Tarpon Springs Greek Salad with Potato Salad
Greek Salad with Potato Salad! Yes, combining the two into one salad —this is the combo made famous by Louis Pappas’ restaurant in Tarpon Springs. After trying it decades ago, this is the way my family made Greek salad growing up, and I’m excited to share it with you.
I am so excited to share this Tarpon Springs Greek salad recipe with you today. (And I’m currently in Florida while posting this, so it seems even more fitting).
Greek salad with potato salad! Yes, it’s odd, but it’s my number one requested meal from my mom when I go home. It’s creamy potato salad on the bottom topped with Greek salad in a tangy, briny dressing.
This is the Greek salad that I grew up eating, a recipe that my family inherited after my Uncle moved to Clearwater, Florida, and tried this version, made famous by Louis Pappas in Tarpon Springs.
Who would have thought that the combination of Greek salad and potato salad would taste so delicious together?
Ingredient Notes
All the classics go in this Greek salad: romaine, tomatoes, red onion, olives, feta cheese, and pepperoncini peppers. Don’t skimp on those! They add so much tang and mild heat to the overall meal, especially paired with the creamy potato salad.
In fact, I think I might start putting pepperoncini on my potato salad in general because I just love the taste of the two of them together.
This isn’t a traditional Greek salad, like what you’d find in Greece, but it features all the flavors alongside romaine lettuce.
For the potato salad, I use golden potatoes or yellow potatoes, but red potatoes can work too. I prefer full fat mayo for the best taste, but low fat mayo or vegan mayo works. My mom sometimes uses plain Greek yogurt, too, or 1/2 Greek yogurt and 1/2 mayo.
How to Make
Step 1: Cook the Potatoes and Eggs
Cube the potatoes and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Take care not to overcook them, they should be just fork tender but not mushy. I usually cook the eggs alongside the potatoes.
Drain and set aside to cool.
Step 2: Make the Potato Salad
Mix together the ingredients for the dressing: the mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and the eggs and toss until combined. Taste, season as desired, and set aside.
Step 3: Make the Greek Salad
Place all of the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl, then gently toss together. Make the Greek dressing by whisking together all of the ingredients for the dressing.
Step 4: Assemble
Spread the potato salad in whatever serving bowl/plate you are using. I want a thick layer of potato salad, so I prefer to choose a vessel that allows me to pile the potato salad in before adding the salad on top.
Then, mix together the salad with a little dressing. I do about 3 tablespoons or so, just enough to season the salad but not wilt it. Then I pile the salad on top of the potato salad.
How to Serve
Right before serving, drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad. This allows the dressing to soak through both the Greek salad and the potato salad.
The key to this combo is getting a thick scoop of the potato salad with the Greek salad; I use a large spoon to scoop the potato salad out with the salad and place on each plate. This is how my mom makes/serves it, and it ensures that every bite gets a little salad and a little potato.
More Greek-Inspired Recipes
- Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
- Vegan Greek Salad with Tofu Feta
- Tofu Gyros with Tzatziki and Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Greek Couscous Salad
- Cauliflower Shawarma
- Greek Quinoa Zucchini Fritters
If you try this Tarpon Springs Greek Salad recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!Â
Tarpon Springs Greek Salad with Potato Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Potato Salad:
- 2 1/2 pounds red or yellow potatoes
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, halved and sliced thin
- 4 scallions, sliced
- 2/3 cup mayo
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt/freshly ground pepper
Greek Salad Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon each: salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Greek Salad:Â
- 2 romaine hearts, torn into small pieces
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber
- 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup halved kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons sliced pepperoncini peppers
- 1/4 cup very thinly sliced red onion
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Make the potato salad. Place the potatoes in a large stockpan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until potatoes are just tender, about 10-15 minutes. Remove and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
- Chop the cooled potatoes and place in a large bowl along with scallions and chopped hard-boiled eggs. Whisk together the mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt/pepper. Season to taste, then toss with the potatoes. Spread potato salad in a large salad serving dish and set aside.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the greek dressing. Season to taste, adding more salt/pepper if needed and set aside.
- Toss together the romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and peppers. Toss with 3 tablespoons of the dressing and toss well to just lightly coat. Stir in the feta cheese, then top the salad over the potato salad. Drizzle with remaining salad dressing (you may not need all of it) and serve immediately.
- Dish this out by scooping into the salad, grabbing the potato salad at the bottom and the salad on top.
Hands down the absolute best Greek salad with potato salad in it is found in Tarpon Springs and a restaurant called Mr Souvlaki! Order a Greek salad for two with extra potato salad and extra feta and you will experience a culinary Greek Delight that will have you yelling OPA!!!
We lived in Tampa for years and LOVED LOVED Pizza Villa. They are closed now but their souvlaki and OMG Greek salad with potato salad was beyond compare. We understood they were relatives of Tarpon Springs family. We’ve been there many times too but I swear, Pizza Villa nailed this stuff. Anyone know how to do it just like they did? Been in SC for eight years now but to me, gosh, that is a taste of home. I am a pretty great cook but I cannot duplicate these.
I am SO glad to have found this. I had this salad very often 40 years ago when I lived in Clearwater, Fl. at a small Greek restaurant there. Never found it anywhere since. I’ve told people about it and they think I’m nuts, potato salad in a greek salad :). It was so good I still remember it all these years later. Thank you so much!!
So glad you liked it!
I worked for Louis Pappas’s restaurant in Tarpon Springs back in the early seventies and his recipe is not this, there was no egg in it. The ingredients scaled down is about 6 Russet potatoes, cooked whole then peeled, 1/2 cup green onions, 1/4c flat leaf parsley salt pepper garlic powder to taste and 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar and 1/2 cup of mayonnaise instead of Greek yogurt actually but either is good. The salad part is spot on.
I made this because I had a wonderful potato salad while visiting Tarpon Springs. We were at Mr. Soulvaki. This is not the recipe as there was no greens in the salad. I only recall it was delicious. If anyone knows that potato salad I’d love some reminder of what made it special.
Back to this salad. Love it! Easy to make and filling. Thank you!
Absolutely delicious and everything I remember from my childhood eating there! Thank you so much for this! Perfection