Description
A budget-friendly, heat-proof summer picnic salad that combines sweet watermelon, salty feta, fresh mint, and a tangy lime dressing. It is light, refreshing, and takes only 15 minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6–8 cups cubed watermelon (about 1.5 kg)
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 150g)
- 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves (about 20g)
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced (about 50g)
- 3–4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (45-60ml)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
- Pinch of sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Lime zest (optional)
Instructions
- Wash the watermelon, cut it in half, remove seeds, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place cubes in a colander or on a plate to drain excess juice for 10 minutes.
- While watermelon drains, finely dice the red onion. If sensitive to raw onion, soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
- Crumble the feta cheese into small chunks and roughly chop the mint leaves.
- In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, lime zest (if using), olive oil, honey (if using), salt, and pepper until combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained watermelon, crumbled feta, diced red onion, and chopped mint.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat without mashing the watermelon.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lime juice if needed.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 15-30 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
Drain the watermelon well to prevent a soupy salad. Use Greek feta for better flavor. Fresh mint is essential; dried mint does not work well. Do not freeze this salad as the watermelon will turn to mush. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 3
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
Keywords: watermelon salad, feta salad, summer picnic, labor day recipe, budget friendly, gluten free, healthy side dish, lime dressing, mint salad