Detroit Greek Salad

At the turn of the last century, many Greek immigrants settled in the Detroit area and established businesses and restaurants in a neighborhood that is now known as Greektown. Among these businesses were diners serving Greek food and Coney Island restaurants serving chili sauce-covered hot dogs (aka Coney Island hot dogs). But another unique item you’ll find on menus in diners and Coney Island spots across Detroit is the Detroit Greek salad.

This Americanized version of a traditional Greek salad combines the classic ingredients—cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese—with a few unexpected toppings, including chickpeas and pickled beets.

Ingredients for Detroit Greek Salad

• Iceberg lettuce: Unlike traditional Greek salads that don’t include leafy greens, many Americanized versions like this one incorporate shredded lettuce. Regardless of the method you use to shred lettuce, don’t skip rinsing and drying the shredded leaves to remove any dirt or grit. A salad spinner is a great tool for this task.
• Red onion: Sliced red onion adds a sharp, zesty flavor to the salad. If you prefer a milder onion flavor, soak the sliced onion in ice water for five to ten minutes and shake the onion slices dry before adding them to the salad.
• English cucumber: This type of cucumber is seedless and has a thinner skin and milder flavor than other varieties.
• Grape tomatoes: These tasty tomatoes are small in size and sweet in flavor. Cherry tomatoes are an easy swap, but if they’re large cherry tomatoes, cut them into quarters. Other types of tomatoes that would work in this recipe include heirloom, plum or vine-ripened varieties.
• Chickpeas: These protein-packed legumes have a mild, nutty flavor and creamy texture. They’re also called garbanzo beans.
• Kalamata olives: This type of olive is deep purple and has a rich, fruity flavor. Avoid unwanted trips to the dentist by double-checking your olives to make sure they’re pitted.
• Sliced pickled beets: The addition of sliced pickled beets sets a Detroit Greek salad apart from other versions. You can use your favorite store-bought variety or make pickled beets from scratch.
• Feta cheese: This salty and tangy cheese is typically made from sheep’s milk. The best feta cheese recipes call for crumbling the cheese from the block for the best flavor, but you could also buy pre-crumbled cheese.
• Pepperoncini: Pepperoncini are a mild and tangy pickled pepper, although they can be somewhat divisive. If your family doesn’t love pepperoncini recipes, you can omit the peppers from the recipe.
• Red wine vinaigrette: The salad is dressed with a simple but flavorful red wine vinaigrette made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and dried oregano. Of course, you can always skip the homemade dressing and use a store-bought variety instead.

Directions

Step 1: Make the dressing

In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, dried oregano and pepper until blended. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the salad

Place the chopped lettuce, thinly sliced red onion, sliced English cucumber and halved grape tomatoes in a large bowl. Add the chickpeas and olives, and toss to combine.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

Step 3: Top the salad

Top with the sliced pickled beets, crumbled feta and pepperoncini. Serve immediately.

Detroit Greek Salad Variations

• Make it a meat lover’s salad: To make this salad into an entree, you can top it with grilled chicken, baked salmon, sliced lamb or beef gyro meat.
• Top the salad with the Detroit-famous pink dressing: To make an even more authentic Detroit Greek salad, use pink dressing in place of the red wine vinaigrette. The creamy pink salad dressing gets its signature hue from beet juice. According to Reddit, you can make your own version by whisking or shaking together 3/4 cup olive oil mayonnaise, 3/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup beet juice, 1/2 cup crumbled feta, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder. Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

How to Store Detroit Greek Salad

Leftover salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you expect to have leftovers, do not add the dressing to the whole salad and instead serve the dressing on the side. Ideally the dressing should be stored separately from the rest of the salad.

How long will a Detroit Greek salad last?

Leftover Greek salad will last about two days when refrigerated properly.

How far in advance can you make a Detroit Greek salad?

For the best texture and flavor, make the salad only a few hours before serving it. To avoid soggy greens, do not add the dressing until just before serving.

Detroit Greek Salad Tips

What can you do with leftover Greek salad?

For a tasty appetizer, toast baguette slices, slather them with whipped feta, and top each slice with a spoonful or two of Greek salad and dressing. Another fun way to reimagine leftover salad is using it to make a sandwich. Spread a layer of hummus onto a tortilla or pita pocket, then top it with the leftover Greek salad.

What can you serve with Detroit Greek salad?

For a true Detroit experience, serve a Coney Island hot dog alongside your salad. Or, serve Detroit Greek salad alongside other traditional Greek favorites like pastitsio, chicken souvlaki or moussaka. It also pairs well with hearty meat dishes such as grilled steak, roast chicken and grilled pork chops.