Watermelon Feta Salad (Printable)
Bright summer salad of watermelon, feta, cucumber and mint, dressed with lime and olive oil.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Produce
01 - 4 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 1 cup English cucumber, diced
03 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
04 - 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, hand-torn
05 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, hand-torn (optional)
→ Dairy
06 - 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
07 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (lemon juice may be substituted)
09 - 1/2 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Cube the seedless watermelon into 1-inch pieces, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion into half-moons, and gently tear the mint and basil leaves by hand. Combine all prepared produce in a large mixing bowl.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, honey or agave syrup, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until the mixture is fully emulsified and uniform.
03 - Drizzle the prepared dressing evenly over the watermelon and vegetable mixture. Toss gently to coat all ingredients without breaking apart the delicate watermelon cubes.
04 - Scatter the crumbled feta cheese over the dressed salad and toss once more with a light hand to distribute evenly. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with additional mint leaves if desired, and serve immediately while chilled.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sweetness of watermelon against salty feta is one of those pairings that sounds odd until you taste it and wonder how you lived without it.
- Zero cooking means you can throw this together while your guests are pouring drinks, and it still looks like you put real thought into it.
02 -
- Watermelon continues to release liquid once it is cut, so if you prep the components ahead of time, keep them separate and combine only when you are ready to serve.
- I once dressed the salad an hour before guests arrived and arrived at a soupy mess that still tasted wonderful but looked nothing like the vibrant dish I intended.
03 -
- Cut the watermelon into roughly equal sized cubes rather than random chunks, because uniform pieces mean every forkful has the right ratio of melon to cheese to herb.
- Warm feta crumbles more easily and melts slightly into the salad, so pull it out of the fridge about fifteen minutes before you need it and let it lose its chill.