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Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad with Feta Cheese)

A large blue bowl containing maroulosalata sits on a wooden table. Next to it is a small white plate with a serving of the salad, two wooden serving utensils, a cloth napkin and a dish with feta, lemons and herbs.

Refreshing, flavorful and easy to prepare, Maroulosalata is a popular Greek salad featuring lettuce, feta, scallions and fresh herbs.

I LOVE a great Greek salad. My appreciation for Greek cuisine comes not only from my family (I have some Greek heritage), but for many years I also lived in Astoria Queens, which is home to the largest Greek community in New York City. It was there that I was first introduced to Maroulosalata – the traditional Greek salad you’ve probably never heard of.

Watch Me Make This Recipe!

What Is Maroulosalata?

For most people, when you think of Greek salad you probably imagine what is known as an Horiatiki salad, which features feta, tomatoes, cucumbers and olives. Maroulosalata is Horiatiki’s lighter, crisper, more herbaceous cousin. Pronounced ma-roo-lo-sah-lah-tah, it translates to “lettuce salad.” 

In some ways it’s simpler than Horiatiki – no tomatoes, no olives – but it’s definitely more flavorful. In addition to crispy, thin sliced romaine lettuce, the dish features creamy feta cheese, scallions, fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, and mint and tangy lemon-olive oil dressing.

If you are looking for an alternative to the traditional Horiatiki style Greek salad, or maybe you don’t love tomatoes or olives (looking at you dear husband), Maroulosalata is a great authentic Greek salad to try.

The ingredients for maroulosalata on a table including romaine, feta, lemons, scallions, dill, parsley, mint, olive oil and dried oregano.

Traditional Maroulosalata Ingredients

  • Romaine Lettuce: A sturdy, flavorful green lettuce, romaine is perfect in this salad because it holds onto its crunchiness after it’s tossed in the dressing.
  • Feta Cheese: ​​A soft and crumbly cheese made from whole sheep’s milk or a combination of sheep’s milk and goat’s milk, in Greece, feta is cured in a salty brine. It adds a creamy and tangy flavor to the salad.
  • Scallions: Amping up the green vegetable content of this salad, scallions add a mild onion flavor to the salad.
  • Fresh Herbs: What really sets Maroulosalata apart for me is the fresh herbs. Dill, parsley and mint are finely chopped giving the dish a traditional Greek flavor.
  • Lemon-Olive Oil Dressing: Everything is tossed together in a fresh lemon-olive oil dressing that is accented by another traditional Greek herb – oregano.
A grey bowl with romaine, lettuce, scallions and herbs before being tossed together.

How To Prepare Lettuce for Maroulosalata

It’s important to slice the lettuce thinly – as close to quarter inch shreds as possible. As an example, here is a video of me preparing the romaine for this recipe.

Other Recipe FAQs

Can I use another lettuce besides romaine in Maroulosalata?

Romaine is really ideal. Other lettuces will get soggy too fast after being finely sliced and tossed with the dressing. In a pinch you could use iceberg lettuce but it really lacks the flavor of romaine. 

How far in advance can I make Maroulosalata?

I would suggest preparing all the ingredients ahead of time (slicing the lettuce, chopping the herbs and scallions, making the dressing, crumbling feta etc.) but then tossing it together just before serving. That will help keep the salad crisp and refreshing.

How do I prevent the lettuce from getting soggy?

For me, I find it best to prepare the dish just before serving, but some like to take an additional step of soaking the romaine in ice water just to be extra sure that it will stay crisp in the salad. To do this, place the lettuce in a large bowl and cover with ice water. Let it soak for up to 20 minutes to get crisp, then drain and dry in a salad spinner or towels before preparing the recipe.

A close up of prepared maroulosalata in a blue bowl.
A blue bowl with prepare maroulosalata. Two wooden spoons sit on top and a small dish with lemons and feta sits nearby.

What To Serve With Maroulosalata

Another reason to love this salad is it’s so versatile. It can stand alone as a refreshing meal or act as a great accompaniment to grilled fish or shrimp, roast chicken or even a traditional souvlaki.

Print
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A large blue bowl with maroulosalata and two wooden serving spoons sit nearby.

Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad with Feta Cheese)

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Refreshing, flavorful and easy to prepare, Maroulosalata is a popular Greek salad featuring lettuce, feta, scallions and fresh herbs.

  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the dressing

  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of 1 large lemon)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad

  • 2 hearts of romaine, thinly sliced
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • ½ cup dill, chopped
  • ½ cup mint, chopped
  • ½ cup of parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

  1. PREPARE DRESSING: In a medium mixing bowl, add the lemon juice, salt, oregano and olive oil and whisk to combine. Set aside while you prepare the salad vegetables.
  2. ADD INGREDIENTS: Add lettuce, scallions, herbs and feta to a large serving bowl. Toss to combine.
  3. SERVE: Just before serving, give the dressing a quick whisk and pour it over the salad. Mix well and serve immediately.
  • Author: Christine
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Greek
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 Portion of Salad
  • Calories: 288
  • Sugar: 5.4 g
  • Sodium: 361 mg
  • Fat: 24 g
  • Carbohydrates: 16.7 g
  • Protein: 8.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 16.7 mg

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