toss everything together gently but thoroughly, ensuring every piece of lettuce is coated with the creamy herb dressing. I find that using salad tongs or two large spoons makes this much easier than a fork, and it helps prevent bruising the more delicate vegetables.
• Just before serving, top the dressed salad with the croutons and a final sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. Add the croutons at the very end so they stay crispy and don't absorb too much moisture from the dressing. Serve immediately while the croutons are still crunchy and everything is at its best.