When thinking about Mediterranean cuisine, Greek Salad is a standout dish that combines fresh ingredients and vibrant flavors. It's a perfect option for anyone looking to enjoy a lighter meal without sacrificing taste. This culinary masterpiece not only tantalizes your taste buds but also provides a wide array of health benefits. Its combination of fresh vegetables, olives, and olive oil creates a dish that supports weight management, heart health, and overall well-being. At Extreme Pizza, our Greek Salad brings the essence of Mediterranean food to the table, featuring a delightful mix of heritage greens, red onions, feta cheese, kalamata olives, and pepperoncini.
What Makes a Greek Salad? Ingredients Breakdown
A Greek Salad is a symphony of fresh, flavorful ingredients that come together to create a delicious and refreshing dish. The beauty of this salad lies in its simplicity and quality of ingredients. Traditional Greek salad (AKA horiatiki salad) is a low calorie satisfying dish that’s also low carb, keto, and gluten free. Learn how to make keto Greek salad dressing and a delicious keto Greek salad with chicken or turkey. First of all, traditional Greek salad has no lettuce.
The foundation of a Greek salad consists of cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell peppers, all of which are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Greek salad wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of kalamata olives. Feta cheese adds a creamy texture and a burst of flavor to the salad. The dressing for Greek salad typically includes extra virgin olive oil, known for its high levels of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants.
Here’s a breakdown of the key components:
Heritage Mix: This blend of greens provides a crisp, refreshing base for the salad. The mix often includes various types of lettuce, spinach, and other leafy greens that offer different textures and a fresh taste. Aside from the lettuce greens, we’ve got some other veggies you won’t find in a classic Greek salad.
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Red Onions: Thinly sliced red onions add a punch of flavor and a bit of spice to the salad. They offer a slight sweetness and crunch that enhances the overall taste experience. Red onions contain significant amounts of something called “anthocyanin” which gives them their distinctive colour. The antioxidant properties of anthocyanin, much like lycopene in tomatoes, help scavenge those pesky free radicals and reduce oxidative stress (6).
Feta Cheese: This creamy, tangy cheese is a staple in Greek cuisine. It provides a rich and salty contrast to the fresh vegetables, making each bite more flavorful and satisfying. Feta cheese, a key ingredient in Greek salad, is a rich source of calcium and phosphorus, both of which are vital for maintaining strong bones and teeth. Regular consumption of calcium-rich foods helps in the prevention of osteoporosis and bone fractures.
Kalamata Olives: Known for their rich, briny flavor, kalamata olives add a deliciously salty depth to the salad. They are essential in providing that authentic Mediterranean taste. Olives, particularly Kalamata olives, are a great addition to a Greek Salad. Olive oil is often used as part of a tasty dressing - usually extra virgin olive oil is combined with fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar and dried oregano.
Pepperoncini: These mild, tangy peppers add a zesty finish to the salad. Their slightly spicy flavor balances well with the creamy feta and the briny olives.
Each ingredient in our Greek Salad is chosen for its ability to complement the others, creating a harmonious blend of flavors. This combination not only tastes great but also represents the essence of Mediterranean cuisine. Along with the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion, we’ve got roasted red peppers and artichokes.
Read also: Refreshing Keto Salad
Nutritional Benefits of Greek Salad
Greek Salad is more than just a tasty dish; it's also packed with nutrients that offer numerous health benefits. This makes it an excellent choice for anyone looking to enjoy a nutritious meal. Greek salad offers numerous health benefits due to its fresh vegetables, olives, and feta cheese. It helps improve heart health, supports bone health, and promotes digestion. Rich in antioxidants, it also boosts immunity and hydration.
Rich in Vitamins and Minerals: The heritage mix of greens provides essential vitamins such as A and K, which are crucial for eye health and blood clotting. Red onions offer vitamin C, boosting your immune system and promoting overall well-being. Greek salad is an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, A, K, and B6, as well as minerals like potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These nutrients support various bodily functions such as maintaining blood pressure, bone health, and promoting a strong immune system. The vegetables in Greek salad are packed with vitamins and minerals that support immune function. Tomatoes and bell peppers are rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system, helping the body fight infections and heal faster.
