Enjoy all the flavors of a traditional Greek salad without gluten or FODMAPs. Everyone can enjoy a traditional Greek recipe and a taste of the Mediterranean! The Best Gluten Free Greek Salad has salty kalamata olives, creamy feta cheese, crunchy cucumbers, sweet grape tomatoes, and spicy pepperoncini peppers. All layered on a bed of chopped romaine lettuce. It is a simple dish with all sorts of health benefits!
Before going on a low FODMAP, gluten-free diet, I discovered Nupa's, a Greek restaurant. A great friend introduced me to Greek food for lunch one day, and I will forever be grateful. It was here that I learned about traditional Greek dishes. I tasted Tzatiki for the first time. It was a great opportunity to be inspired by a new cuisine. I learned how dairy products like Greek yogurt marinate meat and create sauces in Greek cooking.
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Featured Ingredients
- Chopped Romaine Lettuce - I love the crunchy romaine lettuce for the base of the salad. It doesn’t compete with any of the Greek flavors.
- Kalamata Olives - I love olives. Kalamata olives are a common ingredient in Greek food and add just the right texture and flavor!
- Feta Cheese - If you are not in a hurry, buy it in a block and crumble yourself. Feta adds a great tang and creaminess.
- Cucumbers - They add the right cool crunch to the salad.
- Grape Tomatoes - The size, sweetness, and pretty factor make grape tomatoes the perfect tomato on this Greek salad.
- Pepperoncini Peppers - Buy them already sliced for an instant spice factor on your salad. I love these things!
- Tzatziki Sauce - Homemade or bought - if you can tolerate garlic and it is gluten-free - makes the perfect dressing. Otherwise, an olive oil-based vinaigrette would be another good option.
- Greek Chicken- Use grilled Greek yogurt marinated chicken, or Instant Pot Greek chicken. Both chicken options are delicious!
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions. Selected ingredients are based on current serving sizes measured by the Monash FODMAP App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Break out your favorite knife and cutting board to make The Best Gluten Free Low FODMAP Greek Salad!
First, wash and chop up the romaine lettuce. I love to use my salad spinner. Worth the storage space! Once washed, then set it into a bowl large enough for a main course-size salad bowl.
Wash, peel, and dice the cucumbers. You do not need to peel the cucumber if you bought an English cucumber in shrink wrap. The skin is tender enough to keep as is. However, if you bought a traditional cucumber, you will want to peel it. The skin can be tough.
Wash the grape tomatoes, or chop the tomatoes if using Roma’s or a different variety.
Grill the yogurt-marinated chicken if using. Allow it to rest before dicing it into bite-size pieces. Then, squeeze lemon juice over the bite-size pieces.
Make the Tzatziki salad dressing or open the container from the grocery store. Whatever works for you. No judgment here!
Add the ingredients you are using for your Greek salad and place them on top of the chopped romaine lettuce.
Salad Variations and Substitutions
- Pita Bread - if you are not on a gluten-free diet or can find gluten-free pitas - add the salad's components to a grilled pita! Your Greek salad becomes a Greek pita sandwich with one simple ingredient switch. My kids LOVE pitas. Even if all they eat is the grilled chicken and dip it in buckets of ranch dressing, whatever works, folks!
- Fresh Herbs - Up your flavor profile in the Greek salad by adding fresh parsley and fresh dill.
- Lettuce - If you want to use a spring mix or fresh lettuce greens from your garden, both would be delicious options. Baby spinach would also be a great addition.
- Olives - Cannot find kalamata olives, swap them out for black olives. I like to get the pitted olives to take one less thing off my prep time. Plus, they are kid friendly.
Storing Leftovers
Any leftover salad ingredients can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep the ingredients separate to maintain freshness for as long as possible. Leftover Greek salad or Greek pita sandwich is a great next-day lunch option. Freezing fresh foods like lettuce and cucumbers is not a great idea. However, good news, freezing any leftover grilled chicken would work. Frozen grilled chicken would keep in the freezer for up to three months.
FAQs
One of the ways to keep your Greek salad from getting soggy is to remove the seeds from the cucumber. Remove the seeds and pulp from the tomato if you are not using grape tomatoes. Both will reduce the amount of liquid in your salad.
It is called Horiatiki. It contains simple ingredients: bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, olives, and creamy feta cheese. Feel free to add any and all of these options to the Gluten-free Low FODMAP Greek Salad, except the red onion, which contains FODMAPs
The obvious choice is the wheat in croutons. The sneakier ingredient to watch out for is the dressings. Read all ingredients or make a version from scratch to be sure.
Croutons contain wheat. Red onions, and dressings that contain garlic and onion. Pitas contain wheat and should be avoided if fructans are not tolerated. Cucumbers contain fructose, but Monash University has them marked as ok at ½ cup per meal.
What to Serve with Greek Salad?
- Grilled Yogurt Marinated Chicken- Grilled chicken marinated in plain Greek yogurt with oregano, lemon juice, and avocado oil.
- Lemon Rice - Add a scoop of tangy, creamy lemon rice on the side of the salad. It is a great side dish for Greek cuisine.
- Fresh Fruit - All low FODMAP, of course!
- French Fries - Sometimes, it is all about balance.
Recipe
The Best Gluten Free Low FODMAP Greek Salad
Equipment
- Grill - if making Chicken
- Salad Spinner
Ingredients
Greek Chicken Yogurt Marinade
- 1 to 2 Pounds Chicken Breasts
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice - or the juice of one lemon
- 1 Tablespoon Oregano
- ¼ cup Avacado Oil
- 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
Greek Salad
- 2 Heads Romaine Lettuce - Chopped
- ½ cup Kalamata Olives - Pitted
- ¾ cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
- 1 cup Diced Cucumbers
- ½ cup Grape Tomatoes
- ¼ cup Sliced Pepperconi's
Instructions
- If using grilled chicken, marinate it for up to 20 hours before grilling. Allow to rest, and dice into bite-size pieces.
- With a large knife and cutting board, chop romaine lettuce. Place in a salad spinner. Fill a salad spinner with water, and allow lettuce to soak for a minute. Then drain and spin the lettuce dry. Place washed and chopped lettuce into a large bowl.
- Wash and peel cucumber. Then dice into bite size-pieces. If you are not using an English cucumber, make sure you remove the seeds. The top of a spoon works well for this task. Set aside.
- Wash and dry grape tomatoes. If using a different type of tomato, seed it before dicing. This will help your Greek salad from becoming soggy.
- Assemble the Greek salad. On top of the lettuce place your diced chicken if using, kalamata olives, feta cheese, diced cucmbers, grape tomatoes and sliced pepperconi's. Top with Tzatziki and serve immediatley.
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