Summer is definitely here in Texas! We’ve already been to the pool, and summer vacay is just around the corner for the kids. We’re already pushing 90, and the hotter it gets the less I want to do any real cooking. Honestly, our house’s AC is undersized and can’t keep up with the Texas weather as is. But turn on the oven- and we’re doomed! It’s pretty much crockpot and BBQ for us from here on out. Another huge summer staple for us is a big salad. It’s a great way to get in a good serving of veggies with no fuss. I’m constantly looking for new variations to keep it interesting.
The current house favorite is today’s Greek Salad. A Greek Salad is typically made with tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, onion, feta cheese, and olives. This version adds a little bulk and bumps up the veggies by mixing in those dark leafy greens- spinach and romaine. The traditional tangy dressing is a wonderful complement to the spinach and romaine as well! This salad makes a great start to any meal or you can toss some sliced chicken from the BBQ on top to make a complete (oven free!) meal. (Side notes: 1. You may notice my photos don’t contain tomatoes- the husband is allergic! But they are included in the recipe. Leave em in or take em out. Can’t go wrong ether way. 2. I’ve also substituted crumbled goat cheese for feta because I like the flavor better. Yes I know they are both goats milk cheeses, but no they really aren’t the same thing- trust me!)
PrintGreek Salad With Spinach and Romaine
- Yield: 1 large salad 1x
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce (washed, dried, and chopped)
- 1 bunch of spinach (washed and dried)
- 1 red onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 cucumbers (peeled and sliced)
- 1 container cherry or grape tomatoes (washed, dried, and sliced in half)
- 1/2–1 cup brined pitted kalamata olives, to taste (reserve 1/8 cup of brine for dressing)
- 8 oz crumbled goat cheese or feta
Dressing
- 1/8 cup cup kalamata olive brine
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4–1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp honey
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- 1. Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss gently.
- 2. Add all dressing ingredient to a measuring cup and whisk together. Note: this version of Greek Dressing is pretty tangy. If you don't like as much tang reduce red wine vinegar to 1/4 cup.
- 3. Drizzle 1/2 the dressing over salad and toss. Drizzle additional dressing over the salad until salad has been dressed to your taste and toss again. There may be additional dressing leftover depending on how dressed you prefer your salad.
Note: This salad can be dressed 1-2 hours ahead of when you plan to serve it. However, if you dress it too far ahead it will end up soggy.
Leave a Reply