High in Healthy Fats: Feta cheese and kalamata olives are good sources of healthy fats. These fats are important for maintaining heart health and providing long-lasting energy. The monounsaturated fats in olives help reduce bad cholesterol levels. Olive oil is largely made up of a type of fat called monounsaturated fatty acids. In fact, one study in 2014 (5) stated that individuals who consumed more olive oil had a 48% reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality. The authors found an association between increased olive oil (especially extra virgin) consumption and decreased cardiovascular events. In other words, when they looked at people who consumed high amounts of olive oil (around 56g per day in this group) compared to individuals who consumed low amounts (around 21g per day in this study), the people in the “high” group were much less likely to suffer from a cardiac event like heart attacks. Amazingly, the authors also found that increasing olive oil consumption by just one tablespoon per day resulted in a 16% decreased risk of cardiovascular mortality.
Low in Calories: Greek Salad is naturally low in calories while being nutrient-dense. This makes it a great option for those looking to maintain or lose weight without sacrificing nutrition. Greek salad is low in calories yet high in fiber, which promotes satiety and helps with weight management. Vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions are water-dense and contribute to a feeling of fullness without adding extra calories.
Antioxidants: The vegetables in the salad are rich in antioxidants, which help fight free radicals in the body. This reduces the risk of chronic diseases and helps keep your cells healthy. Greek salad is loaded with antioxidants due to the presence of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and olives. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals in the body, which can reduce oxidative stress and lower the risk of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Tomatoes get a lot of their lovely, red colour from something called lycopene but it provides much more than just looks - lycopene has been proposed to possess some powerful anti-cancer properties. The powerful antioxidants in lycopene can help scavenge free radicals, these are unstable atoms that can cause damage to cells (3).
Read also: Healthy Greek Keto Options
Digestive Health: Greek salad contains dietary fiber from vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, which promotes healthy digestion. Fiber helps regulate bowel movements, preventing constipation and promoting gut health.
Promotes Heart Health: The olive oil and olives in Greek salad are excellent sources of monounsaturated fats. These fats help reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) levels while increasing good cholesterol (HDL). This promotes better heart health and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes. The Mediterranean diet, of which Greek salad is a quintessential part, is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.
Boosts Immunity: The vegetables in Greek salad are packed with vitamins and minerals that support immune function. Tomatoes and bell peppers are rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system, helping the body fight infections and heal faster.
Hydrating and Refreshing: Due to its high water content from cucumbers and tomatoes, Greek salad is hydrating, which is essential for maintaining proper body functions. Staying hydrated helps regulate body temperature, flush out toxins, and keep the skin healthy and glowing. These are basically big, green sticks of water - 96% of a cucumber is water, the highest percentage of any food (1). Obviously, then, the high water content means they are great for keeping us hydrated but they do possess some other benefits.
Helps Regulate Blood Sugar Levels: The combination of fiber from vegetables and healthy fats from olives and olive oil helps in stabilizing blood sugar levels.
Promotes Eye Health: The vitamin A content in tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers is crucial for maintaining good eye health. Vitamin A helps prevent night blindness and reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties: The olive oil and olives in Greek salad contain anti-inflammatory compounds, which help reduce inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is linked to numerous health conditions, including heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.
Supports Healthy Skin: Greek salad ingredients, especially cucumbers and olive oil, promote healthy skin. Cucumbers are hydrating, helping to keep the skin supple and moisturized. Olive oil contains vitamin E and polyphenols, which protect the skin from sun damage and premature aging.
Low in Carbohydrates: Greek salad is a great option for those following low-carb or ketogenic diets. It's packed with nutrients but low in carbohydrates, making it ideal for weight loss or maintaining stable blood sugar levels.
