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Watermelon Feta Salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, crunchy pistachios, and a dreamy lemon parsley dressing. All of the flavors, textures, and refreshing ingredients come together to create the absolute best summer salad!
For many years, I’ve been seeing recipes on the internet for watermelon salad, and you know what? For the longest time, I judged them. Thought they were bogus. Could not compute.
Well, we recently went on a hiking trip to Europe during a heatwave, and something life-changing happened. We stopped in an Italian restaurant for pizza one evening, and to go alongside my pie, I ordered a salad that was very similar to this one, hoping it would help cool me off, and my friends, it did!
The restaurant version included kalamata olives and a red wine vinegar dressing, which were the only two changes I made. The olives and red wine vinegar are delicious additions too, so feel free to make these changes!
To summarize, this watermelon feta salad recipe is filled to the brim with feel good, fresh ingredients that make you feel cool and hydrated. Plus, it is positively delicious, and everyone loves it!
Whip it up for the rest of summer to take the edge off the summer heat, and be sure to bring it to any barbecue or food gathering you attend!
Ingredient Notes:
Seedless Watermelon: The star of the show, Fresh juicy sweet watermelon brings so much goodness to this refreshing summer salad. It adds unmistakable texture, sweetness, and provides a lovely dose of electrolytes for hydration.
Plus, it is downright delicious! Be sure to choose a ripe watermelon that is plenty sweet and juicy for the best results.
Cucumber: A crunchy texture and cooling flavor comes from fresh cucumber. Cucumbers are also hydrating, just like watermelons!
Cherry Tomatoes: Contribute a little sweetness and acidity. Feel free to use heirloom tomatoes instead!
Feta Cheese: Briny, salty feta cheese is the perfect complement to juicy watermelon. The two pair magically, and you’d never guess it until you try it!
I buy block feta, then cut it into chunks, but feta cheese crumbles work too in order to save time. Goat cheese also works as a replacement.
Red Onion: A little zing of red onion goes a long way in creating a little heat.
Pistachios: A nutty crunch brings the loveliest texture and nutty flavor.
Olive Oil Or Avocado Oil: The base of the dressing. Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil work great, and add omega-3 fatty acids to the dish.
Fresh Lemon Juice: A punch of citrus brings a lovely sour element to the dressing. Fresh lime juice or balsamic vinegar also works.
Garlic: All refreshing salads need a little garlic in my opinion! It only takes one clove!
Fresh Parsley: Brings the most refreshing herbal essence. Increase or decrease the amount to your personal taste, or consider using other fresh herbs like fresh mint or fresh basil instead.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Season the salad to your personal taste with salt and pepper.
How to Make Watermelon Feta Salad:
Transfer the watermelon cubes, chopped tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, and pistachios to a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the ingredients for the dressing until well combined.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well until everything is coated in dressing.
Serve immediately alongside your main dish, or refrigerate until ready to use.
Storage Options:
- Room Temperature: This salad can be left out at room temperature for much of 1 day. I do recommend keeping it chilled as long as it isn’t being served.
- Refrigerator: Store watermelon feta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For the freshest tasting results, consume the salad within the first 24 hours of preparing it.
Recipe Tips
- Rather than using cubed watermelon, you can use a melon baller to make round melon shapes.
- Stick with the seedless varieties of fresh watermelon to save time.
- How to pick the best watermelon from the grocery store? Look for a field spot, which is a yellowish whitish spot, where the green stripes aren’t present. Avoid watermelons that have a consistent stripe pattern with no discolored spot.
And that’s it!
Enjoy this watermelon feta salad recipe on hot summer days! The sweet and salty flavors are the perfect balance to keep your tastebuds intrigued and your energy high.
It makes the perfect side dish to savory meals, ideal for your summer bbq season.
More Refreshing Summer Side Dishes:
- Cottage Cheese Potato Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Italian Salad
- Cowboy Caviar
- Apple Broccoli Salad with Walnuts
Watermelon Feta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups watermelon, chopped into cubes
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into slices, about 1.5 cups
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup feta cheese, chopped into cubes*
- ½ cup pistachios, chopped
Lemon Parsley Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil, or avocado oil
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp fresh parsley
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Transfer the watermelon cubes, chopped tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, and pistachios to a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the ingredients for the dressing until well combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well until everything is coated in dressing.
- Serve immediately alongside your main dish, or refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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