When watermelons are at their peak in the summer, my family loves to buy as many as we can eat. Besides enjoying juicy watermelon wedges, we also love turning them into a refreshing salad with feta cheese and fresh herbs! This watermelon salad recipe is simple to make, incredibly delicious and offers the perfect balance of salty and sweet flavors. If you’re looking for more summer salad inspiration, check out our balsamic strawberry salad, creamy cucumber salad, or this cherry tomato salad. And don’t forget about these delicious tomato watermelon skewers!
Key Ingredients
Watermelon: I use a seedless watermelon for this salad to make the prep quick and easy. When I’m at the store, I look for one that feels firm and heavy. A ripe watermelon will have a deep hollow sound when you tap it (under or over-ripe ones will sound dull). I also check for a creamy yellow spot, showing where the watermelon rested on the ground. Feta Cheese: I’m partial to sheep’s milk feta, but you should use whatever you like best. I usually buy the kind sold in brine because it tastes better. We’ll cut the feta into cubes for this salad, so skip the pre-crumbled kind. Swap feta cheese for creamy goat cheese and make a watermelon and goat cheese salad. Other crumbly and salty cheeses like queso fresco or ricotta salata would be lovely, too. For a dairy-free salad, leave the cheese out completely. Fresh Herbs: Mint is a classic pairing with watermelon, but I love adding fresh parsley, too. Sunflower Seeds: I toss in toasted sunflower seeds to add some crunch. Other seeds, like hemp seeds, work great, or you could even use chopped nuts. Easy Dressing: To keep things simple, I drizzle the salad with red wine vinegar and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. It’s delicious!
How to Make Watermelon Feta Salad
Our favorite watermelon salad is incredibly easy to make. Toss the ingredients into a bowl, and you’re done! It’s that simple. You can serve the salad immediately or keep it covered in the fridge for a day or two. It’s delicious either way! When it comes to cutting the watermelon, you have a few options. I prefer to cut it into cubes, but wedges or even balls (made with a melon baller) work too. If you’re new to cutting melons, check out the beginning of our recipe video, where we walk you through the whole process. Whenever I cut a melon, I start by slicing off the ends, creating a stable base that won’t wobble around. Then, I slide my knife down the melon to remove the rind. If the melon is large, you can cut it in half or even quarters before removing the rind to make it easier to handle. Just remember to keep a flat surface so the melon doesn’t move while you’re cutting. Once the rind is removed, you can cut the melon into any size or shape you like. 1/2 cup fresh herbs, we like a combination of mint and parsley, plus more for garnish 4 ounces (113g) feta cheese, cubed, roughly 3/4 cup 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds, toasted 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt Fresh ground black pepper, to taste 2Add watermelon, chopped herbs, feta cheese, and toasted sunflower seeds to a large salad bowl. 3Drizzle the salad with red wine vinegar, olive oil, a pinch of salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Toss and serve with torn or small herb leaves on top, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
