Hearty and healthy Greek salad is a real symbol of healthy eating. The composition includes vegetables, soft brine cheese and, of course, a dressing that makes the dish especially tasty. There are many recipes for the sauce, the choice depends on personal taste and the ingredients that make up the salad.
Salad dressing: home cooking principles
The composition of the Greek salad includes fresh vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions. Pitted black olives and soft brine cheese are a must. The classic version is feta, the Greeks prefer not to cut it into cubes, but add it with a whole bar. In other countries, where they also like Greek salad, they make their own additions to the dish: vegetables and cheese can be chopped finely or coarsely, mixed in a bowl or laid out on portioned plates. Spices are often added to the dish: salt, freshly ground black pepper, dry or fresh herbs.
Greek salad is not only delicious, but also healthy. It is rich in fiber, vitamins C, B and E, provitamin A. Nutritional value depends on the specific recipe and the amount of dressing, the calorie content varies from 100 to 150 kcal per 100 g of salad. The dish increases appetite, goes well with protein products: fried meat, sausages, fish.
A very important point is salad dressing. It combines all the components of the dish, adds the necessary flavor nuances. The classic sauce is very simple and consists of olive oil, lemon juice and salt. It is usually mixed at home, but you can also buy a finished product packaged in glass bottles of different sizes.
For those who prefer more interesting and unusual options, you can try other types of sauce. It is important to adhere to the general principle: oil and an acidic component (lemon juice, wine or balsamic vinegar) must be included in the dressing. The rest of the ingredients can give the sauce the desired flavor: sweeter, sour, pungent and even bitter.
The choice of sauce depends on personal taste. For example, for those who don't like fresh onions in a salad, a dressing that already contains this vegetable will work. The taste is softer, without unnecessary bitterness. If unleavened cheese is selected for the salad, you can add salted soy sauce to the dressing. Children like sweetish mixtures with honey, sugar, syrup. Vegetables will add interesting nuances: finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, fresh garlic or hot chili peppers.
Classic dressing: step-by-step preparation
The classic option is to use extra virgin olive oil. All vitamins and valuable polyunsaturated acids are preserved in the product, the dressing gives the dish a delicate recognizable taste and stimulates appetite.
Ingredients:
- 110 ml olive oil;
- 55 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice;
- 5, 5 tsp dried oregano;
- salt;
- freshly ground black pepper.
Pour freshly squeezed lemon juice into a glass container (jar or bottle with a tightly screwed cap), add salt and ground black pepper. Pour in oregano, it is better to grind the dried herb in a mortar or coffee grinder. Close the container and shake vigorously several times to ensure that all components are well mixed.
Pour in olive oil, close the jar again and shake thoroughly. When the sauce is smooth, let it sit in a cool place for about 30 minutes. Stir the mixture again before seasoning the salad.
Dressing with balsamic vinegar: original version
Instead of lemon juice, you can use balsamic with an interesting taste and aroma. Such a dressing will turn a familiar Greek salad into an interesting and unusual dish. Fresh herbs will add additional nuances: oregano, basil, parsley, thyme. The proportions can be varied to taste.
Ingredients:
- 160 ml olive oil;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 55 ml of balsamic vinegar;
- 1 tbsp. l. fine brown sugar;
- salt;
- fresh spicy herbs.
In a glass or ceramic bowl, mix oil and vinegar, grind until the crystals are completely dissolved. Peel the garlic, grate on a very fine grater. Do not use a press, it will not be able to grind the cloves to the desired consistency. Add chopped garlic to the butter, beat the mixture with a whisk.
Add finely chopped fresh herbs to the mixture, add oil, salt to taste. Whisk the dressing until smooth and thick. Put the sauce in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes and pour over the salad.
Vinaigrette sauce with variations: preparation step by step
You can season a Greek salad with a classic vinaigrette sauce. It often contains additional components that make the taste more delicate: cane sugar, honey, and even maple syrup. A properly prepared dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for at least a week.
Ingredients:
- 0.5 cups extra virgin olive oil (can be replaced with canola oil);
- 0.25 cups red or white wine vinegar;
- 1, 5 tsp dijon mustard;
- 1 tbsp. l. maple syrup or liquid honey;
- salt to taste.
Pour oil and wine vinegar into a jar with a lid, add salt and maple syrup. Close container and shake vigorously several times until mixture is smooth. Try the dressing, you may need to add a little more salt or vinegar. Before pouring the salad, the vinaigrette should stand in a cool place for a while. The remaining sauce is stored directly in the jar in which it was prepared.
Small changes can be made to the gas station. Those who do not like the characteristic sweetish taste will surely like the spicier ingredients. Instead of honey or syrup, add 1 tbsp to the sauce. l. chopped onions (onions, shallots or green chives are suitable). Chopped sun-dried tomatoes will add additional sourness and delicate aroma. Greens will not be superfluous. Thyme and rosemary will add a French accent to the Greek salad, basil and oregano will add Italian notes.
Soy sauce dressing: simple and sophisticated
When cooking, you do not need to add salt - there is already enough salt in the soy sauce. The cheese should also be fairly bland, without unnecessary spices. The combination of vegetables and soft cheese with a salty spicy sauce is unusual, but the taste of the salad is balanced and subtle. It is better to choose liquid honey, if it is sugared, you can melt the product in the microwave or in a water bath.
Ingredients:
- 5 tbsp. l. extra virgin olive oil;
- 1 tbsp. l. liquid honey;
- 3 tbsp. l. lemon juice;
- 2 tbsp. l. soy sauce.
Put honey in a glass or earthenware bowl, pour in soy sauce, mix thoroughly. Squeeze lemon juice, add to honey mixture. Beat everything with a whisk until smooth. Add oil, stir. The mass should become thick, if desired, you can add freshly ground black pepper or a little mustard to it. Shake the sauce well before seasoning the salad.
Yogurt dressing: unusual and tasty
An interesting idea that can completely transform the familiar Greek salad. It is best to use a homemade fermented milk product without additives.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups low-fat homemade yogurt
- 4 tbsp. l. olive oil;
- 2 fresh cucumbers;
- 5 cloves of garlic;
- 100 ml white wine vinegar;
- dried dill;
- salt;
- freshly ground black pepper.
Peel the cucumbers and garlic, grate on a very fine grater. Pour yogurt into a deep bowl, add chopped vegetables, dried dill, salt, ground black pepper and vegetable oil. Beat everything with a whisk until completely homogeneous, pour in vinegar and mix again. Try gas station. If it turns out to be too sour, you can add a little sugar or honey. The sauce is prepared immediately before use; before dressing the salad, it must be briefly placed in the refrigerator. The yogurt-based mixture is not subject to long-term storage.