Versatile and Easy to Make: Greek salad is easy to prepare and can be adapted to suit individual dietary preferences. It can be made gluten-free, vegetarian, or even vegan by omitting the feta cheese.
By incorporating Greek Salad into your diet, you're not only treating your taste buds but also nourishing your body with essential nutrients. It's a delicious way to stay healthy and enjoy the vibrant flavors of Mediterranean cuisine.
Is Greek Salad Good for Weight Loss?
Yes, Greek salad can be part of a healthy weight loss diet. This Greek salad is under 500 calories with loads of non-starchy veggies to make it a high-volume meal. With protein from chicken and feta, this satisfying meal should help to support a weight loss goal. The combination of fiber-rich vegetables and protein-packed cheese in Greek salad helps control appetite and supports weight loss efforts.
If you are trying to lose weight, creating meals that help you feel full on fewer calories can help. For most of us, the combination of protein, fiber, and high fluid volume can help us to feel full. The foods that are the best sources of these elements are lean proteins, non-starchy vegetables, and certain fruits. These foods should be staples in your diet if you’re using keto for weight loss. Many people trying to lose weight on low carb diets make the mistake of overindulging in fatty foods. Fats such as avocado, nuts, olive oil, other added oils and fats, and cheese are healthy foods.
Salad greens, peppers, cucumbers, and other non-starchy vegetables help to make your low-calorie meals big. These foods can be especially helpful if you’re a volume eater. If you need a higher energy recipe, using full fat feta cheese adds about 50 calories per serving. You could also add other fats, such as nuts and seeds, to your Greek keto salad.
How to Make Keto Greek Salad with Chicken
This is also a high protein Greek salad. Though the feta cheese in Greek salad provides some protein, the addition of poultry really packs it in. The keto Greek dressing stays a little closer to tradition, with olive oil and oregano.
Here’s a recipe for Keto Greek Salad with Chicken:
Ingredients:
- 1 lb cooked chicken, chopped into bite-sized cubes
- Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and diced
- Tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
- Roasted red peppers, sliced into strips
- Canned artichokes, drained and quartered
- Red onion, diced
- Mixed salad greens
- Feta cheese
- Keto Greek salad dressing (recipe follows)
Keto Greek Salad Dressing:
- Red wine vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Mustard
- Oregano
Instructions:
- Chop the cooked chicken into bite-sized cubes. Cut the Persian cucumbers into quarters lengthwise and then dice.
- The tomatoes should be halved (or quartered if they are large). Slice the roasted red peppers into strips and drain and quarter the canned artichokes. Cut the red onion into a medium dice.
- Evenly distribute the mixed salad greens between four salad containers or bowls. Top each container with ¼ of the chicken, feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, red peppers, artichokes, and red onion.
- To make keto Greek salad dressing: Put the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard and oregano in a food-safe jar with a tight lid. (I like to use a 1-cup glass canning jar.) Put the lid on the jar and give it a good shake.
- Keep the dressing separate from the salad until serving time.
Tips for Making the Best Greek Salad
- Use Fresh, High-Quality Ingredients: The quality of the ingredients is key to a great Greek salad. Choose fresh, ripe vegetables and good-quality feta cheese and olives.
- Make Your Own Dressing: Homemade Greek dressing is easy to make and tastes much better than store-bought versions.
- Don't Add Lettuce (Traditionally): Traditional Greek salad does not include lettuce.
- Prepare in Advance: You can chop the vegetables and prepare the dressing ahead of time. Just don't dress the salad until you're ready to serve it.
- Customize to Your Liking: Feel free to add other vegetables or herbs to your Greek salad, such as bell peppers, capers, or fresh mint.
Other Considerations
Sodium Levels: Olives and feta can be salty. Spinach is a good source of iron and calcium, but the oxalic acid it contains prevents their absorption. Vitamin C can help reverse this. Make Greek salad dairy free by replacing the feta cheese with crumbled silken tofu. You may want to make a little extra Greek dressing to stir into the tofu to give it more flavor.