Watermelon feta salad is the ultimate fresh summer treat! Sweet melon with salty cheese is laid back and perfect for the season.
Here’s the best recipe for when watermelon is in season, hands down: Watermelon Feta Salad! This classic combination of sweet juice melon and salty cheese is one of summer’s great pleasures. This summer salad has grown to massive popularity in recent years, and for good reason: it’s fast and easy to make, and has a lazy, laid-back vibe that screams flip flops, pool parties, and picnics.
What is watermelon feta salad?
Watermelon feta salad combines fresh cubed watermelon and feta cheese, often with olive oil or a quick vinaigrette. The salad may be Egyptian in origin, and it’s consumed widely in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions as well as throughout the world.
Why it works? It’s a refreshing dish for hot weather, and highlights the pairing of sweet fruit with salty cheese, an age old tradition in these cuisines. So while you may see it all over Pinterest: no, it was not invented by social media influencers!
This watermelon feta salad recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, go to Watermelon Salad with Mint.
Ingredients
- 8 cups cubed ripe seedless watermelon (5 pounds or 1/2 medium watermelon), chilled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 4 basil or 6 mint leaves, minced
- Lemon zest (optional)
- 1 pinch kosher salt, for garnish
- Fresh ground black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Chop the watermelon and arrange it on a platter. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with feta crumbles, basil or mint, and kosher salt. Add lemon zest or black pepper if desired.
- Serve immediately. If making ahead, refrigerate the cubed watermelon separately: it releases a large amount of water after it is cut. Then assemble the salad right before serving. Leftovers store for up to 2 days.