Greek Salad with Homemade Dressing- Panera Copycat
This simple Greek salad recipe is packed full of fresh ingredients like crispy romaine, cherry tomatoes, red onion slices, and crunchy pepperoncini peppers.
For this recipe, I was inspired by Panera’s Greek salad recipe which is my go-to order at Panera Bread! I love the Mediterranean flavors of their Greek dressing. It’s one of my favorite salads to grab for lunch on-the-go.

I think we can agree that great salad is packed full of crisp, fresh ingredients. In this copycat recipe, we use fresh romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes and red onion.
I then layered on a few more simple ingredients; crunchy pepperoncini peppers, olives and feta cheese. But the best part of this tasty salad is the yummy vinegar and oil dressing with just a hint of lemon!
I make the tangy vinegar and oil dressing with red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, and Mediterranean-inspired spices. Dried, dehydrated oregano is the most important seasoning that we use to make Greek dressing. It’s an important part of this recipe and should not be omitted!
Recipe Substitutions
I think red wine vinegar is the best vinegar for this easy recipe, but feel free to substitute other types of vinegar. You can substitute apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar.
If you aren’t a fan of kalamata olives, omit them!
While you’re here, check out my other homemade dressing recipes that you can make for a fraction of the price at home! Easy Apple Cider Vinaigrette | Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette | Champagne Vinaigrette
What to Serve with Greek Salad
Wondering what to eat with Greek salad?
I think this classic Greek salad makes an excellent main dish when topped with your favorite protein! For me, that’s grilled chicken, grilled salmon or smoked salmon. You could also try my Roasted Greek Chicken Thighs, this Greek Beef Souvlaki or these yummy stuffed Chicken Roll Ups.
The bright, fresh flavors in this salad provide excellent balance for hearty pasta or sandwich dishes like my Bratwurst Pasta recipe, this Olive Garden Chicken Pasta or this savory Asiago Ranch Chicken Club sandwich!
Or, pair this easy salad recipe with soup and crusty bread! I love it on the side of my Easy Slow Cooker Vegetable Barley Soup or this simple Celery Carrot Soup with a side of Air Fryer Garlic Bread or Bisquick Cheddar Biscuits.
For dessert, I recommend this delicious Knafeh Cheesecake made with phyllo dough and a sweet syrup!
Storing Leftovers:
Store leftover salad and leftover dressing separately in airtight containers. Salad will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, and dressing for up to a week!
The next time you need to make a large Greek salad, give this recipe a try. If you make it, let me know how it went in the comments, below!
Greek Salad with Homemade Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup sliced red onion
- ½ cup sliced kalamata olives
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 4 whole pepperoncini peppers
- 1 batch Homemade Greek Vinaigrette
Instructions
- Prepare your lettuce by rinsing it with water and patting it dry with paper towels, or use a salad spinner to remove excess water.
- Add the lettuce to a large bowl.
- Then, layer the salad ingredients on top of the lettuce.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk or shake the ingredients for the dressing.
- Drizzle the dressing over the top of the salad, then toss to combine.
- Serve immediately.