This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Calling all Panera lovers! This Copycat Panera Greek Salad recipe delivers the same flavors you know and love for a fraction of the cost.
Create your own Panera Bread Pick 2 by pairing this Panera Bread Copycat Greek Salad with with Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup, Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup, or Copycat Roasted Turkey Apple Sandwich.
Reasons to Love Copycat Panera Greek Salad
Panera's Greek salad is one of my all-time favorite salads and by far my favorite panera bread menu item! With crisp lettuce and briny olives, sharp red onions, and salty feta this salad has it all. And as delicious as Panera is, this homemade version is better for many reasons!
- Money Saver. For the cost of one salad, you can make several. Not to mention, with fresh ingredients and a homemade dressing, the quality is significantly better.
- Customizable. Add extra olives, go light on the dressing, skip the feta, add croutons, etc. This easy recipe puts you in charge.
- Flavor Packed. This copycat recipe delivers a tossed Greek salad that is fresh, bright, tangy, creamy, salty, and satisfying.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Panera Greek Salad Ingredients
Like most Americanized Greek salads sold at pizzerias and delis, Panera's greek salad is made with a bed of lettuce topped with components of a classic Greek salad; tomatoes, olives, feta, and cucumber. Keep the following tips in mind when choosing ingredients.
- Lettuce: Panera's Greek salad starts with a bed of chopped romaine lettuce. Mixed greens or spring greens are a good substitute.
- Red Onions: Thinly sliced red onions add a sharp bite to the salad. Feel free to swap the red onions out for a thinly sliced shallot, which is much milder in flavor.
- Cucumber: Opt for small Persian cucumbers or a hothouse (seedless) cucumber. If you only have garden cucumbers on hand be sure to peel them and remove the seeds before adding to the salad.
- Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes are the classic choice, as they taste delicious year-round. Thinly sliced roma tomatoes are a good substitute.
- Olives: Pitted kalamata olives for a briny punch of flavor. Do not be tempted to substitute black olives or green olives in their place. Kalamata olives are a key component for a good Greek salad.
- Feta: Crumbled feta adds a rich, creamy, salty finish.
- Pepperoncini Peppers: For a Panera copycat (and ease of eating), I recommend sliced pepperoncini peppers over whole.
- Panera Greek Dressing: Whip it up with ease using extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, Dijon, grated garlic, salt and pepper.
How to Make Copycat Panera Greek Salad
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare Greek Dressing. This simple Greek Vinaigrette is made with red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, garlic, and oregano. It is so easy to make and mimics the flavors in Panera's Greek Dressing without excessive sodium or added preservatives.
- Dress Lettuce. Toss the lettuce with a small amount of the prepared dressing. This will keep this salad from being overly dressed and soggy and ensure every bite is well seasoned.
- Top and Serve. Add the diced cucumbers, sliced onions, olives, tomatoes, pepperoncini, and feta to the salad and toss to combine. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.
Kristen's Key Tips
- Dry the Lettuce Well. In order for the dressing to adhere to the lettuce and for your Greek salad to not be watered down, it is best to use a salad spinner or paper towels to fully dry the lettuce after it has been washed.
- Soak Red Onions. Soak the sliced red onions in a bit of water for 5-10 minutes to remove some of the sharp bite of the onion and prevent overwhelming the salad.
- Assemble Right Before Serving. Just like most salads, this Greek salad is best served immediately once assembled. However, you can opt to prepare the Copycat Panera Bread Greek Salad Dressing up to 7 days in advance. It is delicious on any salad and even delicious as a marinade.
- Add Protein. Add grilled Greek chicken, sauteed shrimp, or a can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed) to transform this side salad into a hearty main course.
- Serving a Crowd? If preparing this salad for a crowd or to anyone with food restrictions or sensitivities, I recommend leaving feta and pepperoncini peppers (and croutons if desired). on the side for people to add as desired.
More Favorite Salad Recipes
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Copycat Panera Greek Salad
With crisp lettuce and briny olives, sharp red onions, salty feta, and a homemade Greek vinaigrette, this Copycat Panera Greek Salad delivers the same flavors you know and love for a fraction of the cost.
Ingredients
Greek Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce, or 2 hearts of romaine (~4-5 cups chopped lettuce)
- 1 medium English cucumber, diced
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced
- ¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
- ¼ cup pepperoncini peppers, sliced
- ⅓ cup Feta cheese, crumbled
Greek Dressing
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 medium lemon, juiced
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
For Greek Dressing
- Whisk together the ¼ cup red wine vinegar, juice of 1 medium lemon, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper together. Using a Microplane, finely grate 1 clove garlic over the vinegar mixture, then whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil until combined. Whisk or shake before serving.
For Greek Salad
- Wash and dry the lettuce well and then chop into bite-sized pieces. Place the lettuce into a large serving bowl or mixing bowl. Add ¼ cup of the prepared Greek dressing to the lettuce and toss to coat the lettuce lightly in the dressing.
- Add the diced cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers, olives, and feta and toss to combine.
- Serve immediately with the additional Greek Dressing on the side.
Notes
Storage: While this salad is best served immediately after assembling, it is still delicious after refrigeration. Store in an airtight container for up to 24-36 hours.
Leftover Dressing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Delicious on any salad or even as a marinade.
Red Onion: Feel free to swap the red onions out for a thinly sliced shallot, which is much milder in flavor or soak the sliced onions in cold water for 15 minutes to remove some of their sharpness.
Leftover Dressing: Store the leftover dressing for up to 2 weeks in the fridge and use it for salads or to marinate meat or veggies.
Nutrition is approximate and based on being heavily dressed.
Nutrition
Calories: 123kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 203mgPotassium: 432mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 9331IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @amindfullmom or tag #amindfullmom!
Originally shared in 2017 and updated in 2025.
So simple and budget friendly! I love that I can make this at home and satisfy my Panera craving!
And I love hearing you enjoy this recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Kellie!
Absolutely loved this Tossed Greek Salad! Reminiscent of Panera's version, it's bursting with flavor from olives, feta, tomatoes, and a tangy homemade Greek vinaigrette. Easy to make and incredibly delicious!