If you're looking for a refreshing summer salad with a balance of sweet, savory, and tart, then you're in the right place! This Watermelon Salad with Feta features sweet and savory flavors for an absolutely refreshing salad that has a bit of tang from pickled daikon radishes and ends off with a salty note from the feta cheese! It's absolutely delicious and goes great as a salad or as a side dish!
Table of Contents
- What is Watermelon Salad With Feta?
- Why You’ll Love This Watermelon Salad With Feta RecipeÂ
- Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Watermelon Salad With Feta At Home
- How to Pick a Good Watermelon
- How to Make Watermelon Salad With Feta (Step by Step)
- Serving Suggestions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How to Store Leftover Watermelon Salad With FetaÂ
- More Salad Recipes You May Like
- Did You Make This Watermelon Feta Salad Recipe?
- Recipe Card
This is an incredibly simple recipe for watermelon salad with feta that combines sweet watermelon with red onions, salty feta cheese and tangy pickles for the tastiest combination ever!
Plus, the salad not only tastes great but also looks incredible. It's the perfect summer salad for anyone looking for something new and fun to try. What's best is that the flavors work with just about any side dish, especially for summer BBQs and potlucks!
Whether you're looking for a light appetizer or side or a refreshing salad to munch on throughout the summer, this watermelon feta salad is perfect for you! You're going to absolutely love the flavors!
Read on to learn exactly how to make this delicious watermelon salad with feta recipe today!
What is Watermelon Salad With Feta?
Watermelon salad with feta is a delicious summer dish that serves to combine the sweet and juicy flavors of watermelon with the creamy and salty taste of feta cheese.
This combination of flavors creates a perfect balance of sweet and salty. The watermelon provides sweet flavors with a burst of freshness, while the feta cheese adds richness and depth of flavor. Plus, my recipe combines red onions and pickles for a unique combination you'll fall in love with!
This base combination of watermelon and feta is an absolute classic that's easily customizable. I'm sure this is about to become your next favorite salad!
Why You’ll Love This Watermelon Salad With Feta Recipe
Refreshing: Watermelon is made up of about 92% water, making this salad a perfect choice for hot summer days when you need to stay hydrated.
Perfect balance of flavors: The combination of sweet watermelon, creamy and salty feta cheese creates a delicious blend of flavors that is both refreshing and satisfying.
Easy to make: This recipe is easy to make and requires minimal prep time and can be put together in a matter of minutes, making it a convenient option for busy individuals or last-minute gatherings.
Versatile: You can easily customize this salad by adding ingredients such as cucumber, arugula, or balsamic vinegar to suit your taste preferences.
Crowd-pleaser: This salad is sure to impress and satisfy a wide range of palates, making it an excellent choice for summer potlucks, bbqs, or any other social gathering.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Watermelon Salad With Feta At Home
All you need are some incredibly simple, pantry-stapled ingredients to make this delicious watermelon salad with feta recipe at home.
Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.
- Watermelon: We will need watermelon to make this recipe. It will provide a refreshing, sweet and juicy bite to balance out the other ingredients. I recommend going for ripe, sweet, and juicy watermelons.
- Crumbled Feta: We will need some crumbled feta for this recipe. Its creamy and salty taste will complement the sweetness of the watermelon. Any type of feta cheese can be used for this recipe. You can even use cotija cheese as well which is a Mexican cheese that is very similar in flavor to feta.
- Onions: I like to use sweet Vidalia or red onions for all my salads, alternatively you can also use shallots. For a more subtle onion flavor, you can soak the onions in cold water which takes the bite out of raw onions.
- Lime juice: We'll also need some lime juice for this recipe. It'll add a tangy and citrusy taste that'll take this salad to the next level! I recommend going with freshly squeezed lime juice for this salad, and not the bottled stuff.
- Pickled daikon radish: We will also be using pickled daikon radish, which you can make ahead of time with my quick pickled daikon radish recipe. It will add a crunchy, sweet and sour element to the dish. Alternatively, you can also finely chop bread and butter pickles for this recipe as well but you won't get that crunch that the daikon radish has.
- Green onion: We will also need green onion. This is a great garnish but also adds a lot of flavor to the salad as well.
- Black sesame seeds (optional): As an optional ingredient, we will also be using some black sesame seeds to give it a pop of color.
How to Pick a Good Watermelon
- Lift it up: It should feel heavy for its size - Pick up a few and compare which one is heavier and go with that. Heavy watermelons mean there's a lot of water in them, which means it's juicy.
- Shape and color: Symmetrical and even-shaped watermelon with no bruises is always a good thing. Look for a nice dark green watermelon. Look for a yellow patch on the bottom side as well - the yellower the better. A whiter bottom means it was picked while it was still ripening while a yellow bottom means it sat under the sun in the same position for longer.
- Bopping it with your hand: This method is a bit of a hit or miss but I generally just slap the watermelon with my hand and if it makes a deep 'thunk' hollow sound with a bit of a bounce-back (like a drum) then it has a lot of water in it. I find the method to find heavy watermelons to gauge juiciness more fool-proof though.
How to Make Watermelon Salad With Feta (Step by Step)
Making this incredible watermelon salad with feta recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:
Start by cutting the watermelon into 1 ½ inch cubes. If you prefer, you can use a melon baller to shape the watermelon into fun round shapes. Place the cubed watermelon into a large bowl.
Next, cut the pickled daikon into ½ inch cubes. Add the diced daikons to the bowl with the watermelon.
Finely dice the onions and add them to the bowl. If you want to reduce the strong onion flavor, you can soak the diced onions in cold water for a few minutes before adding them to the mixture.
Take the green onions and remove the tips, discarding the roots. Finely chop both the green and white parts of the green onions and add them to the bowl.
