This watermelon salad is full of sliced cucumbers, crumbled feta cheese and mint, all tossed in an easy lime dressing. A simple yet unusual summer salad that’s sure to get rave reviews.
When I need a fresh and colorful salad for a warm day, I turn to favorites such as mango salad, cucumber tomato salad, caprese salad or chopped vegetable salad.
Watermelon feta salad is one of those flavor combinations that sounds odd, but just works SO well together. Add some crisp and refreshing cucumbers and mint to the mix, and you’ve got a fresh and colorful summer salad recipe that everyone will love. Serve your salad along with other summery main course options such as huli huli chicken, smoked ribs or cilantro lime chicken. Looking for a sweet finish? Check out my list of 30 summer dessert recipes!
Table of Contents
Watermelon Salad Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need watermelon, cucumber, feta cheese, mint, olive oil, lime juice, salt and black pepper.
How Do You Make Watermelon Salad?
Slice the watermelon into cubes. Peel the cucumber and remove the seeds. Place the watermelon, cucumber and mint in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Add a sprinkle of feta cheese, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Salad
- It can be temping to buy the pre-crumbled feta because it’s more easily available and ready to just dump into a salad. However, the blocks of feta are much more flavorful even if they take a touch more work to crumble up before adding to the dish.
- You can use any type of cucumber in this recipe. If you use a standard waxy cucumber like the type shown in these photos, I recommend peeling it and removing the seeds. Other varieties of cucumber such as English and Persian cucumbers do not need to be seeded or peeled.
- I cut my watermelon into chunks because it’s quicker and easier that way. However, you can use a melon baller if you’re looking for a more elegant presentation for your watermelon feta salad.
- Buy a seedless watermelon to cut down on prep time!
- I add the mint at the very last second, as cut mint can turn brown over time. Small, whole mint leaves or thinly sliced pieces of mint are best suited for this watermelon salad.
Quick Tip
Watermelon salad is best when enjoyed the same day that it is made, as it can become watery if it sits for too long.
Recipe FAQs
First cut the watermelon and half, and place each half cut side down on a cutting board. Use a knife to slice away the outer green peel and inner white rind. Finally, cut the watermelon halves into thick slices, and then into cubes from the slices.
Watermelon pairs well with both sweet and savory flavors. It is a great counterpart to salty cheese such as feta, and the flavor of watermelon is enhanced by citrus such as lemon or lime. This fruit also stands up well to spicy flavors, and is fabulous when served with a little chili lime seasoning.
You can cut up the watermelon and cucumbers and make the dressing the day before you plan to serve your salad. Keep all the components separate until you’re ready to serve.
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Watermelon Salad Flavor Variations
While this salad is delicious as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Fruit: You can substitute the watermelon for other types of fruit such as cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries, tomatoes or mango. Or you can use a combination of watermelon with a second type of fruit. You can also stir in a little avocado for a creamier flavor.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies to the mix! Some great options include red onion and jicama.
- Cheese: No feta on hand? You can use a different type of crumbly aged cheese such as cotija or ricotta salata.
- Greens: Feel free to add some greens to your watermelon salad; my favorite options are arugula or baby spinach.
- Dressing: Lemon juice can be used instead of lime juice in the dressing. Another great option is to add a small drizzle of balsamic glaze over the finished salad.
- Herbs: Try using fresh basil instead of mint leaves.
This watermelon salad is a must-try during the warmer weather months, and it’s great for potlucks. I find myself making it almost every week, it’s one of my favorite ways to use summer watermelon!
More Watermelon Recipes You’ll Love
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Watermelon Salad with Feta and Cucumber
Ingredients
- 3 cups watermelon cubed or balled
- 1 1/2 cups sliced cucumber peeled and seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons mint thinly sliced or small mint leaves
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the watermelon, cucumber and mint in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice and salt and pepper.
- Drizzle the dressing over the melon mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with feta and serve.
Notes
- I recommend using a block of feta cheese versus the crumbled kind that comes in tubs, as I find the block of cheese has more flavor.
- If you use a standard waxy cucumber you’ll want to peel it and remove the seeds. Varieties such as English and Persian cucumbers do not need to be peeled or seeded.
Easy to make and tastes delicious
Awesome!! Added mandarin orange and orange zest to dressing- you could change it up a bunch of different ways! I cut my fruit vegetables and placed in fridge – mixed dressing separately. Before serving drained all the juice /water off the fruit then added dressing ( for those who want to make ahead) Just keep the dressing separate until serving and drain first
Hi, there – just wondering if this delicious Watermelon & cucumber, and feta salad can be made in advance?
if so how long in advance would you recommend?
You could chop up the cucumber and watermelon and store them separately up to 4 hours in advance, then combine everything just before serving. This isn’t a salad that does well when assembled in advance because the cucumber and watermelon will both release liquid as they sit in the dressing.
How does this recipe do kept overnight? Ok to make ahead?
I wouldn’t make it ahead because both the watermelon and cucumber will release liquid as it sits overnight and change the texture of the dish.
I am not a watermelon type person but rest of my family loves watermelon and had some in the fridge. I just tried this and OMG it’s da bomb. The combo of cucumbers, mint and watermelon on simple dressing just works for some reason. Thank you for such awesome recipe.
First time making it, it is sooooo good. Will be making it again,and again,and again you get my drift. Thank you .patsy
I don’t have feta but would fresh gorganzola work? or goat cheese?
Goat cheese should work fine!
I haven’t tried the recipe yet but i had watermelon and feta together before so i know it will be amazing!! i just had a quick question. It say 168calories for 4 servings but when i changed it to 2 since its going to be only two people and we dont want waste, the calories didnt change. So i was just wondering what those calories indicate? Is it 1 serving is 168 calories or is the 4 serving that indicates that? Thank you! <3
The calories are per serving!
I only have dried mint, would that work for this dish
I would not use dried mint, I’d recommend substituting a different fresh herb.
I made this with Mexican stuffed peppers. It was delicious!
Absolutely delicious as directed, but the second time I made it I added Cavender’s Greek Seasoning in place of the salt and pepper, took it to another level.
The ingredients sounded odd but boy was this salad wonderful! A new favorite at my house! Thanks for the recipe Sara, I love your site
This was my first watermelon salad. It was easy and delicious and well received! I followed the recipe exactly as written. Thank you!
I love this recipe! Beautiful presentation – but best of all – easy to do!
This was my first time making a watermelon salad and it turned out so good! I didn’t add the mint because I don’t like it in savory dishes. I definitely recommend this recipe and I’ll be making it again.
I love this recipe! Simple & quick to make & so delicious!!
I have made this so many times this summer because I had an abundance of cucumbers and mint from my garden! One addition…I add about one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar in the dressing and whip with an immersion blender. Adds a wonderful hint of tang and brings out all the flavors!
I didn’t have mint but I had fresh lemon basil and it was perfect with this salad.
SO good! Served as the side for grilled herb chicken thighs and it was the perfect compliment. Thank you!!
Very good. I used cilantro. Probably not fir everyone but I love it.
Tried this recipe for something different during the quarantine. It’s now one of our favorites! I even bought a mint plant so we have fresh mint.