Don’t let your summer pass without making this unique and refreshing Watermelon Salad! Creamy, crunchy, savory, and sweet, it will be the star of all your summer cookouts.
This Summer Watermelon Salad Will Surprise And Delight You
Sometimes the most unexpected combinations turn out to be exceptional. This gorgeous watermelon salad, filled with contrasting flavors and textures is going to dazzle all your senses. It’s intensely sweet from the watermelon, crunchy from the cucumbers, and the tomatoes, olives and dressing bring in an acidic, tangy kick.
Salty, crumbly feta is always invited to a watermelon party to balance the sweetness of the fruit, while basil and mint in abundance lend a fresh herbal note. I have made this salad no less than 6 times in the last 3 weeks and I am surprised every time by how utterly delicious it is.
Sure, summer watermelons are fabulous all on their own. Or you could just add feta and drizzles of lime juice— like I do here—and call it a day. But while that approach is simple and delicious, sometimes it’s fun to do something a little different with this versatile fruit. These extras add a complexity of summer flavors that are irresistibly good and guaranteed to be a hit, no matter who you serve it to.
Best of all, despite how impressive this watermelon salad looks, you can throw it together in about 20 minutes or less, depending on your chopping skills. This salad is excellent served alongside anything hot off the grill – fish, chicken, burgers, or kabobs. It’s also great for making ahead and can be scaled to any quantity, making it perfect for all of your summer gatherings. You’re going to love it!
Recipe Ingredients And Notes
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Watermelon Salad:
- Watermelon: You will need 1 small watermelon or 1/2 a large watermelon. I like to cut it into 1-inch cubes, but wedges will also work. If serving a crowd, everything is easily doubled.
- Cucumber: For this watermelon salad, it is best to use a cucumber variety that has few seeds and thin skin so you don’t have to peel it. I typically use an English cucumber, or Persian cucumbers. Field cucumbers will work as long as they the small, chubby ones without large seeds and thick skin. If large field cucumbers is all you have, make sure to peel and seed them before slicing.
- Olives: This is where I might lose you, if you already dislike olives by all means leave them out. But if you love olives, you will love them in this salad. Their salty, pungent flavor is a delightful contrast to the sweetness of the watermelon. Just try not to use pitted olives that look mushy and pasty and taste overly salty. If serving the salad family-style, I always add them without removing the pit. For guests, I buy unpitted and remove the pit before adding to the salad. The extra bit of effort is worth it.
- Cherry tomatoes: The combination of tomatoes and watermelon and tomatoes might also seem odd but it truly works. For best results use cherry tomatoes which are sweeter and less watery than large tomatoes.
- Red onion: Thinly sliced red onion is great in this salad but I like to soak it in a bit of water for 10 minutes to mellow their sharp flavor.
- Mint and basil leaves: I use a good amount of herbs here and I enjoy the combo of basil and mint but you can choose one or the other. Parsley will also work.
- Feta cheese: I try and resist overloading the salad with feta but usually lose that battle—I love feta and I love it with watermelon. Start with 1/2 cup and add more to your heart’s content. I recommend buying blocks of feta in brine so you can crumble it yourself. Pre-crumbled feta will taste very salty and can be quite dry.
- Dressing: A very simple and light dressing of lime juice, honey, and olive oil is all this salad needs to taste fresh and fantastic.
Variations
- Pickled onions or shallots: Thinly sliced shallots can be used instead of red onions. Or top the salad with these delicious pickled onions.
- Avocado: If the salad won’t be sitting out for too long, add some cubed avocado—delicious!
- Jalapeños: For a bit of heat and extra crunch, add some thinly sliced jalapeños.
- Sumac: I often add a few generous sprinkles of sumac. Its tart, citrus-like flavor with sweet and earthy notes is wonderful in this watermelon salad.
- Feta: If you don’t like feta, goat cheese, queso blanco duro, cotija, or ricotta salata would also be great here.
