This one-bowl, one-step recipe for Watermelon and Feta Salad will become a summertime staple! Juicy watermelon, crunchy cucumber, and salty feta are dressed in a tangy vinaigrette and topped with a shower of fresh herbs.
Pin this recipe now to save it for later
Pin RecipeWhen watermelon comes into season it’s definitely one of the best times of the year! I really love the unique flavor of watermelon, and you can do so much with it. Try it in a watermelon cake, as a refreshing drink, turned into popsicles, or, of course, just sliced up and eaten cold! You can get some more ideas from my other suggestions on what to do with watermelon.
I also love turning watermelon into salad. Watermelon in salad? Yes! And it’s not a dessert salad! When you take chunks of bright red watermelon and balance them with red onion, feta cheese, and a red wine vinegar-based dressing, you’ll end up with a delightful savory appetizer salad. Plus, you make it in just one bowl and it comes together in minutes. That’s my kind of salad.
Watermelon and Feta Salad Recipe
Watermelon and feta salad is especially wonderful on hot days when you want something refreshingly juicy that can also work as a salad course. This salad is the perfect blend of sweet and salty—feta is a great, tangy cheese that contains just the right amount of brisk flavor to keep the watermelon from being too sweet. You’ll finish the salad with fresh basil and mint for even more of a flavor punch.
I love to serve this salad with fresh pita bread for scooping it up, along with hummus and whipped feta dip for even more Mediterranean flair. It’s great with burgers at summer barbecues and will make a fun and unexpected contribution to potlucks.
Grab My Favorite Tools
Click on the products below to see my favorite tools for making this recipe!
Ingredients for Watermelon and Feta Salad
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Olive oil – I use extra-virgin olive oil.
- Red wine vinegar – This is different from balsamic vinegar, and is found in the vinegar aisle.
- Salt – I like kosher salt in this recipe.
- Watermelon – Make your life easier and buy a seedless watermelon!
- Cucumber – For a nice crunch.
- Feta cheese – You can buy a block of feta and crumble it, or buy a package of feta crumbles.
- Fresh herbs – These include basil and mint.
Variations
- Add avocado – Not much can’t be improved with the addition of creamy avocado! Watermelon and feta salad would be wonderful with cubes of fresh avocado. Add as much as you like!
- Toss in some olives – Pitted olives, please! These will bring a hint of briny saltiness to the salad.
- Serrano or jalapeño peppers – If you’d like a bit of heat, add serrano peppers to your watermelon and feta salad. Try about ½ cup of chopped peppers to taste.
- Swap the red wine vinegar for lime or lemon juice – For a hit of citrus, substitute the red wine vinegar for fresh lime or lemon juice in the dressing.
How to Make Watermelon and Feta Salad
- Make the salad: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Add the watermelon, cucumber, feta, mint, and basil. Toss gently to coat evenly with the dressing.
- Finish the salad: Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the chopped mint and sea salt. Serve immediately.
Quick Tip
You can make this watermelon and feta salad the night before you plan to serve it. Keep the salad in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
How to Store Watermelon and Feta Salad
Store watermelon and feta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s best eaten within a few days of making it. Serve the salad cold, and straight from the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
Watermelon and feta salad goes with so many dishes, including as part of a summer salad spread and definitely alongside grilled meat and fish! Here are some of my serving suggestions:
- With burgers. This is definitely one of my favorite ways to serve watermelon and feta salad. You could skip the buns and go lighter with a big scoop of salad alongside your juicy burgers.
- With grilled meat. Watermelon and feta salad is amazing with grilled meat! Try my Easy Grilled BBQ Chicken or Easy Marinated Grilled Chicken Tenders recipes with this salad.
- With seafood. My Air Fryer Salmon recipe would be wonderful served with watermelon and feta salad as would Pesto Salmon or One-Pan Baked Salmon and Asparagus. Or pile the watermelon salad next to Grilled Shrimp Tacos or Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp!
FAQs
The contrast of the sweet watermelon and salty feta is so good it’s impossible to resist! This irresistible sweet-salty combo is why we eat watermelon with feta cheese.
As per the recipe, make watermelon and feta salad! When these ingredients are dressed in a savory vinaigrette and mixed with a few other items you’ll have the makings of a refreshing summer salad.
Sweet fruit, like watermelon, apricots, nectarines, go really well with feta. The saltiness of the cheese offsets the sweetness of these fruits for an amazing flavor contrast.
More Tasty Salad Recipes
Recipes
The Best Potato Salad
Recipes
Pea Salad
Recipes
Orange Fluff Salad
Recipes
Summer Cobb Salad Recipe
Watermelon and Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup cucumber, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
To Garnish
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and salt. Add the watermelon, cucumber, feta, and basil. Toss gently to coat evenly with the dressing. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the chopped mint and sea salt. Serve immediately.
