Apr 29, 2016
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This watermelon feta salad with is one of my mom’s favorite recipes and I have to agree with her. It’s the perfect side dish for a Summer BBQ and makes a pretty amazing lunch too.
In spite of having a busy schedule with three kids plus an exchange student, travel, work, and life, my mom and I still manage to spend a lot of time together. We do dinner at my parents one night per week, and I can’t tell you how much I love that we do that. Salad is always on the menu, and when it’s hot outside, this refreshing Watermelon, Feta and Mint salad is a must have.
How to Make Watermelon Feta Salad
This salad is so simple to make and comes together in a flash. If you can cut a watermelon – you can make this salad! Here’s how its done.
- Cut
Cut watermelon into 1 inch chunks and drain any excess juices in a colander. - Assemble
Place Arugula leaves in a large salad bowl and top with the watermelon chunks and crumbled feta cheese. - Add mint
Chop fresh mint leaves and add to the top of the salad. - Add the dressing
Drizzle dressing to coat the greens, and toss.
So simple right?
Recipe Variation: Make Mint Watermelon Salad without Arugula here
Dressing for Watermelon Salad
Now that you’ve made a delicious watermelon and feta salad, you have to decide how to top it. One of the most popular dressings to use for this type of salad is a Balsamic Vinaigrette.
I’ll be honest, I’m a huge fan of Balsamic dressing, and you can usually find a jar of my own homemade version in my fridge on any given day.
While I do love traditional Balsamic on any salad, for this recipe, I am going to strongly suggest you try my Orange Salad Dressing. It provides just the right amount of citrusy goodness that makes this salad the perfect Summer recipe.
This dressing can be kept in the fridge for up to a week, and you can use it as an easy chicken marinade too.
How to Make Orange Salad Dressing
Start with a few basic ingredients:
- Freshly squeezed orange juice
- Freshly squeeze lemon juice
- Minced shallots
- Honey
- Olive oil
- Salt
Got your ingredients? Perfect. Now you just have to whisk the juices, shallots, honey, and salt in a small bowl. Slowly pour in the oil while you continue to whisk to form an emulsion.
And that’s it! You can whip this dressing up in no time, and it truly is the best way to top this amazing Watermelon Feta Salad.
With summer around the corner, our ovens are looking forward to taking a break from regular use. No one wants to heat up the house more than necessary in the hot summer months in the south! Which is why many of my summer recipes are similar to this one, fresh, delicious, and mouthwatering.
More Summer Salad Recipes
My mom doesn’t like to have the same salad twice in a week while I love to repeat some of my favorites. Of course, I’ve shared all my favorite salad recipes with you here, and you can always find salad inspiration with the recipes below.
Some of these salads make great side dishes, while others can be an entire meal all on their own. I pack salads as cold lunches for the office several days a week (no reheating needed!), and all of these have gone in my work lunchbox in the past month.
- BLT Salad
- Asian Kale Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
- Santa Fe Chicken Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Chicken Caprese Salad
If you are always on the go like I am, this salad is great because you have to serve it immediately. Make it, toss it, and enjoy! You don’t have to wait for a BBQ night to enjoy this one.
Watermelon Feta Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice , about 2 lemons
- ¼ cup minced shallots , 1 large
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cups baby arugula washed and spun dry
- 3 cups seedless watermelon cut in 1-inch cubes
- 8 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- 1 cup whole fresh mint leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, shallots, honey, and salt. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly, to form an emulsion. If not using within an hour, transfer the vinaigrette to an airtight container or lidded jar and refrigerate.
- Place the arugula, watermelon, feta, and mint in a large bowl.
- Drizzle with enough vinaigrette to coat the greens lightly and toss well.
- Taste for seasonings and serve immediately.
Heather
We like romaine lettuce, chopped apples, chopped & toasted walnuts, craisins, chopped fresh mozzarella and sometimes chicken with homemade vinaigrette that has red wine vinegar, olive oil, water, salt, sugar and honey mustard. We are large, homeschooling family so we eat big salads several days a week for lunch. This really helps with after lunch energy crashes!
