SlawsGreekEasy

Greek Horiatiki Slaw with Feta

Name: Greek Horiatiki Slaw with Feta
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 5 cups (350 g) green cabbage, cored and very thinly shredded (about ½ small head); 1 medium (300 g) English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out, sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons; ½ small (50 g) red onion, very thinly sliced into half-moons; 1½ cups (225 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved; ½ cup (75 g) pitted Kalamata olives, drained and halved; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional); 6 oz (170 g) feta cheese, drained and crumbled into large pieces; ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp (45 ml) red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 2 tsp (2 g) dried Greek oregano, crushed between your fingers; 1 clove (3 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 tsp (7 g) honey; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (feta and olives are salty); black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

All the flavors of a Greek village salad in a crunchy slaw: shredded cabbage, cucumber, tomato, red onion and Kalamata olives tossed in a bright oregano red wine vinaigrette and finished with creamy feta.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: —
Wait: 25 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: About 7 cups (6 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the slaw
5 cups (350 g) green cabbage, cored and very thinly shredded (about ½ small head)
1 medium (300 g) English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out, sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons
½ small (50 g) red onion, very thinly sliced into half-moons
1½ cups (225 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup (75 g) pitted Kalamata olives, drained and halved
¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
For the topping
6 oz (170 g) feta cheese, drained and crumbled into large pieces
For the vinaigrette
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp (45 ml) red wine vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tsp (2 g) dried Greek oregano, crushed between your fingers
1 clove (3 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
1 tsp (7 g) honey
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (feta and olives are salty)
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Equipment (6)

Large mixing bowl (4-quart / 4-liter)
Small bowl or jar for the vinaigrette
Whisk or fork
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board
Colander
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Buy feta sold in a block in brine; it is creamier and tastier than pre-crumbled feta.
Cabbage should be shredded thinly (about 1/8 inch / 3 mm) so it softens pleasantly in the dressing.
Plan for a 20-minute rest after dressing the cabbage; add tomatoes and feta only at the end so the slaw stays crisp and not watery.

1
Soak the onion
- Place the sliced red onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes to mellow its sharp bite, then drain well in a colander and pat dry with a paper towel.
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Ready when: Onion slices look slightly translucent and smell milder
Tip: Skip the soak if you like a sharper onion flavor.
2
Whisk the vinaigrette
- In a small bowl or jar, combine the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, honey, salt and several grinds of pepper.
- Whisk, then slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking (or shake the jar for 20 seconds) until the dressing looks thick and cloudy.
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Ready when: Dressing is emulsified, with no separate pool of oil on top
Tip: Rub the oregano between your fingers as you add it to release its oils.
3
Shred the cabbage
- Quarter the cabbage through the core, cut out the core, and slice each quarter crosswise as thinly as you can, about 1/8 inch (3 mm).
- Measure 5 packed-loosely cups (350 g) and put them in a large bowl, breaking up any clumps with your fingers.
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Ready when: Cabbage is in fine, separate ribbons
Tip: A mandoline or the slicing disc of a food processor makes this faster, but watch your fingers.
4
Prep the vegetables
- Halve the cucumber lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and slice into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons.
- Halve the tomatoes and olives.
- Keep the tomatoes separate from the cabbage for now.
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Tip: Removing cucumber seeds keeps the slaw from turning watery.
5
Dress the cabbage
- Add the drained onion, cucumber and olives to the cabbage.
- Whisk the vinaigrette again, pour about three-quarters over the bowl, and toss well with tongs or clean hands for 1 minute, squeezing lightly so the cabbage begins to soften.
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Ready when: All the cabbage glistens and looks slightly wilted at the edges
6
Rest to marinate
- Let the slaw stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, tossing once halfway.
- The cabbage will relax and absorb the oregano and vinegar flavors.
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Ready when: Cabbage is tender-crisp and bends easily but still crunches
Tip: Do not add the tomatoes yet; they release juice and dilute the dressing.
7
Add tomatoes and herbs
- Fold in the halved tomatoes and the parsley, if using.
- Taste and adjust: add a pinch more salt, a splash of vinegar if it tastes flat, or a drizzle of the remaining dressing if it seems dry.
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Ready when: Flavor is bright, tangy and well seasoned
Tip: Taste after adding olives; go easy on extra salt.
8
Top with feta
- Transfer to a serving bowl or platter.
- Scatter the crumbled feta over the top and finish with a drizzle of any remaining dressing and a pinch of oregano-scented pepper.
- Serve within 30 minutes for best crunch.
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Ready when: Large feta crumbles sit on top, not stirred in
Tip: Crumble feta in big chunks by hand; they stay creamy and do not disappear into the slaw.

Good to know

Tips

Slice the cabbage as thinly as possible; thick shreds stay tough in the short marinating time.
Season cautiously: feta and Kalamata olives are both salty, so taste before adding more salt.
Add tomatoes and feta last to keep the slaw crisp and the dressing from becoming watery.
Serve alongside grilled chicken, lamb souvlaki, or stuffed in warm pita.

Make ahead

Shred the cabbage, slice the onion and cucumber, and whisk the vinaigrette up to 1 day ahead; store separately in the fridge. Toss, rest, and add tomatoes and feta just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 1 hour. Refrigerator: store dressed slaw (with feta) in an airtight container for up to 2 days; it will soften but stay tasty. Drain off any liquid and re-season before serving. Not suitable for freezing. Serve cold, no reheating.

Substitutions

green cabbage → Napa cabbage or a bag of coleslaw mix. Napa is more tender, so reduce the rest time to 10 minutes.
feta cheese → Halloumi (grilled) or goat cheese. Goat cheese is milder; add an extra pinch of salt.
red wine vinegar → White wine vinegar. Slightly milder; use the same amount.
honey → Maple syrup or a pinch of sugar. Balances the vinegar acidity the same way; vegan-friendly with maple.

gluten-free greek make-ahead no-cook side-dish slaw summer vegetarian

Steps

Soak the onion

Whisk the vinaigrette

Shred the cabbage

Prep the vegetables

Dress the cabbage

Rest to marinate

Add tomatoes and herbs

Top with feta

Good to know

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