Crumble the feta cheese over the ingredients in the bowl. Now, cut the lime in half and squeeze out the juice. Add the freshly squeezed lime juice to the bowl.
Gently mix all the ingredients in the bowl together and make sure that everything is evenly combined. If desired, sprinkle black sesame seeds on top of the mixture for added flavor and visual appeal.
You can enjoy this dish as a refreshing salad, appetizer, side dish, or snack!
Your delicious Watermelon Salad with Feta is ready to be served!
Serving Suggestions
- Serve the watermelon salad with feta as a refreshing side dish at a summer barbecue or picnic. The sweet and juicy watermelon pairs perfectly with the salty feta cheese, creating a delicious and light option for guests to enjoy alongside grilled meats and other dishes. I love to serve it at my BBQ get togethers when I make Grilled Lemongrass Porkchops, Grilled Thai Coconut Chicken Skewers, Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken, or Grilled Coconut Curry Chicken Wings because it cuts the greasy and heaviness with its refreshing sweet watermelon and tang from the pickles.
- Add a handful of fresh mint leaves to the watermelon salad with feta for an extra burst of flavor. The mint compliments the sweetness of the watermelon and adds a refreshing and aromatic element to the dish. Serve it as a light and refreshing appetizer or as a side dish for a Mediterranean-inspired meal.
- Create a colorful and vibrant salad by adding some sliced cucumber and red onion to the watermelon and feta mixture. The crispness of the cucumber and the mild bite of the red onion add texture and depth to the dish. Drizzle some honey-lime dressing on top before serving.
- I also like serving this as an appetizer along with other grilled snacks like Grilled Halloumi, Chicken Satay, and Roasted Okra.
- If you have extra watermelon you can also try using it to make tasty summer cocktails like Soju Watermelon Cocktail (Subak Soju)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use a different type of cheese if you prefer. Goat cheese or ricotta salata would both be good substitutes for feta in this watermelon salad.
Yes, you can use a different type of melon if you prefer. Honeydew or cantaloupe would both work well in this salad, but keep in mind that the flavor and texture will be slightly different.
Yes, you can add other ingredients to this salad to customize it to your taste. Some popular additions are fresh herbs like basil leaves or mint leaves, along with veggies like cucumber slices, or even avocado chunks. You can also experiment with berries like strawberries.
Yes, you can make this watermelon salad ahead of time. However, it is best to wait to add the dressing and cheese until just before serving to prevent the salad from becoming soggy.
How to Store Leftover Watermelon Salad With Feta
To store leftovers, place the salad in an airtight container or wrap the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.
It is best to store it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. When you’re ready to enjoy the leftovers, simply remove the salad from the fridge and give it a quick toss to redistribute the flavors.
Unfortunately, this salad is not suitable for freezing. Watermelon has a high water content, and freezing it can cause the texture to become mushy and watery when thawed.
Plus, the feta cheese may become crumbly and lose its texture after freezing and thawing. It is better to enjoy this salad while it is fresh and consume any leftovers within a couple of days.
More Salad Recipes You May Like
- Japanese Kani Salad (Japanese Crab Salad)
- Curtido (Salvadoran Pickled Cabbage Slaw)
- Lao Crispy Rice Salad (Nam Khao)
- Crispy Garlic Lemongrass Tofu Buddha Bowl
- Yum Woon Sen (Thai Glass Noodle Salad)
Did You Make This Watermelon Feta Salad Recipe?
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Recipe Card
Watermelon Feta Salad with Pickles
Joyce's Recipe Notes
- to remove the bite of raw onions, after you finished chopping them, soak them in cold water for 1 minute and then drain and rinse them out.
- this salad is best enjoyed when it has freshly been prepared.
Ingredients
- ½ small watermelon (cut into 1 ½ inch cubes - approximately 3 cup)
- 1 stalk green onion (finely chopped, both the greens and whites but discard the very end with the roots)
- 1 lime (juiced - approximately 2 tablespoons)
- 1 cup pickled daikon radish
- ¼ cup feta (crumbled)
- 3 tablespoon sweet Vidalia onion or red onion (finely chopped)
- black sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the watermelon into 1 ½ inch cubes (using a melon baller is a fun way to shape these as well) and set it in a bowl
- Cut the pickled daikons into ½ inch cubes and add it to the bowl
- Dice the onions finely and add it to the bowl. If you want to take the strong onion bite out of the onions, soak it in cold water in another bowl for a few minutes before using them.
- Remove the tips of the green onions and discard the roots. Finely chop the green onions, both greens, and whites, and place them in the bowl
- Crumble the ¼ cup feta over everything in the bowl
- Cut the lime in half and squeeze out the juice and put it into the bowl
- Gently mix everything in the bowl together
- Top with black sesame seeds (optional)
- Enjoy as a salad, appetizer, side dish or snack!
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*
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zunok.hk says
The sharpness of pickled onions offers a pleasing contrast to crisp, juicy watermelon and salty, creamy feta cheese.
Joyce says
I totally agree! There's so much going on with flavours in this one 🙂
Josie says
This dish is easy to make. Like watermelon is easy to buy in summer. Other ingredients we usually have at home in our daily cooking.
Thanks.
Joyce says
I'm glad you enjoy it! 🙂
Alison @ The Sunday Glutton says
This looks so elegant and delicious! It's going to be perfect this summer when watermelon is in season. I never put salt on it, but since moving to california, I've discovered putting tajin on fruits like watermelon and mango - it's essentially lime chili salt and it really brings out the sweet!
Joyce says
No waaaaay! I never heard of tajin but I am so obsessed with lime and chilli! I definitely need to try this out! 😀