Lori
My family Loves the Broccoli Salad I just made!! First time ever making it & it was Wonderfully successful which is Always a hit with Me!!!
Lisa Mahon
One of my favorite salads is tabbouleh. The other is cauliflower and pepperoni with blue chesse dressing.
Jenny K
These bowls are super cute! My favorite salad to make is Summer Salad (broccoli, cauliflower, onions, bacon, cheese with a mayo type dressing). Yum. Now, I’m hungry. 😉
Angie S.
My favorite salad to make for my daughter is a very simple salad. It is arugula, cranberries, blueberries, pistachios, and feta. She will only eat salad with arugula!
Alison
I love making greek salad for my family. Whether it is pasta, romaine or just tomatoes, onions and cucumber with that fabulous feta cheese and classic home made Greek dressing…….we love it!
Nancy
I love all kinds of salads. I like to make a sour cream and dill potato salad with teeny tiny new potatoes.
Sue
I love combining greens and fruit in a salad. Some of my favorites are spinach or kale with watermelon, blueberries & feta or strawberries & mandarin oranges.
Christie Marie
I love watermelon feta salad, it’s such a great summer time treat! Cucumber, tomato and avocado salad is another favorite of mine along with my own twist on buffalo chicken – mixed greens topped with raw zucchini noodles, roasted cauliflower, onion, tomato, buffalo chicken and blue cheese. I think I found my inspiration for lunch one day this week!
Tiffany
My daughter and I love making fruit salads. Anything we pick from the farm is fresh dibs on the salad so it is always changing and makes for a great side or a snack.
We also are loving the cucumber-avocado-feta salad.
Suzanne Gravito
My favorite salad is called the salad of love. Its Spinach, bean sprouts, sliced mushrooms, chopped up red and yellow pepper, chopped nuts (any kind) I prefer cashews and I add some sliced strawberries and crumbled feta cheese . Dressing I do balsamic and olive oil minced garlic and salt and pepper. I usually make ahead the dressing 24 hrs before (better taste.)
And that’s it!! 🙂 It’s a winner at our house. 🙂
Angella Carlisle
I love salads! I eat them every day! My favorite right now, since the weather is warming up, is grilled chicken on a bed of spring mix greens with fresh strawberries, blueberries, pecans, goat or feta cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. I eat my salads in bowls, and those Pyrex ones are adorable!
Krista
I really love salad with lots of “stuff”, nuts, seeds, dried fruit and all the veggies with just enough greens to know it’s a salad, hahaha. Great picture of you and your mom by the way.
Angella Carlisle
I love salads! I eat them almost every day, and I love to mix it up. My favorite right now, since the weather is warming up, is grilled chicken on a bed of spring mix greens with strawberries, blueberries, pecans, and goat cheese or feta cheese with some balsamic vinaigrette. Yum!
Cynthia Hamm
I love any salad! But, I especially love a chicken Caesar salad that has grilled romaine lettuce. Super delish. I like my salads in a bowl too!
Catherine
Any salad with a dressing made from walnut oil is my favorite 🙂 Can’t wait to try this recipe, thanks!
A_Shoemaker
Our families favorite salad it a simple Greek salad. We can eat it by the bowlful (notice I said bowl) :)and it is a staple at potluck events. We also have a watermelon feta salad that we serve with grilled chicken in the summer. It is minus the greens and made with cucumbers, Kalamata olives, red onion, feta and a lemon-herb vinaigrette. Also a family favorite.
Amanda
Black bean and corn. Yummy!
Bev
My favorite salad is a fairly new one to me. It’s called “Mexi-Corn Salad”. It has Mexi-Corn, regular corn, red onion, mayo, sour cream, black olives, and corn chips. It is easy to make and sooooo good!
Debbie Bates
Any Salad that someone else makes for me! I love salad, but hate making it!
Julie Fogg
BLT salads with avocados!
Lauren
That mint plant looks so happy! We moved from the coast to a bit inland (from a condo to a house) and my husband planted our mint that had been in pots in the ground, I think he left them root bound, they look so sad 🙁 Our new house has a fig tree and during fig season we made an incredible watermelon fig salad. I can’t wait, the figs are popping up all over, still green though.
