This might be the simplest watermelon salad you'll ever make. Just four ingredients — watermelon, mint, lime juice and feta — come together for a delicious side dish that's light and refreshing and perfect for summer.
I first tasted this watermelon salad at a friend's house and loved it immediately. And I couldn't believe how simple it was — just watermelon, mint from her garden, a squeeze of lime juice and some feta. I told her, 'this is going on my blog!' and went home and made it the next day. My husband loved it too, which surprised me because he's never been a big fan of watermelon.
Why Only Four Ingredients Work So Well
The combination of watermelon, mint and lime juice is pretty close to perfect. The lime somehow makes the watermelon taste even sweeter and more intensely watermelon-y while the mint adds freshness and contrast.
But then there's the feta.
Feta cheese adds creaminess and substance to what would otherwise be a very light, juicy bowl of fruit. Its salty tang creates the perfect contrast to the sweet watermelon.
I think what really makes this special is that with only four ingredients, every flavor has room to shine.
How to make it
- Cut the watermelon into bite-sized cubes
The easiest way I have found to do this is to first cut the watermelon in half crosswise. Then place one half cut-side down on a cutting board and cut it into 1-inch thick slices.
Working with one slice at a time, trim away the rind and then cut the watermelon flesh into cubes.
- Put the watermelon cubes into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the mint and lime juice and toss to combine.
- Transfer the watermelon to a wide shallow serving bowl and sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese evenly over the top. Decorate with mint sprigs and serve.
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Tips for the Best Watermelon Salad
Choose a ripe, juicy watermelon
Easier said than done, I know. My favorite trick is to compare watermelons of similar size and choose the heaviest watermelon. A heavier watermelon is often juicier and sweeter. Another good sign of ripeness is a "field spot" — a large yellowish area on the rind, which suggests the watermelon was allowed to sit on the field to ripen before it was picked.
Use fresh lime juice
Freshly squeezed lime juice gives this salad its brightest flavor and really helps bring out the watermelon’s natural sweetness. If you need a shortcut (I often do), choose a bottled brand that contains 100% lime juice, such as Santa Cruz Organic Lime Juice.
Use a creamy feta
Feta cheese varies tremendously, from hard, dry and intensely tangy to soft, creamy and mild. For this salad, I much prefer the creamy style, especially feta made from sheep's milk. My favorite is Valbreso, a French feta made from 100% sheep's milk. Avoid pre-crumbled feta if possible — buy a block and crumble it yourself. It's much creamier and more flavorful.
Use a wide, shallow serving bowl
After tossing the watermelon with the mint and lime juice, spread it out in a wide, shallow bowl and sprinkle the feta over the top. This keeps the feta looking fresh and fluffy instead of getting lost in the watermelon juices at the bottom of the bowl.
Serve it cold
Cold watermelon is one of life's great pleasures, especially on a hot summer day. For the most refreshing salad, chill the watermelon well before you assemble everything.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can cube the watermelon several hours ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Watermelon naturally releases some liquid as it sits, so before assembling the salad, pour off any accumulated juice.
Just before serving, toss the watermelon with the mint and lime juice and sprinkle the feta over the top.
Leftover watermelon salad keeps well in the refrigerator for a day or two and still tastes delicious but it won't be as crisp and vibrant as when its first made. As it sits, the watermelon will release more juice and the mint will wilt so it's best to enjoy this the day it's made.
That said, I've happily eaten leftovers two days later and still loved every bite.
What to serve with watermelon salad
This is a quintessential summer side dish that goes with almost anything you'd make for barbecue. I love it with grilled chicken, kebabs, burgers or grilled fish. It's also a great addition to a summer buffet alongside potato salad, pasta salad and green salads.
If you make this watermelon salad, I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!
PrintRecipe
Watermelon Salad Recipe
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 side dish servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Description
This simple 4-ingredient watermelon salad combines sweet juicy watermelon, fresh mint, lime juice and creamy feta cheese for an easy and refreshing summer side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 medium watermelon or half a large watermelon, chilled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
- ¼ cup mint leaves, stacked and slivered or roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 3-4 limes)
- 4 ounces creamy sheep's milk feta (from a block), crumbled
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Instructions
- Place the watermelon cubes into a large mixing bowl. Add the lime juice and mint and toss gently to combine.
- Transfer to a wide shallow serving bowl and sprinkle the feta evenly over the top.
- Serve immediately, while the watermelon is cold.
Notes
- Choosing a Watermelon: For the sweetest watermelon, choose one that feels heavy for its size and has a large yellow field spot on the skin which indicates it was left to ripen in the field before it was picked.
- Cutting a watermelon into cubes: First cut the watermelon in half crosswise. Then place one half cut-side down on a cutting board and cut it into 1-inch thick slices. Working with 1 slice at a time, trim away the rind and then cut the flesh into cubes. (see post for photos of this process)
- Feta: A creamy, mild sheep's milk feta, such as Valbreso, works especially well here.
- Lime Juice: Fresh is best but bottled 100% lime juice such as Santa Cruz, is a good substitute.
- Serving Bowl: A wide, shallow bowl allows you to distribute the feta evenly over the other ingredients rather than tossing everything together. This keeps the feta in distinct crumbles rather than allowing it to dissolve into the watermelon juices at the bottom of the bowl.
- Make Ahead: You can cube the watermelon several hours ahead and refrigerate it. Pour off any accumulated liquid before tossing with the mint and lime juice and adding the feta.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: no cook
Laura
This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy watermelon! Thanks for the tip on using a creamy feta. I store my cut watermelon cubes in my salad spinner. The inner colander keeps the watermelon above any juice that collects and the spinner’s lid helps to preserve freshness.
Lisa Goldfinger
Hey Laura - I agree, this is such a great way to enjoy watermelon! I'm glad you found the feta tip helpful. I love your salad spinner tip!