Nothing is more refreshing than taking a big bite out of a slice of watermelon on a hot day. So why not enjoy watermelon throughout the day with this lovely watermelon feta salad. It comes together so quickly, and you can enjoy it for lunch, dinner, or as a snack!
The ingredients are fresh, crisp, and juicy, making this watermelon salad a household favorite. It’s such a delicious summer salad. Want another salad recipe? Try my Grilled Romaine Heart Summer Salad.
Key Ingredients You Need
- Watermelon — You will need a ripe watermelon as an underripe one will have no flavor to it. As watermelons do not continue ripening once picked, you’re going to want to choose a good one. Knock on the watermelon and listen for a hollow sound. You also want to pick a watermelon that feels heavy for its size. Avoid any that have cuts and soft spots.
- Feta cheese — Salty and crumbly, you can’t skip the feta. When buying feta, keep in mind that sheep's milk fetas taste sharper, whereas goat's and cow's milk feta tastes milder.
- Mint — I highly recommend buying fresh mint for this salad when possible instead of using dried mint.
How to Make Watermelon Salad
Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, and salt and pepper.
Step 2: Cut the watermelon into bite-sized cubes.
Step 3: Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut into ½" half-moon slices.
Step 4: Place the watermelon, cucumber, red onions, and mint leaves in a large bowl.
Step 5: Pour the dressing into the bowl and toss to combine.
Step 6: Top with the feta cheese and serve.
Tips For This Recipe
- You can use seedless cucumbers instead if you don’t want to scape out the seeds.
- If you don’t have red onions, you can use shallot.
- If you find red onions to taste too strong, you can soak them in cold water for a couple of minutes before adding them to the salad.
- I suggest avoiding bottled lime juice and use fresh limes for the brightest flavor.
- Feel free to use this watermelon mint salad as a guideline, as this recipe is very customizable. Add more or less watermelon, cucumber, and red onions as you wish. Since these ingredients vary in size, you can enjoy any extra on their own or just add them to the salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
My favorite way to cut a watermelon is to cut it in half and then cut the skin off. Just start taking thin slices of the skin off from all sides. Next, cut the halves into slices and cut bite-sized cubes from the slices.
The salad itself is a little more challenging to make ahead of time as the watermelon releases liquid over time. Once dressed, the salad should be eaten as soon as possible. If you’d like to prepare this ahead of time, it’s best to cut the ingredients and store them separately, especially the dressing. Combine the ingredients and dressing just before serving.
This watermelon salad is delicious on its own as a main meal, but it is also a great side dish for my Black Bean Burger, Hawaiian Chicken Skewers, and Carne Asada Tacos.
If you’ve tried this Watermelon Salad Recipe, then don’t forget to leave me a 5 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Watermelon Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups cubed seedless watermelon or 1 small watermelon
- 2 cup sliced cucumber or 1 large cucumber
- ¾ cup red onion sliced thin
- ⅓ cup Feta cheese crumbled
- ⅓ cup torn mint leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut into ½" half-moon slices.
- Place the watermelon, cucumber, red onions, and mint leaves in a large bowl and pour over the dressing, tossing to coat.
- Top with the feta cheese and serve.
Video
Notes
- You can use seedless cucumbers instead if you don’t want to scape out the seeds.
- If you don’t have red onions, you can use shallot.
- If you find red onions to taste too strong, you can soak them in cold water for a couple of minutes before adding them to the salad.
- I suggest avoiding bottled lime juice and use fresh limes for the brightest flavor.
- Feel free to use this watermelon mint salad as a guideline, as this recipe is very customizable. Add more or less watermelon, cucumber, and red onions as you wish. Since these ingredients vary in size, you can enjoy any extra on their own or just add it to the salad.
Jazmín says
Hi, I think is « Cotija » cheese... ?
justincoit says
You are so right! Thank you for catching that typo 🙂