Watermelon Basil Salad with Feta
This Watermelon Basil Salad with Feta is the perfect summer salad. It is light, refreshing, herbaceous, tangy, and so good. Plus, it’s a quick-to-make and no-cook dish which means less time in the kitchen and no working over a hot stove. When you’re craving a salad everyone will rave about, make this one!
Watermelon is so fabulous – it’s one of my favorite summer fruits. I love how juicy and flavorful it is, and it pairs really quite nicely with so many other flavors, like in this Watermelon Basil Salad with Feta.
Watermelon Basil Salad
You might not think to pair basil with watermelon, but they’re a perfect match! The sweet, herbal notes of the basil pair very nicely with watermelon, and when you add feta cheese to the party, you’ve got a stellar salad that’s light, delicious, and interesting.
This is a great salad to take to BBQs, parties, and gatherings of all kinds. It’s easy to make ahead of time, and with no refrigeration needed (the cheese can stay out for a wee bit), you don’t have to take up precious fridge space or worry about this salad in the heat.
This watermelon feta and basil salad is so pretty, and it pairs nicely with many other dishes. Check out all my recommended pairings below and serve this stunning salad. Then, just sit back and soak up the compliments!
Why I love this recipe
- It’s so easy to make, and there’s no cooking involved!
- This is a pretty salad with red watermelon, white cubes of feta, and green basil.
- You can make it hours ahead of time so you can spend time with your guests instead of cooking!
Gather these ingredients
- Seedless watermelon – Peel the rind, then cut it into 1-inch cubes. You’ll need a 3 ½ pound watermelon to get enough for the salad.
- Fresh basil – Cut into strips. This is called chiffonade – see my tips below on how to do that.
- Feta cheese – Cut into chunks.
- Salt and pepper
- Lime juice – From a fresh lime.
- Honey
- Olive oil
How to make the best Watermelon Basil Salad with Feta
- Combine the lime juice, honey, olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the watermelon cubes, ⅔ of the chiffonaded basil, and ⅔ of the feta chunks to a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and lightly toss. Be careful not to break up the watermelon.
- Transfer the watermelon-feta-basil mixture to a serving plate or bowl and drizzle with the dressing.
- Garnish with the remaining basil and feta, and serve!
How to chiffonade basil
Chiffonading basil is an easy and effective way to incorporate this aromatic herb into the salad, and it’s so pretty! Start by picking a handful of fresh basil leaves, ensuring they are clean and dry.
- Stack the leaves on top of one another, with the largest at the bottom and the smallest on top, aligning them along the central vein.
- Gently roll up the stacked leaves like a cigar, starting from one end to the other.
- Securely hold the rolled basil, being careful not to hold it too tight to avoid bruising the basil.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the roll into thin ribbons.
- Unroll your sliced basil. You now have a beautiful chiffonade of basil, ready to add to your watermelon and feta salad.
Tips & substitutions
- Make sure you have seedless watermelon. You can use one of the smaller, personal-sized watermelons.
- Don’t add too much salt to the salad before tasting it because feta cheese is naturally salty.
- Substitute agave or even simple syrup instead of honey.
- Add the dressing just before serving for the best flavor and texture.
- Be careful when chiffonading the basil – it bruises easily.
Serving suggestions
Serve this salad at BBQs, parties, and events, or pack it into picnics or lunch boxes. It’s so pretty and flavorful, and it pairs so well with burgers, grilled chicken, grilled salmon, and more. This salad is equally delicious next to a humble sandwich, or serve it at a more formal event where steaks are the star of the show.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. The dressing on the salad will start to break the watermelon down if you leave it too long.
Check out these awesome watermelon recipes while you’re here
Get the Recipe:
Watermelon Basil Salad with Feta
Ingredients
- 6 cups seedless watermelon - cut into 1 inch cubes, 3 ½ pounds seedless watermelon (rind removed
- ½ cup fresh basil - cut into thin strips, reserve some for garnish
- 4 oz feta cheese - cut into chunks, about 1 cup (reserve some for garnish)
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoon lime juice - freshly squeezed
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- In a small bowl, combine lime juice, honey, olive oil, and salt (to taste).
Make the salad:
- When cutting basil chiffonade style, which is very pretty, stack a few basil leaves and roll into a tight cylinder; with a sharp knife, slice crosswise into thin ribbons.
- In a large bowl, combine the cubes of watermelon, basil, and feta squares. Add salt and pepper and gently toss (don’t break apart the watermelon).
- Pour the mixture onto a serving plate. Drizzle with the dressing, and scatter with a garnish of cheese and basil on top. Serve!
- You can serve this salad cold or at room temp.
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I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
super yummy! light and refreshing summer salad!