The Sun’s out, Summer is here and watermelon season, at least in our household, is in full effect. I generally don’t need any excuse to eat watermelon, it’s one of my favorites, and if left to my own devices I can easily consume an entire one by myself in a day. But, making a salad like this makes it feel like a real meal, slightly more adult, and not to mention it’s totally delicious. Cold, sweet watermelon, salty feta and briny olives. Totally my thing.
I typically make massive platters of this all season long. I highly recommend trying this out if you haven’t already, I promise you’ll like it.
This isn’t the first watermelon salad to grace this site. I did a watermelon salad with feta, mint and Kalamata olives and another watermelon salad with chipotle powder, radish, cilantro and queso fresco. Both very good I would like to say. But here I’m giving you my current fave (third time’s the charm). It’s one I tend to make pretty frequently since there is always a watermelon in the house once the warm weather hits. That’s what happens when you marry a guy who sells watermelon…
Cold, sweet watermelon, salty feta and briny olives. Totally my thing.
Where did watermelon Salad Originate?
While I don’t know of any particular origin for watermelon salad with feta, there are plenty of variations worldwide. From this version which has mediterranean flavors, to watermelon salad with southeast asian flavors like fish sauce, chilis and lime. Or even an American style version with corn, tomatoes and arugula. If you have a particular watermelon salad recipe you like let me know!
What is watermelon salad?
This watermelon salad has feta, olives, pickled onions and basil. It’s a twist on a classic mediterranean watermelon salad that would use fresh mint and Kalamata olives.
The thing that is so delicious about a watermelon salad is the combination of sweet, cold watermelon with a salty cheese and fresh herb. With that as your framework, you can really riff on it from there. Use what you want, what you like, and experiment.
Watermelon Salad Recipe Ingredients
- 1/2 seedless Watermelon – Get any watermelon you like. I happened to have a large seedless one, so I used that. You want it to be ripe and sweet. Also, make sure it’s well chilled. One of the best parts of this watermelon salad is how cold and refreshing it is.
- 8 oz Feta Cheese – Feta is one of the main ingredients for this salad recipe, so try and get the best you can find.
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano Olives – The combination of the briny olives and sweet watermelon is very, very delicious. I would recommend getting unpitted olives, and pitting them yourself. But pitted works just fine too if that’s what you have.
- 1/2 Red Onion – You’ll be pickling these red onions so make sure to slice them super thin. You can use a white or yellow onion, it just won’t give you that great pink color. A shallot would also work in a pinch.
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar – Used to quick pickle the onions. You can also use rice wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or white distilled vinegar.
- 1 handful Basil – The fresh basil brightens the whole salad up. Use any fresh basil you like, classic Genovese basil is great, I love a mini Greek basil (what I used here) or even a Thai basil is perfect.
- Olive Oil – A nice peppery extra virgin olive oil along with the salty feta and sweet watermelon is so delicious. Use that good olive oil for this one!
- fresh cracked black pepper
How to Make Watermelon Salad
- Make The Quick Pickled Onions – You’ll cover your thinly sliced onions in vinegar and let them sit about 10-15 minutes.
- Prep The Watermelon and Olives – You want to slice your watermelon into serving size pieces, they can be bite sized or a little larger. Totally up to you. And get those olives pitted!
- Plate The Watermelon and Feta Salad – Arrange the watermelon on a large platter. Preferably chilled, but not required. Scatter over the crumbled feta, torn olives, basil and quick pickled onions. Make sure to drain off any excess vinegar from the onions.
- Finish the Salad – Add a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some fresh ground pepper.
FAQs
What to serve with watermelon salad?
Anything grilled is a good bet. I love this with some simple grilled chicken thighs, easy grilled lamb chops or even as a side for some easy oven baked pork ribs. You certainly can’t go wrong serving this alongside some grilled burgers, any grilled fish or steaks.
If you wanted to go vegetarian you could make this to go alongside grilled zucchini with fresh ricotta, orzo pasta salad, or with some simple grilled corn with cilantro and queso fresco.
Can watermelon salad be made ahead of time?
Yes. If you want to prep this ahead of time I would assemble everything, but leave out the feta and olive oil. Add those on right before you serve.
If you have any leftovers I would store them in the fridge and they’ll be good for another day. I wouldn’t recommend storing leftovers for any longer than a day since the salt in the feta cheese and olives will pull out a lot of the moisture from the watermelon and you’ill end up with a soupy mess.
More Summer Salad Ideas
Cantaloupe Salad With Cucumber and Feta – This refreshing cantaloupe salad with cucumber and feta is the perfect sweet and salty summer side. Quick to prep, topped with crunchy pistachios, fresh basil, and a bright lime dressing.
Panzanella Salad – This classic Italian panzanella salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and a red wine vinegar anchovy dressing is the ultimate way to use day-old bread. A must-make bread salad for summer.
Orzo Pasta Salad – A Mediterranean style orzo pasta salad with feta, olives, dried oregano, dill, parsley and lots of crunchy veggies. Perfect to make ahead and eat all week long!
Cucumber and Tomato Salad – This easy cucumber and tomato salad is the summer side you’ll make on repeat. Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, fresh basil, and red onion tossed in olive oil and vinegar. Perfect with grilled chicken, fish, or just crusty bread.
Celery Apple Fennel Salad – A quick and easy celery salad with fresh fennel, radishes, parsley, toasted sesame and a five spice dressing
Stone Fruit Caprese Salad – This stone fruit caprese salad is a delicious twist on the classic! Juicy peaches, plums, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella get topped with fresh mint and oregano.
Prosciutto e Melone – The classic Italian prosciutto and melon. This version gets a little update using piel de sapo instead of cantaloupe—and it might just be better than the original.
Quick Pickled Red Onions – This easy, no-cook recipe for quick pickled red onions is ready in 20 minutes. Tangy and crisp, these are the perfect topping to any dish.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you make this Watermelon Salad with Feta, Castelvetrano Olives and Pickled Onions? Leave a comment and star rating below with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I can’t wait to see it!
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Watermelon Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 - 1/4 seedless watermelon really as much as you want to eat
- 8 oz feta cheese
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives pitted and torn
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 handful basil Greek, Thai or Genovese are all good choices
- olive oil extra virgin
- fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cover your sliced onions in vinegar and let them sit about 10-15 minutes to quick pickle in that vinegar.1/2 red onion, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- Cut up the watermelon and pit those olives.1/2 - 1/4 seedless watermelon, 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives
- To plate, I like to arrange the watermelon in a fairy even layer on a large platter. Scatter with crumbled feta, torn olives, basil and your onions (drain off any excess vinegar).8 oz feta cheese, 1 handful basil, olive oil, fresh ground black pepper
- Finish the salad with a drizzle of good olive oil and some fresh ground pepper.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I’d love to see how you made it your own!
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Hi, I'm Rachel — the cook, photographer, and recipe developer behind Most Hungry.
This is my go-to spot for bold, approachable recipes rooted in Italian and Italian-American cooking, from hand-rolled fresh pasta to fall-off-the-bone ribs. Great food should be fun, doable, and absolutely delicious. Learn more about me →
One thought on Watermelon Salad with Feta
Looks delish and refreshing.