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Home » Recipes » Salad Recipes

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint

Published: Jun 16, 2023 by Jan Nunes

Close view of Watermelon Salad in a large green glass bowl with text overlay.
Close view of Watermelon Salad in a large green glass bowl with text overlay.
Watermelon salad in a large green glass bowl with the dressing in a small pitcher in the background with text overlay.

Perfect for summer cookouts and gatherings, this summer salad of sweet watermelon, salty feta cheese, and refreshing mint leaves is dressed in a light lemon and olive oil dressing.

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint makes the perfect side dish for hot summer days when you need a cool and refreshing side dish.

It's the simple but unique combination of sweet, salty, savory, and bitter ingredients that makes this salad pleasing and surprising with every bite.

Close view of watermelon salad with mint in a large glass bowl topped with feta cheese
Jump to Recipe

Not only is it simple to make, but it also goes great with so many foods and especially with grilled meats and picnic favorites like hot dogs and simple sandwiches.

Jump to:
  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Ingredients
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • My Top Tips
  • Substitutions & Variations
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Refreshing Summer Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Why This Recipe Works

I grew up in a home that didn't use much salt. So I was surprised to see friends reach for a salt shaker when they had a slice of watermelon on a plate.

It turns out that a little salt makes sweet foods taste even better. So, if you love watermelon, and especially watermelon with salt, this is a perfect salad for you!

Although watermelon is the sweet and juicy star of this salad, this is a recipe that works because the other ingredients complement the melon and each other.

The feta cheese is salty, the red onion is savory, and the kalamata olives are bitter. Each major ingredient adds a different taste so the salad is deliciously different with every bite.

But if you don't have some of the ingredients it's okay to leave them out, since this recipe can be made with or without the olives, red onion, mint leaves, or even without the dressing if you like your salad plain.

And, since watermelon is the ultimate fruit of summer, this salad will pair well with your favorite grilled chicken, steaks, burgers, or seafood.

So, let's cook!

Ingredients

The ingredients, clockwise from top left: watermelon, kalamata olives, sliced red onion, fresh mint, feta cheese, black pepper, salt, honey, olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

For the Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint

  • Watermelon - You will need between 4 to 5 pounds of fresh ripe watermelon. Store-bought cut watermelon makes it easy to purchase the right amount and you can cut it into bite-sized cubes or scoop into balls. Choose a bright red colored watermelon that is fragrant. Purchasing a whole watermelon can be more economical. Select whole watermelons that are free of dark brown or soft spots and feel heavy for their size.
  • Kalamata Olives - These dark brown olives are both salty and bitter. They refresh the palate from the sweetness of the watermelon.
  • Red Onion - Red onions are both sweet and savory and a great choice for salads. You will need about ½ of a medium-sized onion.
  • Fresh Mint Leaves - Mint is a wonderful flavor to pair with watermelon. I like to tear the leaves, but you can give them a rough chop too.
  • Feta Cheese - Feta cheese is salty and the one thing that goes great with watermelon is salt! You can purchase already crumbled feta cheese or buy a block and crumble it yourself.
Close view of a salad of watermelon, kalamata olives red onion, and mint topped with feta cheese, and lemon zest in a bowl.

For the Lemon Dressing

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil - You can use a light olive oil or a full-flavored one for the dressing. Light olive oil will let the lemon be the star of the dressing, while a full-flavored oil will add more complexity to the flavor of the dressing. Both are delicious.
  • Lemon - You will need both lemon juice and zest from about 1 ½ lemons. It is easiest to zest the lemons first then juice them. The lemon juice is for the dressing and the zest is a garnish for the salad.
  • Honey - Honey is a dual-use ingredient. Use honey for a touch of sweetness in the dressing to balance the acidity of the lemon, plus it acts as a gentle emulsifier for the dressing.
  • Salt - You can just use regular table salt for the salad dressing. I use a very small amount and you can increase it to suit your taste.
  • Ground Pepper - Freshly ground black pepper is always best. It has a flowery aroma and a little goes a long way.

Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Process Photo

Layer and Combine. In a large bowl layer and combine the watermelon, red onion, Kalamata olives, and mint.

Process Photo

Mix the Dressing. To a small jar with a lid add the oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Seal the jar and shake vigorously.

Process Photo

Top and Garnish. Top with the feta cheese and lemon zest and garnish with some additional mint leaves.

Watermelon Salad topped with feta cheese and lemon zest in a large green glass bowl.

Dress and Serve. Pour the dressing over the watermelon salad. Serve and enjoy!

My Top Tips

♡ I like to make the salad and the dressing in advance and store them separately in the fridge for serving later in the day.

Substitutions & Variations

  • Substitute Store-Bought Dressing. You can substitute your favorite citrus or an Italian dressing instead of making the fresh lemon dressing.
  • Budget Variation. Omit the Kalamata olives to save money and you will still have a delicious salad.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make it in advance?

Yes! Simply layer and combine the salad and top it with the feta cheese. Mix the dressing in a small jar with a lid and chill the salad and the dressing separately. Before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and garnish with the lemon zest and if desired, more mint leaves.

How do I store leftover Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint?

Serve the dressing on the side if you think you will have leftover watermelon salad. Then store the leftover salad and dressing in the refrigerator. Each will keep separately for up to 2 days.

Can I freeze it?

No, you can't freeze watermelon salad.

Watermelon salad in a large green glass bowl with the dressing in a small pitcher in the background.

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📖 Recipe

Watermelon Salad topped with feta cheese and lemon zest in a large green glass bowl.

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint

4.50 from 2 votes
Encharted Cook | Jan Nunes
Perfect for summer cookouts and gatherings, this summer salad of sweet watermelon, salty feta cheese, and refreshing mint leaves is dressed in a light lemon and olive oil dressing.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 284 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 5 Cups Watermelon, Cut into Bite-Sized Cubes or Balls
  • ½ Cup Red Onion, Thinly Sliced
  • ½ Cup Fresh Mint Leaves, Torn or Chopped
  • 4 Ounces Feta Cheese, Crumbled
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest

For the Dressing:

  • 5 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 2 Teaspoons Honey
  • ¼ Teaspoon Salt
  • ⅛ Teaspoon Ground Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Layer and Combine. In a large bowl layer and combine the watermelon, red onion, Kalamata olives, and mint.
    ½ Cup Red Onion, ½ Cup Fresh Mint Leaves, 5 Cups Watermelon
  • Mix the Dressing. To a small jar with a lid add the oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Seal the jar and shake vigorously.
    5 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 Teaspoons Honey, 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, ¼ Teaspoon Salt, ⅛ Teaspoon Ground Pepper
  • Top and Garnish. Top with the feta cheese and lemon zest and garnish with some additional mint leaves.
    4 Ounces Feta Cheese, 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
  • Dress and Serve. Pour the dressing over the watermelon salad. Serve and Enjoy!

Encharted Cook Notes

My Top Tips
♡ I like to make the salad and the dressing in advance and store them separately in the fridge for serving later in the day.
Substitutions & Variations
Substitute Store-Bought Dressing. You can substitute your favorite citrus or an Italian dressing instead of making the fresh lemon dressing.
Budget Variation. Omit the Kalamata olives to save money and you will still have a delicious salad.
Make-Ahead & Storage
To make this salad in advance simply layer and combine the salad and top it with the feta cheese. Mix the dressing in a small jar with a lid and chill the salad and the dressing separately. Before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and garnish with the lemon zest and if desired, more mint leaves.
If you think you will have leftover watermelon salad, serve the dressing on the side. Then store the leftover salad and dressing in the refrigerator. Each will keep separately for up to 2 days.
Based on a Recipe by Chef Jacques Pepin.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 318mg | Potassium: 487mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 2391IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.

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Jan Nunes, owner and content creator at Encharted Cook.

Hello and Welcome to Encharted Cook!

I'm Jan and I love to cook for friends and family. Over the years I have learned that many recipes are related and if you learn to make one delicious dish and you can make many more. So come join me as I chart recipes and ingredients and share my favorite dishes.

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