Watermelon Feta Salad
Ingredients
- Salad
- 1.5 kg about 6 cups seedless watermelon, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 200 g 7 oz good quality feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 medium English cucumber halved and thinly sliced
- ½ red onion very thinly sliced and soaked in cold water
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves roughly torn
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves roughly torn
- Optional: ¼ cup Kalamata olives halved
- Optional: ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds or pistachios
- Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk all dressing ingredients together until combined. Taste and adjust until bright, lightly sweet, and tangy.
- Soak sliced red onion in cold water for 5 minutes. Drain and pat completely dry.
- Arrange watermelon pieces on a wide flat serving platter.
- Scatter cucumber slices and soaked red onion evenly over the watermelon.
- Crumble feta generously over the entire platter. Do not be shy with the amount.
- Drizzle the dressing lightly over everything. Use a gentle hand.
- Scatter torn mint and basil over the top at the very last moment before serving.
- Finish with a crack of black pepper and an extra drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Notes
Use cold watermelon straight from the fridge — temperature is part of what makes this salad so refreshing
Soak red onion in cold water — removes the harsh raw bite completely
Use good quality block feta — pre-crumbled feta is dryer and less flavorful
Dress very lightly — watermelon releases a lot of juice and the salad creates its own natural dressing
Serve on a wide flat platter — the visual impact is significantly better than a deep bowl
Add herbs at the very last moment — mint and basil wilt and darken within minutes
Serve immediately after assembling — does not hold well once dressed
Prep all components up to 4 hours ahead and store separately in the fridge
Assemble on the platter only when ready to serve for the best result
Replace honey with agave and feta with dairy-free alternative to make fully vegan
Soak red onion in cold water — removes the harsh raw bite completely
Use good quality block feta — pre-crumbled feta is dryer and less flavorful
Dress very lightly — watermelon releases a lot of juice and the salad creates its own natural dressing
Serve on a wide flat platter — the visual impact is significantly better than a deep bowl
Add herbs at the very last moment — mint and basil wilt and darken within minutes
Serve immediately after assembling — does not hold well once dressed
Prep all components up to 4 hours ahead and store separately in the fridge
Assemble on the platter only when ready to serve for the best result
Replace honey with agave and feta with dairy-free alternative to make fully vegan