Watermelon Feta Mint Salad (Printable Version)
Chilled watermelon with crumbled feta, mint, lime and olive oil for a bright, refreshing summer salad.
# Ingredient List:
→ Produce
01 - 1.5 lbs seedless watermelon, chilled and cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
03 - 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
→ Dairy
04 - 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
→ Pantry
05 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
07 - 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt, or to taste
08 - 1/8 tsp black pepper
# How to Make:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, gently toss together the chilled watermelon cubes, thinly sliced red onion, and chopped fresh mint leaves.
02 - Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lime juice over the watermelon mixture. Season with coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste.
03 - Scatter the crumbled feta cheese over the salad and fold gently to combine, taking care not to crush the watermelon cubes. Serve immediately, garnished with additional mint leaves if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It requires zero cooking, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay sane on blistering afternoons.
- The combination of salty feta, sweet watermelon, and bright lime will make you question why you ever settled for boring side salads.
02 -
- Watermelon releases water fast once salted, so this salad is best assembled within thirty minutes of eating or it will puddle at the bottom.
- Cubing the watermelon too small was my biggest early mistake, keep the pieces around an inch so they hold their texture and do not get mushy when tossed.
03 -
- Chill your serving bowl in the freezer for ten minutes before assembling so the salad stays refreshingly cold on the table longer.
- The best watermelons for this recipe have a deep yellow spot on the rind where they rested on the ground, that means they ripened fully in the field.