Greek Salad with Balsamic Dressing

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One of the things I love about keto and why it works so well for me is that I love meat. Steak, chicken, seafood…all of it. However, in the same breath I absolutely love fresh vegetables and especially ones that are garden fresh. Even before living a keto lifestyle, I would look forward to Saturday mornings at the farmer’s market, wanting to try and buy everything. Gardens here in Missouri are just booming with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. To use up some of those wonderful garden fresh vegetables this weeks recipe is a Greek Salad with Balsamic Dressing. I can’t wait for you to try it!

‘Authentic’ Greek Salad?

When drafting this recipe and blog post, I considered calling this an ‘authentic’ Greek Salad. However, I went with Greek Salad with Balsamic Dressing instead because of the addition of 2 extra ingredients that are not typically found in an authentic Greek Salad. Balsamic vinegar and a wonderful local Genoa Salami made by Volpi Foods. These 2 ingredients shake up this recipe from the traditional Greek Salad and boy was the end result something spectacular.

So first, what are the traditional ingredients in a Greek Salad? Typically you will find, tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, olive oil, red onion, kalamata or greek olives and oregano. The Greek name for this salad is horiatiki, which means village in Greek. This salad is often referred to as the ‘farmer’s breakfast or farmer’s lunch’ and is served in the summer. I thought that reference was really a nice piece of foodie facts! (I mean, that could be a trivia question..right?)

Is this Greek Salad with Balsamic Dressing Keto?

As with all vegetables there will be carbs, but these are the type of carbs that you want, clean, non-processed. The dressing will also contain some carbs from the balsamic vinegar. By using such flavorful, good ingredients, the dressing for this recipe is minimal and in turn so are the carbs!

This salad is filled with wonderful fresh foods that are jam packed with vitamins, minerals and good fats PLUS I have topped it with a protein. So…going back to the debate of is this an ‘authentic’ Greek Salad?…..probably not as I have topped it with chunks of Genoa salami. You could also use grilled, or pan seared chicken and it would make a wonderful, complete meal. Leave the proteins off and this can be a side dish or a dinner party or potluck favorite! Check out the close up of this Greek Salad with Balsamic dressing….TO DIE FOR!

My suggestion when serving is to place it all in layers on a beautiful platter. If you are taking it to a potluck remember to add the dressing right before serving but it will keep in the refrigerator if you have leftovers. The hubby has already claimed our leftovers for his lunch tomorrow!

If you make this salad, please leave a comment below and let me know how you loved it!

Stay on the Rise,

Sara

P.S-Shout out to my son Caden for photo creds on the pic with me holding the salad!

Print Recipe

Greek Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Salads, side dishes

By Sara – Serves: 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

Gardens here in Missouri are just booming with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. To use up some of those wonderful garden fresh vegetables this weeks recipe is a Greek Salad with Balsamic Dressing. I can't wait for you to try it!

Ingredients

• 4-5 Garden fresh tomatoes
• 1 Cucumber washed and cut in half longways and then sliced into moons
• 1 Green Pepper thinly sliced
• 1/2 Red Onion sliced thin
• 1/4 cup Capers
• 15 Kalamata Olives, 15 Greek Olives or a mixture of both to the amt of your liking
• 8 ounces Feta Cheese, Preferably the square of Feta
• 4 ounces Volpi Genoa Salami cut into bite sized pieces
• For the Balsamic Dressing
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp dry Oregano
• Salt and Pepper about 1/2 tsp each

Instructions

1

Cut all the vegetables and layer them on a large platter. Tomatoes, then cucumber, then green pepper then onion.

2

Add the capers, olives, salami.

3

Take the feta cheese and place in big bite sized chinks on top of the salad.

4

Mix up the dressing ingredients in a jar or in the blender and drizzle over the salad right before serving!

Notes

I like to serve this salad on a large platter but a large bowel would work too. If taking to a dinner or pot luck, wait to put the dressing on until right before serving. Could also be made a day ahead and just add the dressing before serving!