Watermelon, feta and mint salad – juicy chunks of watermelon, salty feta cheese, cooling mint and crunchy red onion make an refreshing sweet and salty combination that’s perfect for hot Summer days!
In the Summertime I can’t get enough of easy salads, and this one is pretty much as easy as it gets!
Juicy chunks of watermelon, salty cubes of feta cheese, thinly sliced red onion with lots of fresh mint leaves all tossed together in a very simple olive oil dressing makes for a delicious combination.
This salad is adapted from a recipe from one of my favourite cookbooks – Forever Summer by Nigella Lawson.
how to make the perfect watermelon, feta and mint salad
This should really go without saying, but make sure you use a perfectly ripe watermelon! If the fruit is unripe and hard, the salad won’t be quite as good.
With a salad this simple, it’s really worth using the best quality ingredients you can find. A good quality olive oil, proper sea salt flakes and proper feta cheese (not one labelled “Greek Style cheese”) will really make all the difference.
Once you’ve cut up your watermelon, putting the salad together takes merely minutes. A gentle mix of the ingredients with your hands is all you need to do.
I do this in a large bowl before transferring to a large serving plate, pouring the remaining juice that has collected in the bottom of the bowl all over the salad.
playing around….
Sometimes I like to bulk the salad up with a little more greenery – I love the combination of baby spinach and rocket, but use whatever you prefer.
A little dried Sumac sprinkled over the salad is pretty delicious. The tartness of the crushed red berries really complements all the sweet-salty flavours. If you’re a fan of tart, bright flavours give it a try!
how long does watermelon feta salad keep for?
This salad is best eaten the same day it is made – however it’s absolutely fine to leave it in the fridge overnight. The flavours will only get better if you leave it to chill out for a couple of hours before serving.
what can i serve watermelon salad with?
This salad is perfect served just as it is for a light lunch or dinner with a glass of chilled white or Rose wine. It would be perfect for a Summer picnic or party – if you’re going to be transporting the salad, obviously make sure you pack it in a cool bag so it doesn’t spoil.
Another recipe that’s perfect for Summer picnics or barbecues is this delicious potato and egg salad.
want to see some more salad recipes?
butternut squash, pecan and cranberry salad
Pear, Stilton and Candied Walnut Salad
new potato salad with asparagus and radishes
chickpea and smoked mackerel salad
More stunning salad recipe inspiration…..
Easy Hawaiian Pasta Salad by Recipes from a pantry
Mediterranean Cucumber Salad by Crunch and Cream
Green Salad with Pumpkin Seed Dressing by Veggie Desserts
Strawberry Spinach Salad by Veggie Desserts
Bulgar Wheat Salad with cherries, feta and pistachios by Foodie Quine
Strawberry, Cucumber and Mint Salad by Foodie Quine
Chicken and Harrisa Salad with Pomegranate, Chickpeas and Quinoa by Lost in Food
Chicken and Asparagus Salad by Lost in Food
Watermelon, Feta and Mint Salad
A refreshing, Summery salad with cooling watermelon, creamy feta cheese and fresh mint.
Ingredients
- 1 small Red Onion, sliced thinly
- 2 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/4 tsp white sugar
- 1 medium sized or half a large Watermelon
- 200 g Feta Cheese
- 1 Bag mixed green salad leaves (optional) I often use baby spinach and rocket
- 1 medium sized bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp good quality Olive Oil
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Sumac (optional)
Instructions
- Peel the onion and cut into very thin slices. Place the onion slices in a small bowl and add the red wine vinegar and sugar. Let the onions and vinegar get to know each other for a little while while you cut the watermelon and feta into chunks.
- Finely chop the mint leaves. Wash your salad leaves, if using, and place them in a large bowl along with the mint.
- Tip the onions, along with the pinky juices over the salad leaves, then add the olive oil, watermelon and feta, tossing gently. Add a grinding of pepper, a little sea salt flakes and the sumac if using. Do bear in mind that feta is a salty cheese, so you shouldn't need a lot of salt. Now all you need to do is make yourself a cold drink, serve and enjoy!
Notes
If preferred, you can crumble small pieces of feta over the salad instead of cutting it into cubes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 238Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 612mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 9g
Beautifully refreshing salad in this weather. I love the sweet and salty combination of feta and watermelon! Delicious! x
This looks so delicious and refreshing. Like you I prefer to enjoy this kind of weather from a nice shady spot – preferably with a book and a nice glass of wine. I am fair too and I burn ridiculously easily. Like today – it was the kids’ sports day. I was out for about 4 hours and applied factor 20 TWICE and I still burnt. Gah!! Eb x
What a fabulous Salad and the colours!I feel refreshed just looking at it. I have never tried this combo but will pin it for reproduction asap. I love Nigella’s books too..Thankyou for sharing #CookBlogShare
That’s the story of my life! ? I burned my back quite badly last week – I will never learn! Thank you! ? x
Thank you so much! It’s such a great combination…I’ve eaten it loads this past week ?
Thank you – it’s such a winning combination! x