Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad)

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This traditional Greek Maroulosalata recipe is like sunshine in a bowl. Crispy cool lettuce, fresh dill and creamy feta cheese are tossed with a bright and tangy lemon vinaigrette for a wonderfully refreshing salad that pairs with just about everything. It’s quick and easy to prepare and can also be made in advance – just toss in the dressing before you’re ready to serve!

What is Maroulosalata?

Growing up in Germany we enjoyed a great selection of Greek restaurants run by Greek immigrants (not to mention all the terrific gyros stands and food carts!) and this maroulosalata (pronunced mar-ooh-lo-salata) was a standard and a favorite of mine. Some Greek friends of ours ran a family-owned restaurant and in getting a tour of the kitchen, I’ll always remember seeing the 80 year-old yiayia (grandmother) with her hands deep in a huge stainless steel bowl, massaging the romaine lettuce in preparation for making her famous marousalata. This traditional Greek lettuce salad is made with shredded ribbons of romaine lettuce (or marouli in Greek), crumbled feta cheese, fresh dill, green onions, and is tossed with a simple vinaigrette made with olive oil and lemon juice.

Maroulosalata is kind of like the Greek version of Caesar salad – not only is it wonderfully versatile and pairs with practically everything, you can also add some grilled or rotisserie chicken to it to make a light entree. So delicious! And for a light lunch, I love a bowl of this with nothing more than some good crispy bread for mopping up the lemony vinaigrette.

Maroulosalata Ingredients

Quick and simple to prepare, traditional maroulosalata takes just a handful of ingredients to make. Here is what you’ll need to make this maroulosalata recipe:

• Romaine Lettuce: Romaine creates those traditional thin ribbons of finely sliced lettuce that are characteristic of maroulosalata. As a gardener I grow a few varieties of romaine, including Parris Island, Jericho and Little Gem; any variety of romaine will work.
• Fresh Dill: One of my favorite of all herbs, this is the key flavor component (likewise in my Creamy German Cucumber Salad, another favorite dill-centric salad.)
• Feta Cheese: Traditionally sheep feta would be used which adds a more robust flavor to the maroulosalata. Cow feta is easier to find and you can use either according to your preference and availability.
• Green Onions: These add both a mild pepperiness and subdued sweetness.
• Olive Oil: The base oil for the vinaigrette. I prefer to use a mild, more fruity olive oil like arbequina but you can go with something more piquant/peppery if you prefer.
• Lemon Juice: Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice; bottled just doesn’t begin to compare.
• Salt and Pepper: I use kosher or sea salt. Pepper is optional but I like to add a little. You can use either white or black pepper; I always recommend freshly ground for the best flavor.
• Optional Add-ins: While not traditional, there are a number of add-ins you can try for variation and to bulk up the salad. You can add a protein such as grilled chicken breast of rotisserie chicken, flaked salmon or tuna, or shrimp. For a vegetarian option you can add some chickpeas. For more veggies you can add some cucumber, olives, avocado and/or tomatoes. For a pop of color you can also add some sliced red onions.

Pro Tips

• It is essential that you the lettuce be as dry as possible. The moisture should come from the vinaigrette and not from watery lettuce, otherwise you’ll end up with a mushy salad. I highly recommend using a salad spinner, otherwise be sure to thoroughly drain and then blot the lettuce with paper towels after washing.
• A key characteristic of maroulosalata is the texture of the finely shredded ribbons of romaine lettuce that are traditionally given a hand massaging to tenderize the fibers, much like you would massage kale. So don’t be afraid to dive in there and make friends with the lettuce!
• The salad and dressing can both be prepped separately up to a few hours in advance. Wait until shortly before serving to add the dressing so that the salad is nice and crispy.

Maroulosalata Recipe

Let’s get started!

To make the dressing, blend the olive oil, lemon juice and salt/pepper in a food processor or blender, or whisk vigorously in a bowl until it’s emulsified. If you’re not using it immediately, store it in a jar in the fridge until ready to use and shake it thoroughly before using.

Place the lettuce, green onions, dill and feta in a large mixing bowl.

Pour all of the dressing over the salad and toss it together using your hands to massage the greens and to break down and more evenly distribute the feta.

Serve immediately. See below for some serving recommendations.

Enjoy!

What to Serve with Maroulosalata

You can serve marousolata with pretty much anything that you would normally pair with a regular leafy green salad. I enjoy a big bowl of this all by itself with just a slice of good bread. It can be paired with any of your favorite proteins and sides. Here are just a few ideas:

• Grilled or roast chicken, Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings, Chicken Piccata, or Slow Cooker Greek Chicken
• Pot Roast, Tri Tip Roast, or Schweinshaxe
• Pork chops, lamb chops or Braised Lamb Shanks.
• Fish or seafood like Classic Fish Cakes, Orange Glazed Salmon, Grilled Tuna Steaks or Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi.
• It makes a refreshing contrast to spicy foods like Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Jerk Chicken Kabobs and Peruvian Pollo a la Brasa.
• Baked Potatoes, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Baked Potato Wedges or rice dishes like Salmon Risotto.
• With your favorite soups and stews like Greek Avgolemono, Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup or Smoked Salmon Chowder.

Make-Ahead

Both the salad and dressing can be prepared separately up to a few hours in advance. This also makes it convenient if you’re needing to transport this salad. Wait until shortly before serving to add the dressing so that the salad is nice and crispy when it’s time to serve it. Once the salad and dressing are combined, the maroulosalata is best eaten within a couple of hours.