Warm potato salad with spinach, feta, and lemon is a great example of a healthy Greek dinner. It's quick, simple, and pretty basic so you can add many other ingredients to it depending on what you have at home each time you make it!
This salad combines two favorite old-fashioned foods that Greeks eat for dinner. Or better said, still eat in villages but don't eat in big cities (as they have adjusted to the street and quick food). I'm talking about potatoes with their skin on (usually baked in aluminum foil on the fireplace, one of my favourite foods growing up).
And the other favorite food is as they are called in Greece "Tsigaridia". These are greens sauteed with olive oil a bit of garlic and feta. Any type of greens is used. Even wild mountain greens which I'm sure are out of the question finding them where you live :D. And that's why I'm using spinach for this recipe. Though I'll give a few options of healthy greens you can use instead of spinach.
Ingredients To Make Warm Potato Salad
For this potato salad, I'm using baby potatoes. But you can use any type of potato you like. Even yams. As they go really well with the feta cheese.
As for the other ingredients they are pretty basic and include spinach, feta cheese, onion, garlic, and lemon. The good thing about spinach is that it gets cooked very very quickly. You can even add it raw if you wish. Though cooked it gives a stronger flavor to this salad.
Other Greens You May Use Instead Of Spinach
- Frisée Endives (curly green ones)
- Dandelion Greens (need boiling or steaming first)
- Swiss chard leaves
- Mix of Spinach leaves and beetroot leaves
- Collard greens
How To Make Warm Potato Salad
First, you need to boil the potatoes. Or you can even bake them in a pan half-filled with water if you prefer.
Second, you have to let the potatoes cool down to room temperature. In order to get a bit firm and not become mushy inside the salad. If you don't mind this, go ahead and use them while they're still hot.
Thirdly, sautee the onion and garlic with olive oil until softened, and then add the spinach and cook until it softens as well. If you wish to use any of the greens mentioned above, you can use them the same way as spinach in this recipe. Except for the dandelion greens which require boiling or steaming first to soften and release some of their bitter flavor.
Lastly, stir in the lemon juice and the potatoes. Then serve sprinkled with plenty of feta cheese on top.
NOTE: These types of salads in Greece are drizzled with plenty of fresh lemon juice on top and taste a bit sourish. In this recipe, I used only a small amount of lemon juice inside the salad. So you can add as much extra as you like on top depending on your personal preference. Also, raw extra virgin olive oil is always drizzled on top. If you want to eat a really healthy salad serve it both with extra olive oil and lemon on top!
Serve With
To make this salad even more filling, you may serve it with one or two boiled eggs. Side dishes that go nicely with this salad are Beetroot Salad With Greek Yogurt, Tzatziki Dip, and meat dishes like Keftedakia (Greek fried meatballs), Spetsofai (Spicy Greek Sausage In Sauce).
Recipe
Warm Potato Salad With Spinach, Feta, & Lemon
Ingredients
- 500 grams baby potatoes (about 20)
- ½ medium-sized red onion cut into thin slices
- 2 large garlic cloves cut into thin slices
- 100 grams (about 2 + ½ cups) chopped spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + extra to drizzle on top
- â…“ cup feta cheese crumbled
- olive oil
Instructions
- Soak the baby potatoes in lukewarm water for 10 minutes. Then with a dish sponge rub their skin to remove all dirt. Cut them in half and add to a medium-sized cooking pot half-filled with water.
- Season the water with kosher salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are nice and soft but not mushy.
- With a slotted spoon transfer the potatoes to a dish and let them cool down to room temperature.
- In a large non-stick frying pan heat a good splash of olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add the spinach and lemon juice. And stir well with a wooden spoon. Cook for 2-3 minutes for the spinach to soften.
- Turn the heat off and toss the potatoes in the pan as well. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Taste to see how much salt you need to add keeping in mind the salt you added in the water you've boiled the potatoes in. Stir well to combine and transfer to a salad plate.
- Sprinkle the feta cheese on top. You may also add an extra drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil, as well as, extra fresh lemon juice when you serve this salad. You can also add any of the following fresh herbs to this salad: dill, spearmint, chives, fresh garlic tips.
Nutrition
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Hello this looks wonderful! How long will leftovers keep?
Thank you Joanna. You can keep the leftovers for up to 2-3 days in the fridge.
Hi Fotini, what a fresh and nutritious salad. Thank you for your passion and sharing with us your wonderful recipes. Bravo!
Hi Anne, thank you for your kind words. It is really my pleasure to know you enjoy the recipes!
Looks fabulous, making later today will grilled chicken and dolmadakia on the side. I know it is a double starch but the flavors will mix so well.... TY for recipe
Your welcome Licia. Yes, sounds like a great combination. I love these flavors!