Fresh Watermelon Salad With Feta

Let summer speak for itself with this delicious watermelon salad with feta. Perfect for a warm day where you don’t feel like cooking, this watermelon salad will satisfy both your sweet and savory cravings!

Light And Fresh Watermelon Feta Salad With Mint Leaves

What is it about a hot summer evening that has you feeling full without taking a single bite? When it’s hot outside, the last thing I want is something heavy and filling.

This watermelon salad recipe is just the thing to satisfy my taste buds and fill me up on a summer evening. It’s light, fun, and packed with flavor!

When summer rolls around, farmer’s markets, grocery stores, and fruits stands brim with fresh produce. Of course, summer is the time of year to take advantage of the fresh flavors. My salads in the summer are always packed full of summer fruits and veggies.

That's where watermelon comes in! I like to make this salad for a quick dinner, but also when I’m having guests over for a summer BBQ or going to an afternoon picnic. Imagine this watermelon feta salad served alongside a simple grilled turkey burger- Yum!

Easy to make, it also stays good for a few days in the fridge. So you can make it now when you have a spare minute and enjoy it later!

Requiring very little prep work, the vinaigrette for this watermelon salad recipe uses a fresh lemon, a shallot, and some pantry staples. Using simple ingredients in the summer is always a plus.

Tip: This salad can easily be made vegan by swapping out the feta cheese with a plant-based cheese and by replacing the honey with another sweetener such as brown sugar or monk fruit sugar. The original recipe is already gluten-free and vegetarian.

Ingredients In This Watermelon Salad Recipe

Watermelon takes center stage in this recipe, but there are a few other fresh and yummy ingredients worth talking about. Have I mentioned how much I love feta?

Salad

• Watermelon: The main ingredient of the salad. You will need 5 cups of watermelon diced into 1-inch cubes.
• Arugula: This herby leaf balances out the sweetness of the watermelon as arugula adds a hint of bitterness.
• Feta Crumbles: I love the salty attitude of feta, but feel free to substitute it with fresh mozzarella or goat cheese, or leave it out altogether if you are vegan.
• Mint: Don’t skip out on the mint! Trust me 😉
• Red Onion: Another strongly flavored ingredient, a ½ cup of red onion adds a nice bite. Make sure to slice the onions thin so they don’t overwhelm the taste buds.
• Sunflower Seeds: A ½ cup of sunflower seeds add a hint of nuttiness and extra crunch to the salad.

Vinaigrette

• Olive Oil: This is the base for the vinaigrette. ⅓ cup of extra virgin olive oil will get you started on the dressing.
• Lemon: Zingy and bright, squeeze out the juice of one lemon into your vinaigrette!
• Red Wine Vinegar: A delicious pairing with lemon, red wine vinegar is a pantry staple perfect for whipping up a simple dressing recipe. You will need ¼ cup for this recipe.
• Shallot: Milder than onion, shallots have a sweeter taste yet are still packed with flavor. For the dressing, chop up 1 shallot in small pieces.
• Honey: To balance out all the acids in the vinaigrette, 2 tablespoon of honey will add some sweetness.
• Salt and Pepper: The perfect last touch!

How To Make Fresh Watermelon Salad With Feta

Like most salads, this recipe takes no time at all from cutting to eating. The total time should only take 10 to 15 minutes and the recipe requires no cooking!

First, prepare all your salad ingredients. Cut watermelon into 1-inch cubes, chop the mint into fine pieces, and thinly slice the onions.

Combine in a bowl and crumble your feta overtop or dice it. Mix in arugula and sunflower seeds.

To prepare your vinaigrette, chop up your shallot into small pieces. Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk them together.

Drizzle your vinaigrette over your salad bowl and lightly toss until everything is evenly coated.

For a super fresh and scrumptious salad, serve immediately!

I’m all about getting creative with your salads. While this recipe is perfect in my eyes, I know there are quite a few variations you can make.

Here are some popular ones:

• If you want to make this watermelon salad with feta a main dish instead of a side dish, you can heavy it up a bit by mixing in some quinoa.
• If the taste of the onions is too strong for your taste buds, try soaking them in cold water beforehand. Leave the slices of red onion in water for 15 minutes to help take out the strong flavor of onions. The sulfur responsible for the flavor dissipates in the water. Before adding to the salad, drain out the water well with a strainer. You can also squeeze them with lemon juice to help cut the flavor!

• Change up the fruit or add some veggies to the mix. Cucumbers or strawberries are known to pair well with feta and vinaigrette. Check your local fruit stand to see what’s in season!
• Add some extra crunch to the salad with cashews and walnuts.
• Don’t like the taste of mint? Substitute with some fresh basil to keep the fresh, herby taste.
• If you want to add some extra ingredients like tomatoes or avocado, that would really spice this dish up.

What To Eat With Fresh Feta And Watermelon Salad

Considered a light side, this watermelon salad with feta makes for the ultimate summer sidekick for meals. For me, this salad cries out for summer BBQs! Pair it with my simple turkey burger recipe or black bean burgers for any vegetarians.

If burgers aren’t your style, these healthy BBQ chicken thighs only require four ingredients and taste like barbeque heaven.

For other healthy protein pairings, consider coconut shrimp made crispy in an air fryer or healthy chicken nuggets complete with a copycat Chick-fil-A sauce. Yum!

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

When you want something light or as a side, here are a few of my other favorite summer salad ideas:

• Healthy Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Light and Easy Broccoli Salad
• Easy Curry Chicken Salad
• Creamy Italian Chopped Salad

All recipes by Erin Morrissey and Photos by Sierra Inn