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Fresh Watermelon Feta Salad with Easy Zesty Mint-Lime Dressing

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A light, refreshing summer salad combining sweet watermelon, salty feta, and a zesty mint-lime dressing. Perfect for quick lunches, picnics, or barbecues.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 600g or 1.3 lbs)
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 150g or 5.3 oz)
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped (about 15g or 0.5 oz)
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion (about 30g or 1 oz) – optional
  • ¼ cup toasted pepitas or pine nuts (about 30g or 1 oz)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 30ml)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (about 45ml)
  • 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup (about 5ml)
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cut the watermelon into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups or 600g). Remove as many seeds as possible. Let the cubes sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
  2. Roughly chop ½ cup (15g) of fresh mint leaves and thinly slice ¼ cup (30g) of red onion. Set aside.
  3. In a small bowl or jar, combine 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lime juice, 3 tablespoons (45ml) extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon (5ml) honey or agave syrup, a pinch of salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified and slightly creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, add the watermelon cubes, crumbled feta, chopped mint, and sliced onion. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to combine without smashing the watermelon.
  5. Sprinkle toasted pepitas or pine nuts over the salad just before serving for added crunch.
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed—add more lime juice for tang, salt for balance, or a touch more honey if too tart. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes if time allows to meld flavors.

Notes

Let watermelon cubes sit at room temperature before dressing to help emulsify the dressing properly. Use fresh mint, not dried, for best flavor. Drain feta if packed in brine to avoid sogginess. Toss salad gently to avoid crushing watermelon. Assemble just before serving to keep watermelon crisp. Variations include swapping feta for goat cheese or vegan feta, adding fresh basil, or grilling watermelon cubes for smoky flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: watermelon salad, feta salad, summer salad, mint lime dressing, refreshing salad, easy salad recipe, healthy salad

Find it online: https://siennaspoon.com/fresh-watermelon-feta-salad-recipe-easy-zesty-mint-lime-dressing-for-summer/