This is the BEST feta salad with carrots, beets, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, mixed with toasted walnuts, jammy raisins and yummy aged Balsamic dressing. It’s nutritious, crunchy and bursting with flavour. Great for lunch, light dinner and meal prep. Gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian salad recipe.
Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 👨🍳 Nutrition Notes | 💡 Recipe Tips | 📝 Go To Full Recipe | 🧀 More Healthy Recipes With Feta
Crunchy Feta Salad
I first made this salad as a fridge surprise at the end of our holidays with friends. We’ve been having a lot of heavy dinners and felt like something light and easy for dinner. I audited what we had in the fridge and pantry and this delicious crunchy feta salad was born. I enjoyed it so much that I made it the same way again when we got home the week after and it has become a new favourite.
This salad is all about the textures. We’ve got crunchy carrots, cucumber, crispy apple, nuts and seeds juxtaposed with softer tomatoes and pickled or roasted beets, jammy raisins and smooth feta cheese.
Every bite is coated with a wonderful aged balsamic dressing that ties everything together.
Seriously, I can’t recommend this salad enough. It’s tasty, super nutritious and satiating (even for a vegetarian dish). And if you’re looking for salad recipes with feta, then it’s an absolute must-try!
What You’ll Need
Here is what you need for this feta salad. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Vegetables for the salad: you can use pretty much anything you like but here is a combination that works well: crunchy cucumbers, red capsicum/bell pepper and carrot, softer and sweeter cherry tomatoes and pickled or canned beets (you can also use roasted or boiled beets). A little onion for sharpness; red or white onion is fine.
- Nuts & seeds: Toasted walnuts are the base here, then you can add other nuts or seeds based on what you have. Dried fruit adds that lovely jammy sweetness and chewiness and I had raisins on hand. Cranberries, apricots or sultanas will work well, chop them up into smaller pieces.
- Feta: I find that the milder, smooth feta is best suited for this salad. In Australia, we have Danish feta cheese, which is less salty than Greek feta and is a little bit like goat’s cheese. You can also use regular Greek feta (which you can also find as a smooth rather than crumbly version). Marinated feta is also amazing here.
- Dressing: This is super simple and the key is aged Balsamic vinegar or caramelised Balsamic which is thicker and sweeter than regular Balsamic. If you only have the regular stuff, add a teaspoon or two of maple syrup or honey for extra sweetness. Garlic powder or one small smashed garlic clove can be used.
How To Make Crunchy Salad With Feta Cheese
Let me show you how to make a great salad with feta cheese, nuts, dried fruit and lots of crunchy and soft vegetables.
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 355 F. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a flat sheet pan/baking tray and spread the walnuts. Bake (toast) in the oven, on the middle shelf for 10-12 minutes. Stir halfway and check again closer to the 10-minute mark to ensure they don’t burn. They should be slightly browned and have a nutty, toasted aroma. Once done, cool down for 5 minutes out of the oven.
- Step 2. While walnuts are getting toasted, chop all vegetables into similar, small cubes/pieces.
- Step 3. Chop the walnuts, almonds and raisins or whatever nuts or dried fruit you are using.
- Step 4. Whisk the dressing ingredients and set it aside.
- Step 5. Combine all ingredients and the dressing in a bowl and then top with crumbled feta.
Make Ahead Tips
This is a great salad to make as part of meal prep. Combine vegetables and divide between storage containers but don’t add the dressing, nuts or raisins. Top with feta cheese.
Store the dressing and the walnuts/almonds/raisins mix in separate smaller containers or in small jars. Combine everything just before serving to keep everything nice and crunchy, rather soggy and watery.
Nutrition Notes
This Spanish cauliflower rice dish is high in protein and fibre, satiating yet not heavy, and balanced in most essential nutrients. In fact, I would call it nutrient-dense, especially high in B-vitamins, magnesium, zinc, iron, and antioxidant-potent vitamins C and E. It’s grain-free, gluten-free, low-carb, paleo, and Whole30 friendly.
Nutrition Macros
Per serve: 499 calories, 19.9 g total carbs, 6.1 g fibre (13.8 g net carbs), 38.4 g protein, 28.7 g fat.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cooked & Loved
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1/2 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
- 1/3 cup almonds or other nuts/seeds, chopped
- 1/4 cup raisins or sultanas, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
- 4 small to medium cooked beets canned or roasted, cut into cubes
- 1 medium carrot cut into cubes
- 2 small cucumbers cut into cubes
- 1 red capsicum/bell pepper cut into cubes
- 1/4 onion red or white, finely diced
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup feta smooth, crumbled (1/2 block)
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar aged or caramelised
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Bake walnuts: Preheat the oven to 180 C / 355 F. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a flat sheet pan/baking tray and spread the walnuts. Bake (toast) in the oven, on the middle shelf for 10-12 minutes. Stir halfway and check again closer to the 10-minute mark to make sure they don't burn. They should be slightly browned and have a nutty, toasted aroma. Once done, cool down for 5 minutes out of the oven.
- Prepare vegetables: While walnuts are getting toasted, chop all vegetables into similar, small cubes/pieces.
- Chop fruit & nuts: Chop the walnuts, almonds and raisins, or whatever nuts or dried fruit you are using.
- Make the dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients and set it aside.
- Combine: Combine all ingredients in a bowl with the dressing and then top with crumbled feta.
This salad is so colorful, flavorful and fresh, and I am in LOVE with the balsamic dressing! Great recipe!!
I love this salad! In 30 minutes, I have 4 flavorful lunch salads – perfect!
I had to improvise and use craisins and sliced almonds – it was delicious – the sweet craisins were wonderful with the salty feta. Great recipe!
What a wonderful salad! We thoroughly enjoyed the crunchy veggies with salty feta. We served it with grilled chicken breast, but I can see this salad going well with just about anything! Great recipe – thanks 🙂