This Greek salad recipe brought back one of my favorite food memories. My husband and I were sitting in a small restaurant in Greece, waiting for our food to arrive. We watched as a waiter carried a salad toward our table. On top of it was something big, square and white. When the plate was placed in front of us, we realized it was a slab of feta.

As we shared the salad, we mmm’ed and aahed over the creamy saltiness of a feta like we’d never tasted. That cheese, combined with the super-fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and olives, was so delicious that we still talk about it when we recall our trip.

That was more than 30 years ago, when my experience with Greek salads was limited and the ones I’d had were good but not memorable. Usually, bits of feta were crumbled on top of a lightly dressed bowl.

In the heat of summer, looking for a way to dig into the season’s red tomatoes, I came across this preparation from “Salads Are More Than Leaves” by Elena Silcock. She calls it a Grilled Greek, and it takes the luscious feta experience to another level. Silcock has you place the slabs of cheese on a heatproof pan, drizzle them with honey and sprinkle them with fresh herbs. The pan then goes on the grill until the cheese turns golden around the edges and gets soft and luscious.

The slabs of grilled cheese are then sliced in half and nestled atop tomato, cucumber, red onion and olives with fresh oregano and mint leaves. You’re left with warm, creamy, slightly smoky cheese; chilled crisp vegetables; and bright herbs all dressed in a tart, vinegary dressing. Silcock recommends serving the salad with toasted or baked pita chips, which are perfect carriers for a smear of that smooth cheese.

How to understand and use feta, star of TikTok’s viral pasta recipe

The best feta to use for this dish is a Greek sheep’s milk feta because it is the highest-fat option, making it the creamiest and richest.

Don’t want to mess with the grill? Bake the feta in an oven, or even your toaster oven, instead.

Build your best salad with our custom generator

If you’re an adventurous salad maker — or would like to be — Silcock’s cookbook is full of great ideas for building salads that combine varying temperatures, textures and flavors to create something that is far from an afterthought or a side dish. That said, even half a slab of salty feta makes this salad suitable more as an occasional indulgence. If you love the idea of it, consider serving it alongside grilled or roasted chicken, beef or fish.

To make the recipe vegan, use a vegan feta-style cheese or firm tofu and swap in maple or agave syrup for the honey. The large slab of feta makes this dish a fatty, high-calorie luxury. Consider serving it as a side as well with grilled or roasted meats or fish.

Storage: Refrigerate the feta and salad separately for up to 2 days.

NOTES: The feta can be baked instead. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the middle. Oil an ovenproof casserole dish or cast-iron skillet. Prepare the feta as directed and roast 20 to 25 minutes, or until softened and golden around the edges.

To prepare the grill: If using a gas grill, set it to 475 degrees. If using a charcoal grill, fill 2 chimney starters with charcoal and light them. When the coals are white-gray with ash, pour them into charcoal grate, adding more charcoal if necessary, and put the lid on the grill, making sure the air vents are open all the way. When all the coals are gray and hot, about 15 to 20 minutes, your grill should be between 475 and 500 degrees. (Use a grill thermometer or test the heat by holding your hand, palm down, about 4 inches above the grate for about 2 to 4 seconds. Pull your hand away from the heat before it hurts and be sure that nothing flammable, such as clothing, is near the heat.) A charcoal grill may make this recipe take about 20 minutes longer.

Want to save this recipe? Click the bookmark icon below the serving size at the top of this page, then go to My Reading List in your washingtonpost.com user profile.

Scale this recipe and get a printer-friendly, desktop version here.

Preheat the grill to high (see NOTES).

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes and cucumbers and sprinkle lightly with salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons of oil, the lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Add the red onion to the dressing.

Generously grease a heatproof baking pan and transfer the feta to the pan. Top each block with sprigs of fresh thyme or dill, or with the dried herbs. Drizzle with the remaining oil and the honey, and season generously with black pepper. Place the pan on the grill grate, cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the feta is softened and golden around the edges. (At the last minute, you can add the pita to the grill to toast, if you like.) Transfer to a heatproof surface to cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then cut each block in half diagonally.

Drain the tomatoes and cucumbers, if necessary. Return them to the bowl and toss with the dressing, olives and oregano.

Divide the tomato mixture among the bowls and top each with a wedge of feta. Sprinkle with the mint leaves, if using, and more pepper, if desired.

Serve with pita chips or toasted pita and lemon wedges.

Per serving: (1 1/4 cups salad and generous 1/4 cup cheese)

Calories: 641; Total Fat: 51 g; Saturated Fat: 18 g; Cholesterol: 70 mg; Sodium: 1524 mg; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 15 g; Protein: 21 g

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

Adapted from “Salads Are More Than Leaves” by Elena Silcock (Hamlyn, 2022).

Tested by Ann Maloney; email questions to voraciously@washpost.com.

Scale this recipe and get a printer-friendly, desktop version here.

Browse our Recipe Finder for more than 9,800 Post-tested recipes.

Did you make this recipe? Take a photo and tag us on Instagram with #eatvoraciously.