Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Feta Recipe
What makes a watermelon cucumber feta salad so satisfying? The lime juice gives it an acidic tang while the creamy feta cheese brings out some salty flavor. The watermelon is so juicy and sweet that it balances everything else out.
Adding the combination of fresh lime juice and zest with the crunchy pistachios works so well with the cucumber and watermelon. It adds another layer of flavor and texture and elevates the dish, making this the best watermelon feta salad!
Why You’ll Love This Herbed Watermelon Feta Salad Recipe
Great All Day: Enjoy it as a traditional Persian breakfast. It tastes light but it’s filling enough to keep you fueled midday for lunch or as a snack. You can also serve it as a side dish at dinner.
Perfect for Warm Weather: This can be enjoyed year-round, but it really shines in the spring and summer when the temperatures rise. The watermelon and cucumber are super hydrating, so it’s a tasty way to keep cool when it’s hot.
Super Healthy: This salad is filled with fresh produce that’s packed with nutrients from the fruits, veggies, and fresh herbs, and healthy fats from the feta. Enjoy it as part of a well-balanced meal or wholesome side.
A Crowd Pleaser: Everyone I serve this to loves it: my meat-eater athlete clients, my hungry husband, my in-laws at a pool party, and my Persian family. Most were initially hesitant, but after one bite, they immediately reached for seconds!
Watermelon Feta Salad Origin
Watermelon is native to Africa (particularly Egypt) and Southwest Asia. This refreshing fruit definitely suits a hot climate.
Watermelon feta salad’s ties to Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures and cuisines are undeniable. Growing up in a Persian family, we ate this combination all the time for breakfast with lavash bread. Although this recipe is popular today, variations of it have been around for centuries.
Ingredients
Watermelon: The best way to pick a sweet watermelon is to lift it up and feel its size and weight. The heavier the watermelon, the more water content. That is what makes it sweeter. Also, check for a field spot because those watermelons are more flavorful!
Persian cucumbers: These basically just look like mini cucumbers, except they are longer and thinner crisp cucumbers without seeds. Alternatively, you can swap this for 1 large English cucumber.
Feta cheese: I prefer going for the 8 oz block of feta cheese in brine. This just means it is in salty liquid and has a bit of a longer shelf life. When you get the feta cheese that is crumbled, it typically is a bit dry and chalky. However, if the crumbled feta is all you can find or have on hand, that will work!
Pistachios: I love Wonderful Pistachios. However, you can swap for any nut or seed on hand. Try walnuts, almonds, or even sunflower seeds for an extra crunch!
Mint: Fresh mint leaves add a cool, refreshing quality to the salad that makes it perfect for a hot summer day.
Lime: A burst of citrus, fresh flavor brings acidity to this dish and makes the other ingredients really pop.
Flaky Sea Salt: This is the perfect finishing touch for a sweet and salty dish that is truly mouthwatering!
Product Recommendations
Cutting board: I love using the Our Place Cutting Board because it has a ridge that keeps the juice on the board. It’s perfect for chopping watermelon! It is great for keeping messes to a minimum on the countertop.
Knife set: I love this Knife Set From Ninja because it has a built-in knife sharpener! It’s always a good idea to make sure your knives are sharp. Dull knives can be very dangerous in the kitchen. Before purchasing this knife block, I used to pay $10 per knife every 3 months to have them sharpened. Therefore, it made sense to just get a knife block with a built-in sharpener.
Citrus Zester: The Deiss Classic Zester Grater & Food Shredder is my go-to tool for zesting and grating. It has a comfortable handle and sharp stainless steel blade, it's durable and easy to use. I love that it saves space in the kitchen and is a breeze to clean!
Citrus Juicer: The iHarbort Lemon Press Juicer is a versatile and a kitchen essential in my home! The design of its lever allows for maximum juice extraction with minimal effort. Its made from food-grade ABS plastic, it is lightweight, durable, and of course easy to clean.
How to Make Watermelon Feta Salad
Begin by chopping the watermelon, cucumber, and feta cheese into similar-sized bites. Then place them into a large bowl.
Chop the pistachios, slice the mint, and add them to the bowl with the watermelon, cucumber, and feta cheese.
Zest the skin of one lime into the bowl using a citrus zester.
Using a citrus juicer, add the juice of that same lime to the bowl.
Add chopped pistachios and salt.
Mix well to combine the ingredients. Taste to make any adjustments.
This gets better over time, so feel free to leave it in the fridge to chill for 30-60 minutes before serving.
Variations
Vegan Watermelon Feta Salad: Simply swap the feta cheese for a dairy-free, vegan feta cheese alternative instead.
Cheese: Don’t like the taste or texture of feta? Try mozzarella or goat cheese as substitutes.
Watermelon Feta Salad with Balsamic: Drizzle the salad with balsamic vinegar for a delicious dressing.
Optional Add-Ins: Red onion, baby arugula, red wine vinegar, basil, and pomegranate.
Tips
Quality really matters when it comes to watermelon feta salad because this recipe is simple with just a few ingredients. Use the best, fresh ingredients you can find in order to make a great salad.
Big isn’t always better. Using a small watermelon will tend to have a more concentrated flavor. Again, we want quality over quantity.
Try to avoid the pre-crumbled feta cheese. The block has more flavor.
Ensure the ingredients are chilled before assembling your salad.
Storage
Persian watermelon salad is best served within 60 minutes of making. However, you can store this in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 24 hours to enjoy the next day! After that, it becomes too soggy to enjoy.
Want More Tasty Salad Recipes? Try These Similar Recipes Next!
Copycat Chick-Fil-A Market Salad
FAQ
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Watermelon and feta pair so well together because of the flavor balance. The saltiness of the feta cheese complements the sweetness of the watermelon because salt is a flavor enhancer. So when added to something sweet, the flavor receptors in the brain create a biological response. It’s a mouthwatering combination that simply works!
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The savory quality of feta cheese makes it the perfect match for a fruit like watermelon. Goat cheese, halloumi, and parmesan also pair well with the hydrating fruit, especially on those hot summer days!
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That depends on how salty you want your dish to be. Feta cheese is often packed in brine so that it doesn’t dry out. Brine is salty, so I recommend taste-testing the cheese and then rinsing it to remove any excess salt if you don't enjoy salty feta.
This watermelon cucumber salad is the perfect summer dish, especially on a hot day. With its vibrant colors and juicy watermelons, it's a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. Whether you enjoy it as a main course or a side dish, this salad is a healthy recipe that fits well into a calorie-conscious diet. Create a colorful salad that will be an absolute favorite at your next summer barbecue. Enjoy it at room temperature or chilled, and savor the flavors of the season. It's the perfect side dish for a hot day!
Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Feta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 mini watermelon, cubed
- 6 persian cucumbers, chopped
- 8 oz feta cheese, cubed
- ¼ cup pistachios, chopped
- ¼ cup mint, sliced into ribbons
- 1 large lime, zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt
Instructions
- Begin by chopping the watermelon, cucumber, and feta cheese into similar size bites. Place them into a large mixing bowl.
- Chop the pistachios, slice the mint, and add them to the bowl with the watermelon, cucumber, and feta cheese.
- Zest all of the skin off of one lime into the bowl. After zesting, add the juice of that same lime to the bowl.
- Add chopped pistachios and salt.
- Mix well to combine the ingredients. Taste to make any adjustments.
- This gets better over time, so feel free to leave it in the fridge to chill for 30-60 minutes before serving.
Hey, I’m Jazz
I’m a nutritional therapist practitioner and spent 3 years as a personal chef to NBA athletes. Follow along for easy, attainable and healthy recipes in under 30 minutes!
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