Watermelon Feta Salad With Mint Recipe The Best Summer Side Dish

Watermelon Feta Salad

Watermelon is such a fun fruit, especially when it’s peak season and you have so many options. I love using it in this salad because it’s sweet enough on its own without adding any additional sugars or syrups plus it makes the perfect vessel for all of those tasty toppings! This recipe takes just 15 minutes to make and can be served alongside grilled chicken and fish, or as an alternative to a traditional pasta salad for a potluck. You can make this salad ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. Get ready for a summer of BBQs and picnics with these side dishes: Creamy Grape Salad, Blueberry Jello Salad, Easy Fruit Salad, and Watergate Salad.

Ingredients for Watermelon Feta Salad

Two of the main ingredients for this light, fragrant salad recipe are included right in the name. Once you have those, here’s all you need to put this gorgeous salad together:

Watermelon – see below tips on how to properly cut a watermelonFeta Cheese – a substitute for milk feta could be goat cheese, cottage cheese or a mild cotija cheeseBlueberries – fresh taste best, however you could use frozen berries if they’re not in seasonCucumbers – either slice or cut into chunks, your preferenceFreshmint leaves – find these in the produce section of the grocery storeFresh basil – again, they can be found in the produce sectionLimes – you’ll need the juice of two limes, but you can also use the zest of the outer lime for extra flavorSalt and pepper – to tasteYou can also add any other ingredients that you have on hand: red onion, green onion, lemon juice, and fresh herbsFor more of a dressing, drizzle balsamic vinegar or extra-virgin olive oil on top of the salad. For added crunch and texture toss in a handful of walnuts, almonds or any other kind of nuts you like.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Add the watermelon, blueberries, cucumber, and feta to a large bowl. Stir to distribute the ingredients evenly.

Add the mint, basil, lime juice, lime zest (optional), and salt (optional). I like to cut my herbs by putting the leaves all in one stack and then rolling them up and slicing them like you would slice cinnamon rolls. This creates really pretty ribbon shapes for the salad.

Stir everything together really well and chill until ready to serve. Give it a quick stir before serving.

How to Cut a Watermelon

For this watermelon salad, you’ll want to cut the fruit into bite size pieces. You can use a melon baller also, but here’s how to get perfect pieces using a knife. To answer the question before it inevitably gets asked, yes you can leave out the feta. I think you will totally be missing out! However, if you want to leave it out that’s fine. It won’t change the recipe at all except I’d probably leave out the salt as well since it will be a sweeter salad without the cheese.

Use a solid surface like a cutting board or butcher’s block and a large sharp knife.Slice the ends of the watermelon just until you see the red fruit.Place the watermelon on a freshly cut end and slice the rind off, working top to bottom all the way around the melon.Next, cut the melon in half lengthwise from the top.Then take each half and place cut side down. Make slices about one inch thick.Then cut each slice into strips, then cut those strips into cubes.

Watermelon Feta Salad With Mint Recipe The Best Summer Side Dish