Dakos – Greek Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta, and Olive Oil
The simple Cretan recipe for Mediterranean delight
Dakos is one of the most famous dishes of Cretan cuisine.
A rustic bread salad made from barley rusks, sun-ripened tomatoes, feta, and plenty of extra virgin olive oil.
The secret of this dish is its simplicity:
The fewer ingredients – the more important their quality.
With ripe tomatoes, aromatic oregano, and high-quality olive oil, a dish is created that tastes of summer, sea, and Greece.
What is Dakos?
Dakos is a traditional dish from the island of Crete.
The base is barley rusk, which is lightly moistened so that it remains soft on the outside and crispy on the inside.
Topped with:
- fresh tomatoes
- creamy feta or mizithra
- good olive oil
- oregano
The result is a simple, aromatic Greek bread salad, served as an appetizer, light meal, or side dish.
Dakos Recipe – Ingredients
For 2–4 servings
- 2 large Dakos (Cretan barley rusk)
(alternatively coarse barley rusk) - 3–4 ripe tomatoes
- 150–200 g feta
(or Mizithra, if available) - 4–5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil from ILIOS – Grünes Gold
- Fleur de Sel (salt)
- dried oregano
Optional:
- capers
- Kalamata olives
How to prepare Dakos
1️⃣ Prepare Dakos
Briefly moisten the barley rusk with water so that it softens slightly but still retains some bite.
2️⃣ Prepare tomatoes
Coarsely grate or finely dice the tomatoes and mix with a little salt.
3️⃣ Spread tomatoes
Generously spread the tomatoes on the Dakos.
4️⃣ Add feta
Crumble feta over it or mash with a fork.
5️⃣ Drizzle with olive oil
Generously drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
6️⃣ Sprinkle with oregano
Finally, sprinkle with dried oregano.
7️⃣ Optional additions
Add capers or olives as desired.
Serve immediately and enjoy.
In our shop, you will find a selection of Greek olive oil, herbs and Mediterranean specialties.
https://iliosgruenesgold.at/collections/olivenol
https://iliosgruenesgold.at/collections/oliven-korinthen
https://iliosgruenesgold.at/collections/gewurze
Why good olive oil is crucial for Dakos
Dakos thrives on few ingredients.
Precisely for this reason, the quality of the olive oil makes all the difference.
A high-quality extra virgin olive oil brings:
- fresh green aromas
- slight bitterness
- a pleasant pungency
This combination unites tomatoes, feta, and bread into a harmonious whole.
In our assortment, you will find different packaging sizes of our olive oil: https://iliosgruenesgold.at/collections/olivenol
Tip from the ILIOS Kitchen
The simpler a dish, the more important the quality of the ingredients.
For Dakos, we recommend:
- a fruity extra virgin olive oil
- aromatic Greek oregano
- real Kalamata olives
This is how Dakos tastes like on a terrace overlooking the sea.
Mini-Summary
Dakos is a classic dish of Cretan cuisine:
barley rusks, tomatoes, feta, and high-quality olive oil.
A simple recipe –
but full of Mediterranean flavors.
With the right ingredients, it becomes a piece of Greece on your plate.
We also explain why good olive oil is so important in our article on aromas in olive oil.
"More Mediterranean Knowledge"
Would you like to learn more about high-quality olive oil?
Then also read our articles:
Shelf life of olive oil
The right ripeness level of the olive
How to properly store olive oil