Christy
My favorite salad is lots of spinach with candied cranberry goat cheese crumbles ,diced cucumber, red peppers, figs and chicken all topped with an apricot vinaigrette. Yummy. Now I’m hungry. 🙂
Stacy
My favorite salad is taco salad. I also love a good lettuce salad with grilled chicken.
Amber Miramontes
My favorite is caprese salad
Bonnie
My family loves a nice Greek salad. I love the look of your fresh mint, watermelon, and feta salad. I make my Greek salad with cucumber, tomato, red onion, and feta mixed with red led lettuce. I make a dressing with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, a little Dijon mustard and apple cider or red wine vinegar and freshly pressed garlic and oregano.
Nancy
I haven’t met a salad I didn’t like but my 2 favorite ingredients to use are avocado and / or feta cheese.
Tiffany Ford
I love fruit in salads. My favorite is strawberries, broccoli, sharp cheddar, and sunflower seeds with poppy seed dressing.
Charlene Downey
I love broccoli salad!
Sarah Frankie
I am loving kale/broccoli stems/shaved brussel sprouts with nuts, dried fruit and a sweet slaw dressing.
Aubrey
I love Tomato and feta salads!
Carin
We love make your own salad night! I put out greens and tons of different toppings – nuts, fruit, cheese, avocado, seeds, legumes, and more.
Michelle Spott
my kids really only eat Caesar Salad. So I make that for them quite a bit. I have a delicious quinoa salad with apples, walnuts and a delicious maple dressing. I could eat it everyday.
Lindsay Bateman
Taco salad. It’s my favorite food!
Jaime
Cobb salads are my fav!
bettyannmanghi
hands down my family’s fav salad is sliced cucumbers with sliced or baby tomatoes, fresh basil and baby mozarella or bocconcini! that’s it. so simple. almost everybody likes it.
Amy Dreier
Pasta salad with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and mozzarella chunks with a homeade Italian dressing!
Melissa
My favorite salad is an oldie and one my used to make often: chopped broccoli and cauliflower, green onion, bacon, raisins and a creamy dressing
Cheryl
Sttawberry, spinach & feta salad with strawberry vinaigrette
Bonnie N
I love making a bowl of spring mix, chopped tomatoes and avocado, and adding a scoop of Albacore Tuna-salad on top, made with homemade mayo and lemon pepper. My husband and I both really enjoy it for lunch!
Linda K
I love pasta salads with all kinds of different noodles including veggie noodles
Your recipe looks yummy
Faith M
That looks wonderful!! I enjoy taco salads.
Jackie Parr
I love extravagant salads with all the fixings, so to speak. At home I mostly make basic salads spinach and kale or spinach and field greens. My kids like salad once in awhile. What I like most about your recipe is a fun salad that I think my kids would love. I can’t wait for everything to align and we try it. 🙂
Lisa Marz
I love to make waldorf salad.
Katie
We love salad with fruit! Our favorite has apples and strawberries with goat cheese over mixed greens served with a balsamic vinaigrette. But I can’t wait to try this watermelon feta salad.
Melanie
A nice chef salad
Julie W.
Our family loves to make Italian chopped salad with homemade red wine vinaigrette dressing. It is the one salad everyone will eat!
Rose
I love any salad with meat fruit and nuts, Summertime I eat lots of different salads. I’m definitely going to try this one with my son I know Id eat it
Kendra Rice
My favorite is
Main Dish Salad
Approximately 6 Tyson Crispy Chicken Strips cooked and cubed
bag of Coleslaw mix
2 small cans of Mandarin Oranges- Drained
Chow Mein Noodles
Craisins
Brianna’s Poppy Seed Dressing
Toss together desired amount . Lightly dress and toss again. Add chow Mien noodles when ready to serve and toss again. Serve and Enjoy!
Laura Fuentes
yum. I bet the crispy chicken makes this salad soooooo good!
Lisa
This salad looks amazing, Laura! I will try to see if the picky 5year old will eat it. He loves watermelon. My favorite salad would be a sprouts, veggies, feta, black olives with homeade vinaigrette. Enjoy your Mom, you are so lucky to have her in your life and now so close :). I miss making salads, just doing things and just talking with my Mom.
