Sweet and salty pair perfectly in this Watermelon Salad Recipe with Feta! It’s a delicious refreshing side dish for a hot summer day.
Growing up, our summertime meals consisted mostly of fresh veggies.
Sweet grilled corn on the cob. Sliced red tomatoes with my mom’s sweet creamy white dressing. Summer squash sautéed with garlic, olive oil, and salt. Steamed green beans with butter. Bowls of leafy greens.
It was bliss, all of it, and it’s no wonder that to this day my sister and I both prefer veggies over meat or junk food. (Thank you, Mom!)
And most of the time fresh fruit was for dessert in the summer, and if we were really lucky, it was watermelon.
This salad is so refreshing, it’s perfect for those hot summer days when you’re hungry, but don’t really feel like eating and nothing quite sounds good. And it would be the perfect side dish to bring to a BBQ, potluck, or pool party.
What Goes Well with Watermelon?
I remember my dad sprinkling a little salt on watermelon wedges, and as a kid I always thought it was the strangest thing ever. Now as an adult I think it’s pure genius. It’s amazing how just a tiny bit of salt contrasts the natural sweetness of watermelon so perfectly that it actually tastes sweeter.
Because salt pairs so well with watermelon, this recipe includes both Kalamata and feta cheese (goat cheese is also delicious!).
What Kind of Cheese Goes with Watermelon?
Feta cheese or goat cheese pairs very well with watermelon.
The salty flavor accentuates the sweet watermelon. Additionally, the creamy texture of these types of cheese is a lovely contrast to the crisp watermelon.
Watermelon Salad Recipe with Herbs
I used fresh parsley for this recipe because it’s what I had on hand. However, Watermelon Salad is also wonderful with fresh mint or basil. Feel free to use whatever you like or whatever you have on hand.
More Watermelon Recipes to Try:
- Grilled Halibut Tacos with Watermelon Salsa from Heather Cristo
- Hibiscus and Minty Watermelon Popsicles from Half Baked Harvest
- Stacked Watermelon Salad from Fifteen Spatulas
- Watermelon Pizza from Not Quite Nigella
- Watermelon Spritzers with Lemon and Honey from Bev Cooks
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Watermelon Salad Recipe with Feta
Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salad:
- 4 cups cubed red watermelon preferably seedless
- 1/4 English cucumber thinly sliced
- 1/2 small sweet white onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley mint, or dill
- 1/4 cup whole Kalamata olives
- 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients for the vinaigrette.
- Arrange all salad ingredients on a large platter and drizzle the vinaigrette on top.
- Serve.
Faith's Tips
- Recipe inspired by Cooking Light’s recipe for Watermelon Salad with Feta and Cucumber Pickles.
- You can make this salad up to 2 hours ahead (add everything except the cheese), and keep it refrigerated until serving. Sprinkle the cheese on top right before serving.
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on July 29, 2015. I updated it with more information on May 11, 2020.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, I will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items. Thank you for helping to support An Edible Mosaic!
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
I’ll definitely be trying this over the weekend, but the “tomatoes with sweet creamy white dressing” sounds equally fascinating. Please share!
LS Gourmet, This is going to sound weird, but my mom’s sweet creamy white dressing is just mayo sweetened with sugar, seasoned with a touch of salt, and thinned out with milk to reach a thick buttermilk dressing-type consistency. She serves the dressing spooned on top of thick-sliced ripe summer tomatoes. I know it sounds strange (and maybe a little gross, lol!), but everyone who tries the sauce goes crazy for it! Let me know how you like it if you give it a try. :)
Salt on watermelon? your dad is a genius.
This salad looks so healthy and delicious. Love watermelon with the goat cheese. This is my kind of salad.
I cannot wait to try this!! I love all of these flavors together. Thank you!
What a delicious, refreshing summer salad! I love the idea of sweet watermelon with a spicy vinaigrette. Delicious!!
I am such a diehard watermelon fan that I have a hard time picturing it with savories mixed in… but the photos are so beautiful that I could change my mind! What type of lens are you using?
What a GORGEOUS salad! I had watermelon in a salad last week for the first time and loved it. I’ll be trying this one for sure.
Such a gorgeous and refreshing salad, Faith!
I’m a little concerned the.boy will think I’m crazy if I go the salty watermelon route at dinner one night, but I really just have too. This salad looks way too good to go the rest of the summer without it!
This salad sounds like the best lunch on a super-hot day! I love the classic combination of watermelon and tangy cheese. And that pickle version sounds REALLY interesting.
I love this combination of flavors! It totally screams summer. I cannot get enough watermelon right now!!