Feta Watermelon Salad

Watermelon salad makes for an easy, refreshing, and light summer dinner. The sweetness of the juicy watermelon meets the rich, salty feta creating an explosion of flavor on every perfect bite. It may sound like a strange combination if you’ve never tasted watermelon and feta together, but give it a taste, and you will certainly be hooked.

Cucumber Feta and Watermelon Salad Recipe

On hot summer nights in Barcelona, one of our favorite dinners was a thick wedge of watermelon with a chunk of salty feta cheese. Consider us trendsetters: today, the watermelon/Feta (or Halloumi) combination is gaining popularity on this side of the Atlantic - and it’s the inspiration for this gorgeous watermelon cucumber salad with feta.

In the summer months, when it’s easy to dehydrate, WATERmelon is the perfect food; it’s full of H20, which leaves you both hydrated and satiated. You’ll feed your body with nutrients and bonus plant compounds mixed in a watermelon feta salad. In other words, watermelon salad for the win.

The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity.

Ingredients for Watermelon Salad with Feta

• Watermelon. I recommend seedless watermelon. See our instructions for how to cut a watermelon beautifully with no fuss. We also talk about how to choose a watermelon.
• Cherry or Grape Tomatoes. These give the salad a little more crunch.
• Persian Cucumbers. While you can use English cucumbers, the Persian variety is a little more sweet and flavorful.
• Feta Cheese. You can use dairy Feta cheese or Vegan Feta cheese. You could also use goat cheese, but it won't be the same.
• Kalamata or Black Cured Olives. No pits.
• Fresh Mint Leaves or Fresh Basil. Mint is a more interesting summery, bright flavor. But basil is similar and works well as a substitute with hints of licorice flavor and smell.
• Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice. To taste.
• Coarse Sea Salt. Perfect because it doesn't instantly just melt into the salad, so you get more of that salty emphasis. You can also use coarse Kosher salt.

How to Make Watermelon Feta Salad

The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity. It is easy to make and a delight to the palate. All you need to do is combine all the ingredients, except the lemon juice and salt, in a large bowl. If you purchased your feta in a block, blot off the excess moisture and cut the feta cheese into small cubes before adding it to the salad.

Assemble and dress the watermelon salad right before serving to prevent the moisture from the melon and veggies from watering down the rest of the salad. A drizzle of lemon juice and salt is all you need for dressing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to choose the most flavorful watermelon?

My best tip for getting a good watermelon is to get it at a farm stand. You can even ask the person working the stand to help you pick it out! In lieu of that, try to find a watermelon with a dry stem that is yellow-brown in color. Look at the yellow spot on the bottom of the watermelon. This can range in color from white to dark yellow and shows where the watermelon sat on the ground in the field -- called a field spot. If it is white, the watermelon is not yet ripe. If it is dark yellow, the watermelon is likely overripe. Look for a pale yellow color for the under spot. Your watermelon should also have a firm rind, with no soft, mushy, brown, or bruised.

What's the best feta for salad?

A good quality feta is essential or you will wonder why you bothered with the cheese. Salty, firm, flavorful, and easy to cut into cubes, and fresh feta in a block is best. You can use goat cheese feta, sheep's milk feta, or cow's milk feta. Our favorite is sheep's milk

Storage and Make Ahead Instructions

Gorgeous, seasonal summer veggies give this watermelon salad fresh, super juicy flavors. Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers, and watermelon up to one day ahead and keep
them in separate containers until you’re ready to assemble the watermelon salad.

Keep leftovers of this salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for one or two days. It will get soggy fast, so enjoy it quickly!

Variations on Watermelon Feta Salad Recipe

Arugula, freshly cracked black pepper, strawberries, walnuts, and honey are all lovely additions to this salad, though not all at once. Balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs are also a nice touch. We recommend making it as described the first time and playing with variations once you have a feel for how the ingredients work together.

Tips to Make the Best Watermelon Salad

• This is a very juicy salad. You can serve it in a large serving dish or platter but be prepared for the juice.
• Cold ingredients make this salad better. Make sure you put the watermelon, tomatoes, and olives in the fridge until you are ready to mix the salad.
• If you don't want to cut your watermelon using our handy tutorial, you could use a melon baller instead.

How to Cut a Watermelon

1) Slice your watermelon in half. Place one half on a cutting board, cut side down

2) Using a large, sharp knife, make vertical cuts all across, about ½-inch thick

3) Turn the cutting board around, and cut again

4) You'll end up with long watermelon pieces. Cut off the rind, and cut each piece into cubes

What to Serve with Watermelon Cucumber Salad

This salad is a sweet addition to any summer meal. Serve it with a veggie burger, tofu fires with avocado crema, or Spaghetti with chickpeas It also makes a nice, light meal on its own if you don't require protein. Take this dish along to your summer potluck, serve it at a special brunch, or just enjoy it on the back deck on a hot day.

More Great Summer Salads

• Asian Cucumber Salad
• Mango Salsa
• Fresh Corn Salad with Avocado
• Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Other Middle Eastern Food Recipes

• Fattoush Salad
• Tabbouleh (Tabouli Salad)
• Hummus
• Deconstructed Hummus
• Cheese Sambusek
• Maamoul
• Semolina borekas
• Knafeh