Greek Salad With Fried Feta (20 Minutes, One Skillet, No Oven)

Why this version works

We read eight versions of fried feta and fried feta salads. They agree on a dry, brined block, a starch or flour coating, a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat, 1 to 3 minutes per side, and serving at once. The advice that kept coming up was to pat the feta very dry, flip gently with a thin spatula, not crowd the pan, drain on paper towel, and add the feta to the salad last. Comments were mostly praise, so these fixes come from the recipe authors and a few readers. The pages disagree on oil, from 2 Tbsp to a half-inch shallow fry, so we use 3 Tbsp, enough to coat the pan in a thin film for 8 oz of cubes.

There is no sugar added in this recipe.

Watch the reel by @feelgoodfoodie on Instagram

Tested recipe

Greek Salad With Fried Feta

Feta cubes tossed in cornstarch and pan-fried in olive oil until golden on most sides, piled hot on a tomato, cucumber, green pepper and kalamata salad with a lemon and za'atar dressing. About 20 minutes.

Prep

12 min

Cook

8 min

Total

20 min

Makes

about 8 cups of salad

Print recipe

Ingredients

Fried feta

• 1 block (8 oz) feta in brine, drained and patted very dry, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp olive oil, for frying

Salad

• 3 medium tomatoes, about 1 1/2 lb, cut into wedges
• 1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

Dressing

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice, about 1 lemon
• 1 tsp za'atar, or 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt, feta and olives are salty
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Steps

1. Pat the feta cubes dry with paper towels, turning them until no wet spots are left. Toss them in a bowl with the cornstarch until coated, then shake off the extra in a strainer.

2. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper and olives in a large bowl.

3. Heat the 3 Tbsp frying oil in a 12-inch nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until a cube sizzles right away.

4. Add the feta in one layer with space between the cubes. Cook 5 to 6 minutes total, turning a cube every 1 to 2 minutes with a thin spatula or tongs, until golden on most sides. Do not fry in a crowded pan; use two batches if needed.

5. Move the feta to a paper-towel-lined plate for 30 seconds. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.

6. Pile the hot feta on top and serve right away.

Notes

• Dry the feta well. Wet cubes steam, stick and lose the coating.
• Cook over medium heat. If the outside browns before the cubes soften, lower the heat.
• Feta that is warm all the way through can break. Turn the cubes gently and take them out as soon as they are golden.
• Dress the salad just before serving. Cut tomatoes and cucumber release water if they sit.

Swaps

• Use dried oregano in place of the za'atar.
• Add thin red onion slices or fresh mint to the salad; untested.
• Use an oven-safe skillet and broil the coated cubes instead of frying; untested.

Storage and reheating

Storage: The salad and the feta do not keep well together. Store leftover salad without the feta covered in the fridge up to 1 day. We do not recommend storing the fried feta; it goes soft within an hour.

Reheating: Not recommended. Fry a fresh batch of feta for leftover salad if you want it hot and crisp.

Where this recipe comes from

• Inspired by Greek Salad with Crispy Feta from The East Coast Kitchen, for cornstarch-coated feta cubes pan-fried in a little olive oil, and Greek Salad with Crispy Feta from A Beautiful Plate, for patting the feta dry and not crowding the pan.
• The idea came from this reel by @feelgoodfoodie.

What to serve with Greek salad with fried feta

It is a light main for 4 on its own, or a side for grilled chicken or fish. Warm pita or crusty bread soaks up the dressing, and a bowl of lentil soup makes it a fuller lunch.

Every recipe from Diane's reels in one printable book: the Healthy Recipes Cookbook.