Watermelon Salad Recipe With Honey Lime Dressing

Crisp watermelon, cucumber, and mint are tied together with a 4-ingredient dressing to create this Mediterranean Watermelon Salad Recipe with Honey-Lime Dressing. It’s fresh, bright, and perfect for summer!

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Cucumber

My Mediterranean Watermelon Salad Recipe with Honey Lime Dressing is a real crowd-pleaser. Simply toss the watermelon, feta, mint, and arugula together with the quick dressing for a vibrant summer side dish you can bring to parties and barbecues. The flavors transport you right to the Mediterranean coast!

There’s a nice crunch to this salad thanks to a variety of fresh and crisp fruits and veggies. Plus, every element becomes nicely balanced when combined with the four-ingredient dressing! This marriage of flavor is the perfect start to a Mediterranean-style meal starring Chicken Kofta and Grilled Shrimp dressed with Leek and Olive Gremolata Sauce.

Watermelon Salad Ingredients

• Watermelon – I used one mini watermelon to assemble this salad because they’re crisp and sweet. Find in-season watermelon at farmers’ markets or grocery stores between May and September.
• Cucumbers – For the best texture and flavor, I used Persian cucumbers. This variety is crisp and sweet because of its small size.
• Arugula – Adding fresh, leafy greens makes the salad a touch heartier and filling. Feel free to swap this out with any salad green, like spinach, butter lettuce, or spring mix.
• Feta cheese – Watermelon and feta are a match made in heaven. The salt from the cheese among the sweet melon really helps the flavors shine and balance beautifully. Try not to replace the feta with anything else!
• Mint – For fresh and bright flavors. Fresh basil would be a nice substitute if you don’t have mint.
• Honey lime dressing – This simple 4-ingredient dressing ties all of the flavors in the salad together. Sweet and tangy, this honey dressing is nicely balanced among the juicy, salty, and tart flavors from the salad.

How to make a watermelon and feta salad

1. Make the dressing: Add the olive oil, honey, lime zest and juice, and salt to a bowl. Whisk it together, then set aside.
2. Assemble the salad: Combine the watermelon, cucumbers, chopped mint, arugula, and feta in a serving bowl. Drizzle the dressing over top and stir to combine, then enjoy!

Watermelon Cucumber Salad Recipe Variations

This watermelon salad recipe can easily be made with a few different flavors and ingredients. Here are some of my favorite ways to change it up:

• Don’t have a cucumber or arugula? Skip them and the salad will still be delicious.
• Add a little spice by thinly slicing some spicy pepper.
• Add a little crunch with a handful of toasted and chopped walnuts or cashews.
• Make this salad a full meal by serving it with some quinoa mixed in.
• Don’t like feta? Add dollops of goat cheese or fresh mozzarella cheese.
• You can change up the fruit and substitute strawberries for the watermelon.

Let me know what variations you try!

How to Pick the Perfect Watermelon

1. Pick it up. A watermelon should feel heavier than it looks no matter what the size.
2. Look for a field spot. This spot is lighter and yellowish in color. That’s the spot where the watermelon was resting on the ground and indicates that it spent more time on the vine getting sweet. If there’s no spot or if the spot is white, the watermelon was probably picked too early and is underripe.
3. Tap or knock on the watermelon. The skin of the watermelon should be hard and your knuckles should bounce back after giving it a knock.
4. Pick out a watermelon that has a dull appearance versus a shiny one. Shiny indicates that it’s underripe.

What goes well with watermelon salad?

Watermelon is like this magical summer ingredient that pairs well with sweet and savory elements, tangy dressing, salt, and spice. To give this salad a Mexican flair, replace the greens with avocado chunks and the mint for jalapeno or serrano slices and red onion. It’s an exceptional appetizer before you dig into smoked salmon tacos and street corn salad!

Otherwise, serve this summer salad amongst more vibrant and zesty Mediterranean flavors. It’s a refreshing side dish next to garlic grilled shrimp, chicken and orzo, and Greek chicken kabobs. When the grill is on, make this salad a part of the lineup next to your barbecued favorites like sirloin steak kabobs, chili lime chicken burgers, pork chops, hamburgers, and turkey burgers, grilled potatoes, and mushroom grilled pizza.

Can watermelon salad be made ahead of time?

Yes! To make it ahead of time, prepare the melon, cucumber, and dressing. Store everything in separate airtight containers in the fridge until it’s time to assemble.

I really recommend enjoying this watermelon salad recipe as soon as it’s made, so try not to let any go to waste! If there are leftovers, keep them in airtight containers in the fridge. It will get a little watery, so make sure to drain the excess liquid before eating. The leftovers should stay fresh for 1 or 2 days.

More Mediterranean salad recipes

• Italian Tomato Burrata Salad
• Shaved Zucchini Salad
• Roasted Salmon Niçoise Salad
• Mediterranean Chopped Salad

Did you try this Watermelon Salad? Let me know what you think in the comments below, or share a picture on Instagram! I love to share all of your recreations on my page.

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