Laura Fuentes
thanks Lisa! I consider myself super lucky to have my mom around. I’m crossing my fingers for you that your 5yo will eat this!
Karis Jackson
My favorite salad and one that my kiddos love as well is Cheese Tortellini Salad. It has dried cranberries, celery, apple, almonds, and feta with a wonderful vinaigrette. The bowls are so beautiful!
Roxie
Pasta salad made with noodles and diced ham instead of pepperoni.
alana sherman
any salad is refreshing to me. Especially with a surprise fruit inside. thanks for the inspiration
Kathleen Kiyak
I love making a tomatoe and cucumber salad in the summer for my family. Both of my younge boys just eat it up.
Porsche Espindola
I love to make a cranberry walnut feta salad with a poppyseed dressing. A favorite for potlucks!
RESHMA
Our favorite salad is spinach strawberry with walnuts!!
Melissa
I’ll make a kale salad or cold pasta with cheese and veggies and Italian dressing that my kids love.
fran
I love pasta salads: mix-ins salmon, green olives, celery. But I am going to try your salad )w/ pea shoots in lieu of arugula) – looks delish!
Stacy Fellows
Cute bowls! I would love to add them to our collection. We like to have our salads in bowls. We like a spinach greens salad with carrot, cucumbers, cashews, dried cherries and poppy seed salad dressing. Yum! Anxious to try your salad recipe.
Rachel Nichols
Black bean, corn, quinoa, and fire roasted tomatoes! Add some avocado for a refreshing and delicious salad!
Laurel Hall
I love trying all kinds of new salads, but my favorite lately is a copycat of a superfood side from a certain chicken restaurants.
Bonnie T
I love light salads with fruit. So I mostly toss together spinach with strawberries or mango. Also adding nuts because I love crunchy things and a tangy vinegarette….yummy!
Jenna
Pasta salad with lots of veggies and a vinaigrette dressing
terra blaisure
I don’t have a specific salad that I love to make for my family but I love to put certain ingredients in my salads like beets and goat cheese! I love the contrast of the sweet beets and the tangy goat cheese!
Renee
My family loves ginger steak salad!
Janel
Spinach, bacon and hard-boiled egg – delish!
Maria
I can’t get my family to eat salad. Maybe cute little bowls will help!
Kathy C
I wished I loved watermelon, but I don’t. I’m kind of a picky eater, so making up salad combinations is hard for me. I just make the basic lettuce, boiled egg, shredded cheese and bacon, with ranch dressing. Not too exciting, but I love it.
Kristina
My favorite salad is a mixed green salad topped with berries that have been marinated in balsamic vinegar, feta, and pralines. I had something similar at a wedding reception once, and it was so fantastic that I went home and played around with replicating it the very next day.
Kim
Our favorite seems to be an antipasto salad with a light vinaigrette dressing. Also, love my buffalo chicken pasta salad – those would both be perfect in those cute bowls! 🙂
Brit
Mixed greens, strawberries, avocado, red onion, toasted almonds or pecans, and raspberry vinegarette! I sometimes make it a chicken salad if it is to be the main entrée.
Carey Rizzato
Spinach salad with almonds and strawberries. Salad dressing: apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, safflower oil and a wee bit of honey dijon. My kids ACTUALLY will eat spinach this way.
Laura Fuentes
spinach + strawberries is such a great combo!
Dody
This may be my new favorite salad! I like a salad with lots of greens, herbs and vegetables with a greek yogurt, dill and garlic dressing I make.
Brenda
I have an Italian salad that I make with pastrami and everyone in my family likes it.
Nicole
We like to make a greek inspired salad w/diced cucumber, kalamata olive, cherry tomato, red onion, feta, & olive oil/vinegar; to go w/BBQ burgers & yogurt mint sauce. Put it all together & it’s so yummy in a pita pocket!
Abby
I love to make a roasted corn salad with avocado, tomato and fresh cilantro-tastes like summer! Your watermelon salad look delish! I just got some watermelon today, I will have to try it out!
