Brightly coloured and beautiful, this watermelon feta cucumber salad is a refreshing side dish. It’s a Greek inspired watermelon salad combining sweet, savoury and tangy flavours in every mouthful. The salad itself only calls for 4 ingredients while the dressing only requires 3, making it a quick and easy side dish for anyone to rustle up in just a few minutes. You will love this summer BBQ recipe!
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Watermelon feta cucumber salad is a classic summer BBQ recipe which pairs with any protein. Try this watermelon salad with anything from burgers and hot dogs to steaks, smoked lamb, or anything else you want to grill. It looks pretty and tastes even better.
Watermelon Salad Ingredients
Along with the watermelon itself, you will need mini cucumbers, feta cheese, and fresh mint. The Greek inspired dressing pairs lemon juice and zest with honey. It’s a very light salad which is perfect for the hotter months when you really don’t fancy anything hot, heavy or greasy. This salad can be enjoyed as it is, or served as an appetizer or side dish. It’s versatile enough to bring to a picnic, potluck or gathering too.
As you can see, there are plenty of different textures and flavours in the mix despite the recipe not needing many ingredients. The sweetness of the watermelon, savoury taste of the cucumber, and creamy, tangy feta cheese, are accented with fresh mint. You will love how the salty cheese contrasts with the sweet watermelon – it’s such a great pairing!
The dressing teams the tartness of lemon with the sweetness of honey. This is a great example of a summer BBQ recipe combining a variety of bold flavours for a wonderfully balanced result. And it’s so easy anyone can throw it together!
You can make changes to the recipe if you want. Use maple syrup or agave syrup in place of the honey, or use basil instead of mint. Mini mozzarella balls work if you prefer the creamy, neutral flavour of those over the crumbly texture and sour tang of feta.
Other cheeses which would work are halloumi, cotija, queso fresca, or panela, each of which has a salty taste and firm texture like feta. You can also sub lime for the lemon juice and zest if you prefer.
Also, even though watermelon is one of the main components of the dish, feel free to use cantaloupe, honeydew or another variety if you prefer, or even mix and match more than one kind of melon for a unique result. Making it with berries, similar to this strawberry feta salad would be delicious, too.
How to Make this Refreshing Side Dish
Once you have gathered all your ingredients for this watermelon feta cucumber salad prepped, it’s time to make it. Chop the watermelon, cucumbers, and mint, and crumble the feta cheese. The easiest way to cut the watermelon is to cut it into 1-inch lengths and then cut these into cubes. You can choose from seed-in or seedless watermelon, but the seedless kind tends to have a bit less flavour.
Whisk the lemon juice and zest with the honey. Now toss the salad gently in the dressing and either chill it for an hour or so or serve right away.
How to Store this Tasty Summer BBQ Recipe
This refreshing side dish is best enjoyed within a few hours although this watermelon cucumber feta salad will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Keep it in an airtight container with the lid on or in Ziploc bags with the excess air squeezed out.
Watermelon Feta Cucumber Salad FAQs
Since it’s so ideal for a summer BBQ recipe, you might like to serve this Greek inspired salad with some chicken quarters fresh off the grill. It’s also nice by itself as a light lunch. You could serve it on a bed of salad leaves and perhaps have some shrimp or chicken on the side.
You can make this vegan-friendly by using Violife Just like Feta cheese if you can find it. If not, see what vegan cheese alternatives your grocery store has.
Watermelon Feta Cucumber Salad Recipe
Watermelon Feta Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- ½ watermelon diced into 1” cubes, approximately 6 cups
- 2 Cups cucumbers mini, thinly sliced
- 1 Cup feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ Cup mint fresh, finely chopped
Honey Lemon Dressing:
- 2 lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 Teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest and honey in a small bowl.
- Add watermelon, cucumber, feta and mint to a large mixing bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently. Serve immediately or chill for 1 to 2 hours in the fridge before serving.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
The fresh appeal of watermelon salad with feta and cucumber is what keeps me making this wonderfully refreshing side dish over and over. The sweet watermelon, tangy feta cheese and sweet lemon dressing work so harmoniously together and it’s a very refreshing side dish for the warmer months.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a storyteller, food lover, dog mom and adventure seeker living on the Pacific coast. She shares her passion for food, dogs, fitness, adventures, travel and philanthropy, in hopes of encouraging followers to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places and stand for a cause. Bella lives with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease.
Yum! I love watermelon. Making this tomorrow!
Ok I really need to try this! I think I’d like the combo of melon and feta.
Perfect salad to cool off on a hot day
This watermelon salad is so sweet and delicious! I love the crunchy elements together with the honey lemon dressing.
This is the perfect summer salad in both color and flavor