Watermelon Feta Salad

A refreshing watermelon and feta salad tossed with fresh mint in a zesty lime dressing, It is sweet, salty and ready in ten minutes. The perfect side for a summer barbecue.

Course Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword dressing for watermelon feta salad, Salad with fruit, summer salad, watermelon and feta cheese salad

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 146kcal

Author Nicole Shroff

Ingredients

The dressing

3 medium mint leaves
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 small clove garlic smashed then chopped small
¼ teaspoon fresh thyme optional
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon brine from the feta optional (see notes)
¼ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

700 g watermelon cubes 1½ lbs
10 g mint leaves ⅓ cup, torn
60 g salad leaves 2 oz
100 g feta cheese 3½ oz
10-15 whole Kalamata olives optional

Instructions

Dressing

Muddle 3 medium mint leaves and 1 tsp lime zest by placing the leaves and zest at the bottom of a metal bowl and using a cocktail muddler or wooden pestle, gently grind 2-3 times to release the oils.
Add 3 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 small clove garlic, ¼ tsp fresh thyme, 1 Tbsp lime juice, 1 Tbsp brine from the feta (see notes), ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper and whisk to form an emulsion.

Salad

Toss 700 g watermelon cubes, 10 g mint leaves, 60 g salad leaves and dressing together in a large mixing bowl. Transfer to a serving dish and crumble 100 g feta cheese over the top. Taste for seasoning adding more salt or pepper as required. Garnish with 10-15 whole Kalamata olives (optional).

Notes

This salad is best served within an hour after preparing, however the dressing can be prepared in advance.

To make the dressing ahead - prepare the dressing and transfer to a glass jar with a lid and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Remove from the fridge and shake well to mix before using.

Cut the watermelon into bite-size cubes, leaving the seeds in for extra nutritional value, or you can remove them if you wish.

Use your favourite feta cheese in brine so it stays fresh and adds wonderful flavour to the dressing. If you don't have feta, you could use a crumbly mild goat cheese instead.

To avoid the cheese melting into the dressing, mix the watermelon and salad leaves in a large bowl with the dressing, then crumble goats cheese/feta over the top.

Nutrition