Let’s Make Watermelon Salad!
This is an overview of the recipe. The full ingredient list, and detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Soak the onions. Place the sliced onions in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside and let the onions soak while you prepare the other ingredients. This step is optional but will help tone down the sharp onion flavor.
Prepare the watermelon. Thoroughly rinse your watermelon (you don’t want to drag dirt into the watermelon when you run your knife through it). Peel and cut the watermelon into 1-inch cubes. To make cutting a large watermelon more manageable, I like to start by cutting the ends off. Then, stand the watermelon on one end and slice it lengthwise, all the way though. From there, cut it into quarters to easily remove the rinds, then cube it.
Mix the dressing. In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Assemble the salad. Place the watermelon, cucumber, onions, olives, cherry tomatoes, feta, mint, and basil in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss very gently to combine.
To finish. Sprinkle with a little more feta, mint, basil, and flaky salt to taste.
Serve immediately or wait to dress the salad just before serving and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
How To Choose The Best Watermelon
There is no guarantee you’ll bring home a perfect watermelon but these tips should get you pretty close.
- Buy local: Like all produce, watermelons that haven’t been lugged in a truck for hours will almost always taste fresher and better. If possible, buy your summer watermelons from your local farmer’s markets.
- Shape: Fatter, rounder watermelons tend to be sweeter than skinny, elongated ones. It should have an even shape with no irregular bumps.
- Color: I have had better luck with darker green watermelons, as opposed to light, shiny green color. Most importantly, always look for that dark yellow spot on the underside of the watermelon. This means the watermelon was left to ripen in the soil before being picked. If the spot is very light yellow (almost white) that means it was picked too soon and will not have much flavor.
- Weight: A juicy, ripe watermelon will feel heavy for its size. Pick up a few that seem similar in size and go for the one that feels extra heavy.
- Webbing: I used to avoid the watermelons that had brown spots but these spots are actually known as “webbing’ and are a good thing! The webbing is caused by pollination which means the more webbing, the sweeter it will be.
What To Serve With Watermelon Salad
I only make this watermelon salad in the summer when all the ingredients are in season. That means I am also grilling a lot and this salad conveniently pairs well with just about anything that comes off the grill. Here are some tried and true favourites:
- Fish – A platter of these Salmon kebobs is fabulous with the watermelon salad.
- Burgers – Any and all burgers will work with this quenching watermelon salad. Ditto for hot dogs! These Turkey Burgers are on repeat in our household.
- Beef kebabs or these Grilled Korean-Style Ribs
- Chicken – This is the protein I grill the most in summer. Again, any grilled chicken is fabulous alongside this salad. Try Chicken Spiedini, Piri Piri Chicken, Jerk chicken, or this Grilled Lemongrass Chicken.
Storage Tips
This watermelon salad is best served within two hours of assembling. The cucumbers and watermelon will release a lot of juices which will water down the salad if left to sit for too long. That said, we still enjoy the leftovers the next day, even if the ingredients aren’t as fresh and crispy.
If you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container as soon as possible. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days.
More Delicious Summer Salads To Try
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Watermelon Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large limes, juiced (about 4 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 5-6 cups cubed seedless watermelon (from about 1/2 large watermelon)
- 1 English cucumber, chopped
- 1/3 cup Kalamata olives (see notes)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 ounces feta cheese, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
- flaky salt, to finish, optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, honey, salt, pepper and olive oil. Set aside.
- Place the sliced onions in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside and let the onions soak while you prepare the other ingredients. This step is optional but will help tone down the sharp onion flavor.
- Place the watermelon cubes, cucumbers, olives, cherry tomatoes, feta, mint, and basil in a large bowl. Drain the onions and add them to the bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss very gently to combine.
- Sprinkle with remaining mint, basil, and a few pinches of flaky salt to taste, if using. Serve immediately or wait to dress the salad just before serving and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
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