Discover a refreshing Santorini summer salad recipe made with capers, sun-ripened tomatoes, and local ingredients—perfect for hot days and caldera picnics.
In Santorini, the sun is an ingredient. It ripens the tomatoes, intensifies the herbs, and draws out the briny essence of capers harvested on dry stone walls overlooking the Aegean. On long, golden July days, when the wind stills and the heat settles over the island like a soft blanket, this simple salad graces every shaded table. It’s not just food—it’s a reflection of the island’s summer soul.
Locals prepare it without fuss: fresh, bold, and meant to be shared. Served cold or at room temperature, it’s the kind of dish you pack for a picnic in Oia or enjoy in the courtyard of a whitewashed home in Pyrgos. With a chunk of crusty bread and a view of the caldera, it becomes a full experience.
The Santorini Summer Salad Recipe
Ingredients (serves 2–3):
- 4–5 ripe Santorini cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- ½ cucumber, peeled and diced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons of capers (preferably sun-dried or brined Santorini capers)
- 1 small handful of fresh oregano or mint, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (local, if possible)
- A splash of red wine vinegar
- A pinch of sea salt
- Crumbled local goat cheese or a slice of chloro cheese (optional)
- Black olives or kalamata (optional)
Instructions:
- In a bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.
- Rinse the capers if they’re too salty, then add them to the bowl.
- Drizzle with olive oil and a touch of vinegar. Sprinkle in the herbs and sea salt.
- Gently toss the salad to mix, taking care not to bruise the tomatoes.
- Top with crumbled cheese and olives, if using. Serve immediately or let it sit for 10–15 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle.
- This dish doesn’t need refrigeration—only shade, a sea breeze, and maybe a glass of chilled white Assyrtiko to go with it.
Where the Ingredients Come From
What makes this salad so special isn’t just the simplicity—it’s the land that grows it. Santorini’s volcanic soil produces intensely flavored tomatoes and some of the most prized capers in Greece. The wind-stressed herbs and naturally salted caper leaves add a distinctly Cycladic flair.
Many islanders still grow their own produce in small family plots. In summer, baskets of tomatoes sit ripening on doorsteps, and capers dry on cloths in the sun. It’s a salad born not just of ingredients, but of place.
A Memory of Summer in Every Bite
Serve this Santorini summer salad on your balcony, under a blue sky or the last light of day. Pair it with a view if you can—real or imagined. One forkful, and you’ll be transported to an island where time moves slowly, flavors are vivid, and every meal tells a story.