Lea Abbey
I love a hearty taco salad with homemade salsa ranch dressing. Yummy!
Lynn
I love those bowls too! My favorite salad is a spinach strawberry salad with poppyseed dressing
Dana
I like Chinese chicken salad!
Angie Belcher
I have been in a salad rut, so thank you for the new ideas.
Laura Fuentes
I’ll try to keep them coming 🙂
Kimberly
I really enjoy mixing fruit with different kinds of greens. It is always such a refreshing mix. I haven’t tried the watermelon salad recipe yet but definitely plan to. My son and I both really like watermelon so this should be a hit. My current favorite salad is spinach and strawberry salad. I make it with feta cheese and use a blueberry vinaigrette. Yummy!!
Susan
I love mixing a bit of broccoli slaw or shredded cabbage with baby spinach, chicken, craisins and pepitas or almonds with poppy seed dressing.
This is my favorite lunch, that I can eat everyday.
Faith Sullins
We love any mixed green salad with summer veggies straight out of our garden.
One of my favorite spring salad is spinach, strawberries, feta and poppy seed.
Yummy.
Heidi
I eat a big salad every day for lunch. I begin with a bowlful of greens, drizzled with homemade vinaigrette. The salad is topped with whatever veggies and proteins I have leftover from dinner the night before. It is always yummy, filling and varied.
Gabriel
My favorite salad to make is a salad bar. I use all my little bowls and cut up some of whatever is in the veggie drawer plus something for protein. Everybody gets what they want. I need to remember to put out fruit sometimes too.
Mary Ramirez
I love making a salad with mixed organic greens, feta cheese, slivered almonds, cranberries, and griped chicken.
Linda Jaklich
We love my garbanzo bean , olives, tomatoes, sweet onion, shredded cheddar cheese mix moistened with a bit of real mayo, stuffed with lettuce into a pita bread or eaten in a bowl! Yummy
Katie
My current favorite is mixed greens, cubed organic roasted turkey, avocado, chopped celery, green onions, and carrots with olive oil and apple cider vinegar (or dandelion pesto when I have come in the freezer.)
Amy Pacheco
I love strawberry spinach salad
Vickie
Love taco salad and green salads.
Alexandria
I love making greek salad with feta, olives, grape tomatoes, cucumber
And red onion. Dressing is oregano, lots of fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Yum!
Callie
Oh Em Geeee I can’t wait to try this!! I’m a lover of fruit in my salad. Most recent favorite is with pear and bleu cheese.
Laura Fuentes
is there anything better than salty blue cheese and pear? yum!
Hristina
My favourite salad is a staple in my native country – Bulgaria. It is called Shopska salad and is made of cubed tomatoes, peeled and cut cucumbers, strips of red or green peppers, and chopped onions. Combine all the ingredients and sprinkle with salt, olive oil and vinegar. The salad is then topped with grated feta cheese and garnished with chopped parsley. A whole chilli pepper can be added to individual settings for lovers of spicy flavores.
Laura Fuentes
Hristina, I might have to make this!
Marita
My favorite hearty salad to make is a roasted butternut squash and pumpkin seeds over a bed of greens with goat cheese and a drizzle of oil and balsamic! The warm squash makes the cheese melt slightly and mix with the oil and vinegar to make a dressing that’s filled deliciousiousness!
Megan
This looks delicious! I love any salad with chicken from the grill. Especially southwestern inspired, with avocado for sure. 🙂
Alina carcea
Andive and apple salad with lemon and olive oil
Natalia Berardo
I love salads with greens and fruit-just like the one just posted!
One of my favorites is arugula, mango and a spicy honey vinagrette with cashews. Yum!
Alina Carcea
I make a great andive and apple salad with lemon and olive oil. Yummy!
LaTanya
I like making a tomato and cucumber salad with a just a little bit of salt and pepper.
Sarah
I love to make barbeque ranch chicken salad (use things like: black beans, corn, onion, lettuce, tomatoes, chicken, cheese and tortilla chips).
