Feta is the traditional cheese crumbled or placed in a slab over Greek horiatiki salad.
Horiatiki, often called Greek salad in English, combines tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, and green pepper, usually with olive oil and oregano. Feta contributes a salty, tangy contrast to the fresh vegetables. In Greece, the cheese is commonly served as a substantial piece rather than finely mixed throughout the salad.
The name horiatiki means “village” or “peasant-style,” reflecting the salad’s rustic character. Its ingredients are associated with Greek agricultural products, particularly olives, olive oil, tomatoes, and feta made from sheep’s milk or sheep-and-goat milk.
Feta should not be confused with halloumi, which is a brined cheese especially associated with Cyprus and is commonly grilled. Manouri is also Greek, but it is softer and milder and is not the standard cheese for horiatiki.