When I need a fresh and colorful salad for a warm day, I turn to favorites such as mango salad, cucumber tomato salad, caprese salad or chopped vegetable salad. Watermelon feta salad is one of those flavor combinations that sounds odd, but just works SO well together. Add some crisp and refreshing cucumbers and mint to the mix, and you’ve got a fresh and colorful summer salad recipe that everyone will love. Serve your salad along with other summery main course options such as huli huli chicken, smoked ribs or cilantro lime chicken. Looking for a sweet finish? Check out my list of 30 summer dessert recipes!
Watermelon Salad Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need watermelon, cucumber, feta cheese, mint, olive oil, lime juice, salt and black pepper.
How Do You Make Watermelon Salad?
Slice the watermelon into cubes. Peel the cucumber and remove the seeds. Place the watermelon, cucumber and mint in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Add a sprinkle of feta cheese, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Salad
It can be temping to buy the pre-crumbled feta because it’s more easily available and ready to just dump into a salad. However, the blocks of feta are much more flavorful even if they take a touch more work to crumble up before adding to the dish. You can use any type of cucumber in this recipe. If you use a standard waxy cucumber like the type shown in these photos, I recommend peeling it and removing the seeds. Other varieties of cucumber such as English and Persian cucumbers do not need to be seeded or peeled. I cut my watermelon into chunks because it’s quicker and easier that way. However, you can use a melon baller if you’re looking for a more elegant presentation for your watermelon feta salad. Buy a seedless watermelon to cut down on prep time! I add the mint at the very last second, as cut mint can turn brown over time. Small, whole mint leaves or thinly sliced pieces of mint are best suited for this watermelon salad.
Watermelon Salad Flavor Variations
While this salad is delicious as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
Fruit: You can substitute the watermelon for other types of fruit such as cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries, tomatoes or mango. Or you can use a combination of watermelon with a second type of fruit. You can also stir in a little avocado for a creamier flavor. Vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies to the mix! Some great options include red onion and jicama. Cheese: No feta on hand? You can use a different type of crumbly aged cheese such as cotija or ricotta salata. Greens: Feel free to add some greens to your watermelon salad; my favorite options are arugula or baby spinach. Dressing: Lemon juice can be used instead of lime juice in the dressing. Another great option is to add a small drizzle of balsamic glaze over the finished salad. Herbs: Try using fresh basil instead of mint leaves.
This watermelon salad is a must-try during the warmer weather months, and it’s great for potlucks. I find myself making it almost every week, it’s one of my favorite ways to use summer watermelon!
