Watermelon, feta and mint salad

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!

I can’t get enough of easy salads in the Summertime, and this one is 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 make a delicious combination. 

This salad is adapted from a recipe from one of my favourite warm weather cookbooks – Forever Summer by Nigella Lawson. 

tips for making watermelon feta salad

This should 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.

TOP TIP – When shopping for watermelon, try and find one with a yellow patch on the bottom. This indicates that it has been on the vine ripening for longer, so the fruit should be sweeter!

I like to leave the feta in fairly large chunks, but some people prefer to crumble the feta cheese into small pieces.

Once you’ve cut up your watermelon, putting the salad together takes mere 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.  

ingredients

With a salad this simple, it’s 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 make all the difference.

• fresh watermelon
• thinly sliced red onion (optional)
• feta cheese
• a small bunch of fresh mint
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil

variations

• It’s not traditional, but sometimes I like to bulk the salad with a little more greenery – I love the combination of baby spinach and rocket, but use whatever you prefer.

• If you don’t like onion in salads, feel free to leave it out.

• For a cooling, contrasting crunch, add some cucumber chunks.

• 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! 

• Fresh mint is the classic herb of choice, but you could swap it for fresh basil. You could use them both – they are lovely together!

how long does watermelon 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 for a couple of hours before serving.

what can i serve watermelon feta 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 great for a Summer picnic or party – if you’re transporting the salad, obviously make sure you pack it in a cool bag so it doesn’t spoil.

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 Asparagus Salad by Lost in Food

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Watermelon, Feta and Mint Salad

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Watermelon, feta and mint salad! A refreshing, Summery salad with cooling watermelon, creamy feta cheese and fresh mint.

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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 or basil, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp good quality Olive Oil
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1/2 tsp Sumac (optional)

Instructions

1. 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.
2. Finely chop the mint leaves. Wash your salad leaves, if using, and place them in a large bowl along with the mint.
3. 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: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 238Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 612mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 9g

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