Name: Feta Chopped Salad Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled; 1 large cucumber, diced; 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 1/2 red onion, finely chopped; 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, sliced; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; Salt and black pepper, to taste

First things first: why I adore this feta chopped salad

You know those recipes that just sort of happen when you’re really not in the mood to cook much? That’s how this feta chopped salad first entered my life. I’d just gotten back from a long walk (forgot my grocery list, of course) and stared into the fridge, slightly despairing. But then I remembered—feta cheese. The Greeks really got it right with this stuff. I started chucking in crunchy veggies, a lemon I found rolling at the back, and ended up creating a salad that, honestly, now gets requested at pretty much every summer BBQ. Plus, anyone who says salad can’t be satisfying clearly never had this one. Oh, and side note: my dog once managed to steal a piece of cucumber I dropped while prepping and the look on his face was basically what on earth is this crunchy water? Dogs, eh?

Why you’ll love making this

I throw this together when I want something actually fresh and filling (and preferably not involving half a day of washing up). My family goes absolutely bananas for it—which is funny, since there’s no banana in sight. My sister, who refuses to eat anything green that isn’t a gummy bear, even goes for seconds. It’s also the salad I bring out when my patience is too thin for complicated dressings. Did I mention, cleaning the cutting board is the hardest part—because the actual making is ridiculously easy.

Also, here’s the thing: you can swap almost anything in or out and it somehow still tastes good. I’ll admit, I once forgot to add the dressing and no one even noticed (though it tases waay better with, I promise).

So, what goes in this anyway? (Here’s my go-to ingredients)

1 cucumber: I prefer English ones, but literally any cucumber except those weird spiky ones will do
1 red bell pepper: But if all you’ve got is yellow, that’s fine—makes it look cheery
1 cup cherry tomatoes: Or you can grab a few big tomatoes and chop them smaller. (Heirloom are lush but kinda spendy)
Half a small red onion: If you hate raw onion’s bite, soak it in cold water for 5 min—or just skip it, honestly
3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled: My gran always insisted on the real Greek stuff (brined), but I buy whatever’s around. Pre-crumbled works fine
1 handful parsley or mint, chopped: Parsley’s my usual, mint if I’m feeling posh
For the dressing: Juice of 1 lemon (sometimes I sneak in lime), 2-ish tablespoons olive oil, pinch dried oregano, salt & pepper to taste

Optional throw-ins: Chickpeas (for protein), kalamata olives (which I keep forgetting to pit), or a half an avocado if you want some creaminess. Don’t have lemon? A splash of vinegar does the trick, too. Who’s judging?

Let’s put it together (honestly, it’s not rocket science)

Chop all your veg to roughly the same size—bite-sized is best. I usually go for chunky, but no need to be a perfectionist.
Toss everything—cucumber, pepper, tomatoes, onion (if using), and parsley (or mint)—into a big bowl. Sometimes I use a mixing bowl that’s way too small and stuff goes flying. On second thought, a bigger bowl is better.
Sprinkle over your feta. This is where I sneak a taste. Just to “check for QA.” Okay, maybe two tastes.
For the dressing, whisk lemon juice, oil, oregano, salt and pepper in a mug with a fork. Or, honestly, shake it in a jam jar if you can’t find your whisk (been there)
Pour over the veggies and toss gently. Don’t panic if it looks a bit wet—give it a few minutes and the veggies soak it up.
Taste a bite—add more salt or a little olive oil if you feel like it needs something. I sometimes squeeze extra lemon if it’s a bit blah.

Some notes I’ve picked up after a few rounds

I’ve tried this with low-fat feta but, hmm, it was a bit sad. Full fat is worth it for that punchy flavor.
For maximum crunch, serve straight away. But actually, I think it tastes even better after an hour in the fridge (if you can wait that long!)
If you want less onion, try green onions—it’s milder, and you don’t get that… um, repeating effect later

Variations (a few experiments, good and bad!)

Chickpeas work great for a protein boost. I tried lentils once—did not love the texture (bit of a mushy disaster, tbh)
Zaatar instead of oregano is a winner if you have it lurking in your cupboard
Sometimes I crumble in leftover grilled chicken, especially if I’m making it for lunch the next day
Greek yogurt dollop on top? I was hesitant, but it’s actually lush

What if you’re missing a tool?

You don’t need anything fancy. A sharp-ish knife, a bowl, and something to stir (serving spoon, wooden spoon… even clean hands if you’re among friends). If you don’t have a real citrus juicer, just squish the lemon with a fork. Watch out for rogue seeds though—that’s the only bit I mind.

How should you store this? (If there’s any left!)

It’ll keep in a sealed tub in the fridge about 2 days, but honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day. The veggies do lose a bit of their crunch the longer they sit, but the flavors get a little more friendly with time—so swings and roundabouts.

How I like to serve it (and, erm, eat it straight from the bowl too)

This is perfect alongside grilled chicken, pita, or honestly just with a big chunk of crusty bread. My sister likes to pile it onto toasted sourdough (and claims it’s basically a salad bruschetta, which I guess is true). If you want something fancier, try serving with Mediterranean-style grilled veggies or as a topping for shakshuka (now that’s a breakfast for champions!).

Some pro tips I learned the hard way

I once tried to rush the chopping step and wound up with way too big lumps—made it hard to get all the flavors in one bite. Take your time, it’s worth it.
Don’t overdress it—if in doubt, add less, then taste! You can always top it up.
Avoid leaving it out in the sun at a picnic… I did, cheese got warm, and, mate, that is not a smell you want in your car later.

People have actually asked me these

Can I prep this ahead? Sure, chop the veggies, keep the dressing separate—mix just before serving. Keeps everything bright and not soggy.
What’s the best feta? I tend to use whatever’s on offer, but if you spot sheep’s milk feta (the Greek one), that has a nice tang. But like, don’t sweat it.
Can I make this for a crowd? Definitely. Just double (or triple) everything. Actually, one time I quadrupled and ran out of space in my bowl. Oops.
No lemon? Grab white wine vinegar or even apple cider vinegar—they both work in a pinch, though a bit different in flavor.
Is this like a Greek Salad? Kind of, but I chop everything smaller, so you get a bit of everything in each bite (and no wrestling with giant slabs of feta—though that sounds rather fun, now I think about it)

Anyway, if you want to geek out on feta some more (and really, who could blame you), check out this goat vs sheep feta taste test at Serious Eats. Just don’t blame me if you end up with five different kinds in your fridge. That’s now a feature, not a bug, in my house.

Feta Chopped Salad Recipe