Description
A refreshing, bright, and easy-to-make summer salad combining juicy watermelon, salty feta cheese, fresh mint, and a zesty lime dressing. Perfect for grilling season, potlucks, or a quick healthy side dish.
Ingredients
- 3–4 pounds seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (sheep’s milk preferred)
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, packed and roughly chopped
- 2–3 limes, juiced (about ¼ to ⅓ cup)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional, if watermelon isn’t sweet enough)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Wash the watermelon, cut off the ends, slice off the rind, and cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before assembling for best texture.
- Crumble the block of feta cheese into pea-sized chunks with your fingers. If the feta is very salty, rinse it under cold water and pat dry.
- Rinse and dry the mint leaves. Stack them, roll into a cylinder, and slice thinly or chop roughly. Avoid over-processing.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, honey (if using), red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chilled watermelon cubes, crumbled feta, and chopped mint.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Be careful not to mash the melon.
- Let the salad sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with extra mint, feta, and red pepper flakes, and serve immediately.
Notes
[‘Chill the watermelon cubes before assembling for a crisp, refreshing texture.’, ‘Do not dress the salad more than 30 minutes before serving to prevent the melon from becoming watery.’, ‘Use flaky sea salt for better texture and flavor distribution.’, ‘For a vegan version, substitute feta with vegan feta and honey with maple syrup.’, ‘If using a seeded watermelon, save, rinse, dry, and toast the seeds for added crunch.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
Keywords: watermelon salad, feta mint salad, summer side dish, labor day recipes, healthy salad, gluten-free, quick recipes, refreshing salad