Greek salad, but make it chonky!
Chonk ingredients
The same as in usual Greek salads, but no lettuce required. The addition of some prepared foods from TD helps add flare while keeping it super simple to make. The Campari tomatoes are the perfect size to cut into 4 quarters, and the mini cucumbers ideal to just chop up. Peppers can be any color you like, the yellow and orange just add such a nice color to the dish while not overpowering. Red onion, Kalamata olives, and feta are traditional ingredients, and the options at Trader Joes are great. The pre pitted full kalamata olives save time and work, and the variety of feta to choose from can please anyone. From dairy free, low fat like I used, or the block to choose the size of your chunks—they got it all. Two fun additions are the Greek chickpeas and stuffed vine leaves, pre seasoned and ready to toss in!
To make it chonky cut the pieces at a decent thickness, and try to have them all be around the same size. Start with the tomato to use as a guideline for the rest, cucumber/onion/pepper are much easy to control. For the dressing giving two options, an easy homemade one or just tossing in some tzatziki sauce! Depends on your mood and the tzatziki sauce from TD is only 30 calories a serving! Less then most store-bought dressings even, a great option for all salads but coats thick veggies like this best. The more traditional way is red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, and a little salt/pepper. Both are great options and a great way to keep the salad from getting boring. You can top with grilled chicken to boost the protein, or eat as is for a fast healthy meal.
I hope you enjoy the recipe and use it time and time again! Feel free to add anything to make it your own, and especially with new year goals hope it helps add variety to your salad routine.
Greek salad–but make it chonky
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Bowl
- Small Bowl ** If making homemade dressing
Ingredients
- 2 Peppers any color of your choosing, chopped into thick pieces
- 1/4th Red onion sliced
- 4 Mini cucumber's chopped into thick pieces
- 6 Campari tomatoes chopped into 4 pieces each (each side cut)
- 1/3rd cup Pitted Kalamata olives
- 1/3rd cup Trader Joes Greek chickpeas
- 4 Trader Joes stuffed vine leaves cut in half
- 1/2 cup Feta cheese
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4th cup Olive oil
- 1/4th cup Red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Oregano plus a little extra for topping
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Dash Pepper
** Or toss in Trader Joes tzatziki creamy cucumber dip 😊
Instructions
- Prep the dressing: In a small bowl combined the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk together and set aside, if using the tzatziki no need for this step!
- Chopping time! Start with the tomatoes, cut one side off and then flip to the flat side and continue on all 4—just the core should be left.
- Use that as a size guide and chop the cucumbers, peppers, and slice the onions. Once ready can toss them all into the same bowl.
- Add in the Kalamata olives, draining the liquid prior to. Add the feta cheese to the mix
- Open and add the Greek chickpeas, no need to rinse as the dressing on them adds a nice flavor. Slice the stuffed vine leaves in half and add as well.
- If your eating it all now, toss your homemade dressing or tzatziki sauce and your all set! You can also put a lid on the bowl and dress a smaller portion as you go, without dressing and a solid container your salad should last 2 days.