This refreshing watermelon salad recipe is meant for hot summer days. Made with feta, cucumber, and mint, it's a perfect mix of savory and sweet.
This watermelon salad recipe is everything I want on a summer day. At this time of year, I can’t get enough of salads made with peak-season fruits and veggies. I especially love a good sweet and salty combination. This watermelon salad with feta, cucumber, mint, and a tangy lime dressing is exactly that.
The recipe takes minutes to throw together, and it’s incredibly refreshing. Try it once, and—if you’re anything like me—you’ll have it on repeat for the rest of watermelon season.
Watermelon Salad Recipe Ingredients
If you’ve never tried watermelon in a savory setting, you have to make this recipe ASAP. Juicy and fresh, the melon goes SO well with the other creamy, crisp, tangy, and spicy components in this salad. Here’s what makes it so delicious:
- Red onion, for a sharp, savory bite of flavor
- Cucumber, for a cool, crisp addition
- Feta cheese, for a creamy, tangy element
- Avocado, for extra creaminess. Watermelon + lime + avocado = a match made in heaven.
- Fresh basil and mint, for aromatic, herbal notes (Mint + watermelon is one of my favorite combos too!)
- Serrano pepper, for a little heat. Skip it if you’re sensitive to spice.
- And a bright lime dressing, to tie it all together.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Watermelon Feta Salad Recipe Variations
This watermelon feta salad is a great one to play with. Here are some of my favorite ways to change it up:
- Don’t like spice? Skip the chile. The salad will still be delicious.
- Add a little crunch with a handful of toasted walnuts or cashews.
- Make this salad a full meal by serving it on a bed of arugula with some quinoa mixed in.
- Or change up the fruit and substitute strawberries for the watermelon.
Let me know what variations you try!
What to Serve with Watermelon Salad
I love to make this salad for cookouts. It pairs well with whatever you’re grilling, whether that be portobello mushroom burgers, black bean burgers, veggie burgers, or grilled corn on the cob.
It’s also good with picnic sandwiches like this caprese sandwich, this chickpea salad sandwich, an egg salad sandwich, or these healthy lunch wraps.
If you have extra watermelon, make watermelon margaritas, watermelon popsicles, or watermelon juice. Enjoy!
More Favorite Summer Salads
If you love this recipe, try one of these summer salads next:
- Strawberry Salad
- Mango Salad
- Cucumber Salad
- Tomato Salad
- Greek Salad
- Or any of these 51 Best Salad Recipes!
Watermelon Salad with Feta & Mint
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ½ garlic clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the salad
- 5 cups cubed watermelon
- Heaping 1 cup diced English cucumber
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 avocado, cubed
- ⅓ cup torn fresh mint or basil leaves
- ½ jalapeño or serrano pepper, thinly sliced, optional
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic and salt.
- Arrange the watermelon, cucumber, and red onions on a large plate or platter. Drizzle with half the dressing. Top with the feta, avocado, mint, and serrano pepper, if using, and drizzle with remaining dressing. Season to taste and serve.
So easy to make. Super tasty and refreshing! Thank you.
This is so good. I added a little honey and it was amazing. I omitted the mint, I didn’t have any. Lovely!
Hi Amber, I’m so glad you loved it!
thanks a lot of information
Would one large watermelon yield 5 cups?
Yes! I think you might even have some left over.
OMG. This salad is awesome. I was amazed how the red onion, and garlic in the dressing worked with the watermelon and cucumber. The flavours were incredible, and so refreshing. I used chilli flakes instead of the Jalapeno, which worked well. This salad is restaurant worthy, and my husband and I ate the whole bowl. Thank you so much.
Hi Nina, I’m so glad you loved it!
THIS is why watermelon salad is popular! What a fabulous, easy salad. The entire family enjoyed this. There is nothing I would change 🙂 THANK YOU!
We ended up using it like a salsa! Absolutely delicious. I added fresh blueberries!
Oh yum, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I added a little arugula and tiny bit of baby spinach. I started with the same base for dressing but added agave syrup and lemon yoghurt as well as a squeeze of lemon with the lime and some Parmesan cheese. This is the most excellent salad and the most excellent dressing I have ever made. I can live on this all summer long. This is now going to be my go to for potlucks. Also my Mint was fresh from my garden and I think that also made it taste really awesome. Thank you so much for this recipe. I’ve never been able to say I love a salad before but I love this one. Also found out it’s better when it sits for several hours and of course your watermelon Hass to be super sweet.
Hi Daniela, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
My husband and I love this recipe. Making it today for 4th of July. Thank you, it’s wonderful and refreshing.
I’m so happy to hear!
Can this be made ahead of time?
I would make it on the day I’m serving it, and wait to add the avocado and herbs until you’re ready to serve.
This might be my favorite thing i have ever made!!
I’m so glad you loved it!
This was absolutely refreshing! I’ve made it two nights in a row. I did not not have mint and I subbed poblano pepper because that’s what I had. So simple. The crunch, the salty and sweet make it perfect.
I’m so glad you loved it!
I made this wonderful salad today and I have to say it’s incredible. Instead of cucumber I used a tipical italian fruit from Puglia called carosello or meloncella which is sweeter, has a more neutral flavor and is easier to digest…. I’ll surely make it again!
I made this wonderful salad today and I have to say it’s incredible. Instead of cucumber I used a tipical italian fruit from Puglia called carosello or meloncella which is sweeter, has a more neutral flavor and is easier to digest…. I’ll surely make it again!
Thank you for this recipe! Is the amount of the oil correct for 4 servings?
What kind of mint?
any type of fresh mint.
how long can this keep in the fridge?
Wasn’t sure about the combination but tried it anyway and we all loved it…so tasty and fresh.
Delicious. I had too have the recipe because I could only get 1/4 of a melon. I ate both servings in two sittings in one day. Couldn’t resist. I’m making another salad tonight.
I made this wonderful salad today and I have to say it’s incredible. Instead of cucumber I used a tipical italian fruit from Puglia called carosello or meloncella which is sweeter, has a more neutral flavor and is easier to digest…. I’ll surely make it again!
Thank you for this recipe!
? Is the amount of the oil correct for 4 servings?
Yep, watermelon doesn’t need a lot because it’s so juicy to begin with.