Listen. This salad should NOT be this easy. We’re talking five minutes of chopping, one tiny bowl for the dressing, and suddenly you’re eating the most refreshing thing to ever happen to your face.
Watermelon doing its juicy sweet thing. Cucumber keeping things cool and crisp. Red onion crashing the party with a sharp little bite. Feta crumbling everywhere like it pays rent here. Avocado making it creamy. Mint keeping it bright. Jalapeño making sure you don’t get bored halfway through (this is important).
This is the bowl that ends up dead center of every table. The one people quietly go back for “just a little more” four, five, six times. Bring it to a cookout. Bring it to a Tuesday. Just bring it somewhere.
How to Keep It From Getting Watery
Watermelon is basically a water balloon in disguise…. let your cubes drain on paper towels for 10 minutes before assembly.
SALT pulls moisture out fast (it’s science), so hold off on that pinch of salt until the VERY last second. Dress the base ingredients only when you’re ready to eat.
Keep the avocado tucked away until assembly too…. that stuff gets weird fast.
Best Way to Cut Watermelon for Salad
- Place the watermelon on a sturdy cutting board. Slice off both ends to create flat, stable surfaces (rolling melons are a CUTTING disaster waiting to happen).
- Stand it upright on one flat end. Run a sharp knife down the sides, following the curve, to strip away the rind and white pith.
- Lay the peeled fruit on its side and slice it into 1-inch thick planks.
- Cut each plank into 1-inch strips, then rotate and slice across for uniform 1-inch cubes.
- Transfer to a bowl with gentle hands (bruised watermelon is a TRAGEDY). Pluck out any stray seeds as you go.
Clean cuts, steady hands, and you are officially ready to BUILD this salad.
What to Cook Next
- Easy Cucumber Feta Salad
- Balsamic Nectarine Caprese Salad
- Perfect Cucumber Caprese Salad
- Simple Fruit Salad
- 15-Minute Blackberry Avocado Arugula Salad
- Sweet Pineapple Cucumber Salad
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 370-430
- Protein: 7-9 g
- Fat: 26-32 g
- Carbohydrates: 33-38 g
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 2.5 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp honey
For the salad:
- 5 cups watermelon (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 cup cucumber (sliced into 1/2-inch half-moons)
- 1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- 1 avocado (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
- 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Step 1: Whisk the Lime Dressing
- 2.5 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp honey
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, honey, and salt until emulsified and the honey is fully dissolved.
This dressing can be made up to a few hours ahead, but I find the garlic flavor is brightest when made just before serving, so I don’t recommend making it too far in advance.
Step 2: Chop Produce and Herbs
- 5 cups watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup cucumber, sliced into 1/2-inch half-moons
- 1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 1 avocado, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
While the dressing rests, prepare all your fresh ingredients: cut the watermelon into 1-inch cubes, slice the cucumber into 1/2-inch half-moons, thinly slice the red onion, seed and mince the jalapeño, dice the avocado into 1/2-inch pieces, and tear the fresh mint leaves into bite-sized pieces.
Keep the avocado separate until just before assembly to prevent browning.
Step 3: Toss the Base Ingredients
- watermelon, cucumber, and red onion from Step 2
- half of the lime-garlic dressing from Step 1
Arrange the watermelon, cucumber, and red onion on a serving plate or in a large bowl.
Pour about half of the lime-garlic dressing from Step 1 over these base ingredients and gently toss to coat evenly.
This initial dressing helps season the vegetables and begin building flavor.
Step 4: Garnish and Season
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- avocado, jalapeño, and mint from Step 2
- remaining lime-garlic dressing from Step 1
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Top the dressed salad with the crumbled feta, diced avocado from Step 2, minced jalapeño, and torn mint leaves.
Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top and season with the pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
I like to add the pepper generously—it brings out the sweetness of the watermelon and adds a pleasant bite that balances the rich feta and creamy avocado.
Refreshing Watermelon Feta Mint Salad
Ingredients
Method
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, honey, and salt until emulsified and the honey is fully dissolved. This dressing can be made up to a few hours ahead, but I find the garlic flavor is brightest when made just before serving, so I don't recommend making it too far in advance.
- While the dressing rests, prepare all your fresh ingredients: cut the watermelon into 1-inch cubes, slice the cucumber into 1/2-inch half-moons, thinly slice the red onion, seed and mince the jalapeño, dice the avocado into 1/2-inch pieces, and tear the fresh mint leaves into bite-sized pieces. Keep the avocado separate until just before assembly to prevent browning.
- Arrange the watermelon, cucumber, and red onion on a serving plate or in a large bowl. Pour about half of the lime-garlic dressing from Step 1 over these base ingredients and gently toss to coat evenly. This initial dressing helps season the vegetables and begin building flavor.
- Top the dressed salad with the crumbled feta, diced avocado from Step 2, minced jalapeño, and torn mint leaves. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top and season with the pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. I like to add the pepper generously—it brings out the sweetness of the watermelon and adds a pleasant bite that balances the rich feta and creamy avocado.