Whip up a tasty, healthy dish with our vibrant California Greek olive salad recipe! Fresh, flavorful, and perfect for any occasion, this dish will bring the Mediterranean to your table.
1handfulfresh oregano leaves or 1 large pinch dried oregano
1firm-ripe mediumavocadocut into wedges and pitted and peeled
8ouncesFeta cheesecut into large triangles
1recipeSmashed Citrus Olives
Juice of1/2lemon
Maldon sea salt or other flaky sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
Make The Smashed Citrus Olives:
Using the back of a chef's knife (with the blade pointing away from you), press on the olives to gently smash them. You want them to crack open but not be totally flattened.
Warm the olive oil in a frying pan or medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns, and cook until the garlic is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the smashed olives, the lemon peel, and the oregano, swirl to combine, then remove from the heat.
Set aside to infuse for about 10 to 20 minutes before using. (Olives can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use. Leave room temperature for 15 minutes to warm up (and for the olive oil to become liquid) before serving.
Make The California Greek Olive Salad:
Place the cucumber and tomatoes in separate bowls, add a few pinches of Kosher salt, toss to combine, and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before plating. Meanwhile, place the sliced onion in iced water and set aside (this helps to mellow out the flavor).
Transfer the tomatoes (plus any accumulated tomato liquid) to a serving plate. Drain accumulated water off the cucumbers, remove the red onion slices from the ice water, and arrange on the serving platter. Tuck avocado wedges, oregano leaves, and feta triangles into the salad.
To serve, spoon all the smashed citrus olives over the top (include some of the flavored olive oil!). If you'd like, add a squeeze of lemon, then stir to mix the flavors and serve topped with flaky sea salt.