Avocado Greek Salad

Salads appear on my table year round, but they are especially suited to the summer months when the produce is fresh and local and lighter meals are in order. All the fixings of your usual Greek salad are featured here — fresh vegetables, olives and feta — but the twist here is the addition of creamy avocado. The first time I tried it, I substituted goat cheese for the feta for some extra creaminess. The possibilities here are endless really, although a healthy helping of good quality olives and cheese are in my mind essential.

This refreshing variation on my usual Greek salad is rather substantial and could easily be a meal in itself, although I found it especially satisfying when paired with baked falafel stuffed in pita breads.

Avocado Greek Salad

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Cuisine: Greek
Published on July 10, 2014

A modern-style Greek salad with a zesty dressing, plenty of feta cheese and Kalamata olives, and chunks of avocado to provide a creamy texture contrast and a dose of added nourishment

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Salad:

1 small head romaine lettuce, torn into pieces
1 small head radicchio, cut into pieces
1/2 English cucumber, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, cut into half rings
1 to 1 1/2 cups Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
2 avocados, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano(1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil leaves (1 teaspoon dried)
fresh cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste
a few sprinkles of dried red chili flakes (optional)

Instructions:

To make the dressing, whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, radicchio, cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, onion and olives.
Just before serving, peel and pit the avocados and cut into bite-size pieces. Transfer the avocado to a small bowl and gently toss with a few tablespoons of the dressing.
Toss the salad with the remaining dressing. Serve the salad topped with chunks of avocado and the crumbled feta cheese.

Makes 6 servings