Greek Salad

From America's Test Kitchen Season 4: Salad 101

Why this recipe works:

Most versions of Greek salad consist of iceberg lettuce, chunks of green pepper, and a few pale wedges of tomato, sparsely dotted with cubes of feta and garnished with one forlorn olive of questionable heritage. We wanted a salad with crisp ingredients and bold flavors—married with a lively, herb-infused dressing.

A combination of lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, and olive oil made a rich, zesty vinaigrette and oregano lent it fresh herb flavor. To give our salad a flavorful foundation, we marinated onion and cucumber slices in the vinaigrette. This step also served to mute the sting of raw onion in the salad. We swapped in crisp, flavorful romaine for the iceberg. And along with sliced tomatoes, we added jarred roasted red peppers for a bit of sweetness. A handful of kalamata olives and tangy feta cheese lent the traditional touches, and torn mint and parsley leaves gave our salad a fresh finish.

Serves 6 to 8

Marinating the onion and cucumber in the vinaigrette tones down the onion's harshness and flavors the cucumber. For efficiency, prepare the other salad ingredients while the onion and cucumber marinate. Use a salad spinner to dry the lettuce thoroughly after washing; any water left clinging to the leaves will dilute the dressing.

Ingredients

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