Laura B
I like throwing a salad together with a mixture of lettuce, apples, craisins, feta and whatever dressing I have on hand
yasmin sanchez
Our favorite is avocado,hearts of palm and watercress with some olive oil, salt, pepper and balmasic vinegar.
Elizabeth
I make salads for myself almost every day to take for lunch. I try to change it by adding dried cranberries, nuts, cheese, or garbanzo beans.
Sarah
My seven year old daughter loves to make us a delicious and simple Israeli salad. She slices(with my help) some cucumber, tomato, cilantro, adds lemon juice and olive oil, then sprinkles some zaatar spice on top.
Vicki
I love Zaatar on just about anything! Discovered it in Israel. Now I just need to give your daughter’s salad a whirl.
Liz
Love your salad. I like lots of salads – caesar and many pasta salads. Your giveaway is a charming one.
Val
Broccoli salad with red onion, dried cranberries, grapes, and toasted walnuts in a vinegar based dressing.
Carol
I love just a simple mixed fruit salad with a little bit of OJ/yogurt dressing and some type of nut tossed in.
Kerry
Lots of great salad ideas in the comments! The bowls are so pretty and beat the Walmart paper ones I currently use!
Laura Fuentes
you can find these at Target 😉
Kim
I love watermelon salad and I make mine similar with kalamata olives.
Athena R
I love salad. As long as there is no bleu cheese on it, I will eat it.
Athena R
I love salad, and I’m not sure I have a favorite. I love taco salads, Asian salads, broccoli salads, layered salads and I could go on and on.
Kelly Johnson
Ramen Noodle Salad!
Jennifer Mikesell
I love strawberry salad with poppy-seed dressing!
Jackie
I love to make (and eat) chicken cesar pasta salad. It’s quick, simple and filling! My go to on busy weeknights.
Kelly
My favorite salad to make is taco salad with either chicken or ground turkey taco meat, romaine, carrots, black beans, olives, tomatoes, corn, cheese, avacado, fresh salsa and creamy cilantro dressing
Katie
It’s so hard to pick a favorite! My husband’s favorite has greens, goat cheese, pecans, craisins and apples with my homemade vinegarette:). I love the look of these bowls!
Barbara Duggan
Our favorite salad is filled with whatever we have ready in the garden (now through October) and whatever we have as shoots in the winter. We always plant a variety of greens, plus radishes, carrots, peas, and beans.
Emily
My favorite salad is actually from a place in Dallas called Snappy Salads…but now that I don’t live in Dallas I approximate it: romaine hearts, spinach (or any leafy greens), shredded carrots, cucumbers, jicama, cherry tomatoes, dried cranberries or golden raisins, bacon bits, feta or goat cheese crumbles, balsamic vinaigrette …and in the winter I swap tomatoes for pomegranate seeds. It’s super yummy. And those bowls are cute! Thanks for the opportunity!
Laura Fuentes
that salad sounds amazing!!
Annette Nelms
I make a quinoa salad with chopped vegetables (but I omit the watery ones like cucumber & tomato) and feta cheese.
Alli
Cauliflower, bacon, onion, lettuce with a creamy dressing–got that recipe from my mother and we often make it together for holiday meals
Laura Fuentes
that recipe sounds delicious Alli!
Lendy
I love cucumber tomato avocado salad. It’s easy & delicious. I always have all three so it’s fun to make different variations and it plates beautifully when we have company.
Love Pyrex anything!
Xo Lendy
Kendra Fleming
I love a spinach salad with strawberries, blueberries, feta cheese.
Linda Young
My favorite salad to make is a strawberry spinach with walnuts and fetta cheese.
Sara
I love to make a simple spinach, strawberry and feta salad with poppy seed dressing.
Lisa Suit
Your salad looks delish, I can’t wait to try it!! My favorite salad is tabbouleh, hands down (and then probably potato salad, lol) but most days for lunch I have mixed greens, diced tomatoes, cukes, and green peppers with a few diced hard boiled eggs and a drizzle of EVOO and balsamic vinegar. So yummy!!
Raquel Landon
I like pasta and potato salads
Nancy Kvamme
I make a lot of salads in the summer also. I enjoy making different pasta salads.