Chef Dimitra
Cretan Vlita Vrasta (Βλήτα Βραστά)
Crete's summer horta: soft amaranth greens, tender stalks, potatoes, and small zucchini, dressed while warm with sharp lemon and green-gold olive oil, the way a weeknight table actually eats them.
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Mainland Greek Maroulosalata (Μαρουλοσαλάτα)
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Maroulosalata is the spring green salad of the mainland Easter table: romaine cut fine, dill and spring onion, lemon, and good olive oil.
Salads
Greek
Easter
Weeknight
Quick Meal
15 min
Active Time
0 min cook•15 min total
Yield4 to 6 servings
Maroulosalata belongs to the mainland spring table, especially at Easter, when the rich lamb needs something sharp, green, and clean beside it. It is romaine lettuce, dill, spring onion, lemon, and olive oil. Nothing more clever than that. The lettuce must be cut very thin, almost like ribbons, because that is what makes the salad tender instead of coarse.
The one method is in the washing and drying. Soak the lettuce in cold water until it wakes up, then dry it properly before you dress it. Wet leaves thin the lemon and oil, and the salad turns tired in the bowl before it reaches the table. Dry leaves take the dressing lightly and stay crisp under your fork.
Dress it at the last minute, toss with your hands, and serve it in a wide bowl so the herbs don't sink to the bottom. My mother Sofia made this in Thessaloniki every Easter, right before the lamb came in. She never called it simple as an apology. Λίγα και καλά: a few things, and good ones.
Maroulosalata is tied to the Greek spring and Easter table rather than to one village alone, appearing across mainland homes when lettuces, dill, and spring onions are at their best. Its place beside roast lamb is practical as much as ritual: after the long Lenten fast, the sharp lemon and fresh herbs cut through the richness of Easter meat. Older household versions often use only lettuce, dill, onion, oil, lemon, and salt, before tomatoes and other additions entered restaurant salads.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
romaine hearts (marouli)
Quantity
2 large, about 500g total
washed, dried, and shredded very thin
spring onions
Quantity
4
thinly sliced
fresh dill
Quantity
20g
tender stems and fronds, finely chopped
extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil
Quantity
60ml
fresh lemon juice
Quantity
30ml
plus more to taste
fine sea salt
Quantity
3g
freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Quantity
to taste
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| romaine hearts (marouli)washed, dried, and shredded very thin | 2 large, about 500g total |
| spring onionsthinly sliced | 4 |
| fresh dilltender stems and fronds, finely chopped | 20g |
| extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil | 60ml |
| fresh lemon juiceplus more to taste | 30ml |
| fine sea salt | 3g |
| freshly ground black pepper (optional) | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •large salad spinner
- •wide shallow serving bowl, 28cm
Instructions
- 1
Wake the lettuce
Separate the romaine leaves and soak them in a large bowl of very cold water for 5 minutes. Lift them out, don't pour the water over them, because any grit has settled at the bottom.
- 2
Dry it well
Spin the leaves dry, then spread them on a clean towel and pat away any water hiding along the ribs. This is the step that decides the salad. Wet lettuce weakens the lemon and oil, and maroulosalata becomes watery instead of crisp.
- 3
Shred thinly
Stack a few leaves at a time, roll them loosely, and slice across into thin ribbons, about 5mm wide. Thick pieces eat like chopped lettuce. Thin ribbons catch the dill, onion, and dressing in every bite.
- 4
Mix the greens
Put the shredded lettuce in a wide bowl with the spring onions and dill. Sprinkle over the salt and toss lightly with your hands so the herbs are spread through the lettuce instead of sitting in one green pile.
- 5
Dress and serve
Pour over the olive oil and lemon juice just before serving. Toss gently, taste, and add a little more lemon if the lettuce is sweet. Finish with black pepper only if you like it. Serve at once.
Chef Tips
- •Use crisp romaine, not soft butter lettuce. The salad depends on the ribs for snap, and sad lettuce stays sad no matter how good the oil is.
- •Cut the dill finely but don't punish it into paste. Tender stems are good here. They taste more of spring than the fronds alone.
- •Maroulosalata is nistisimi, suitable for the fasting table, and then it stays on for Easter because it knows its job beside lamb, mageiritsa, potatoes, and eggs.
Advance Preparation
- •Wash and dry the lettuce up to 6 hours ahead, then wrap it in a clean towel and refrigerate.
- •Slice the spring onions and chop the dill up to 2 hours ahead, but dress the salad only at the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 135g)
Calories
130 calories
Total Fat
11 g
Saturated Fat
2 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
9 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
250 mg
Total Carbohydrates
5 g
Dietary Fiber
2 g
Sugars
2 g
Protein
2 g
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