Watermelon and feta salad

What makes this salad so special is its simplicity: minimal prep, maximum flavor, and a gorgeous presentation. The tangy feta balances the sweetness of the watermelon beautifully, while a drizzle of olive oil and lime juice ties everything together. It’s light, healthy, and ideal for picnics, barbecues, or sunny lunches. Once you try this fresh watermelon feta salad, it’ll become your go-to summer side.

This salad is pretty easy to make, but it is super important to use good and fresh ingredients. Watermelon is one of those fruits that can sometimes be bland or even sour, which can make your salad quite unpleasant. Taste your watermelon before you start making the salad: if it isn’t tasty, we suggest you make a different recipe.

As well, using fresh mint and basil is key. Once you try the watermelon and feta salad you will notice how much flavor the herbs bring, so they are pretty important in this recipe. And, precisely for the same reason, don’t add too much of them! If you use too much mint or basil, they may overpower the rest of the ingredients. For the dressing, try to start with equal parts as suggested, and adapt from there to your taste, if you wish.

Feta cheese is a tangy, salty cheese with a crumbly texture. Originally from Greece and made with sheep milk (sometimes mixed with goat milk), it has been a staple ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine for centuries. Keep in mind that, while Feta and fresh Mozzarella cheese are arguably the most popular options for salad, they are usually not interchangeable! They have completely different flavor, with Feta being salty and Mozzarella being mild and milky. If you cannot get Feta cheese where you are, in some places a similar option can be found known as “salad cheese”, which has similar texture and flavor.

Ingredients

For the salad

• 2 lb. watermelon (in cubes)
• 1 cucumber (in cubes)
• 4 oz feta cheese (crumbled)
• 10 leaves fresh mint (chopped)
• 5 leaves fresh basil (chopped)

For the dressing

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• salt

Instructions

1. Cut the watermelon into bite sized cubes and the cucumber into quarters. Crumble the feta cheese and cut the herbs.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, lime juice and a pinch of salt.
3. In a large bowl, mix gently the watermelon, cucumber, herbs, and dressing.
4. Add the crumbled feta cheese and stir gently. Done!

Notes

• The recipe is for 6 servings.
• Prep time: 15 minutes.
• Cooking time: no cooking involved.

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