Watermelon Salad is the perfect summer salad with watermelon, cucumber, feta cheese, red onion, lime juice, and mint, all topped with balsamic glaze and salt. Try my Chicken Caprese Salad for another flavorful salad with a balsamic reduction!
Watermelon Salad
Nothing screams summer like juicy watermelon! This salad is full of fresh watermelon and is the perfect light summer lunch or side dish. It is a salad that is both sweet and savory. The added sweetness comes from the balsamic glaze, with the feta cheese and salt sprinkled in for a savory bite.
Watermelon Salad Ingredients
Balsamic Glaze: The glaze is a combination of balsamic vinegar and honey. It ends up being a thick, syrupy condiment to add some sweetness to the watermelon salad.
Watermelon: The watermelon is the star of this salad. To choose the best watermelon, look for a creamy yellow spot on it. In addition, tap on the fruit. If you hear a hollow sound, it’s juicy and ready to go!
Cucumber: Be sure to wash the cucumber before slicing it into rounds. There is no need to peel it (unless you prefer).
Cheese: I chose feta cheese in this salad. I love the tangy and salty taste that complements the sweetness of the fruit and balsamic glaze. You could also use blue cheese or mozzarella cheese for a slightly different flavor profile.
How to Make Balsamic Glaze
Balsamic Glaze is delicious on many dishes, from my Chicken Caprese Kebabs to my Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone and Balsamic Reduction. To make the glaze, in a small saucepan, add the balsamic vinegar and cook that until the liquid is reduced by half. Remove the pan from heat and add the honey. Whisk that together and set it aside. It should be thick and syrupy and coat the back of a spoon. Set it aside as you make the salad.
How to Make Watermelon Salad
To get this summer salad made and served, add the watermelon, cucumber, feta cheese, red onion, mint, and lime juice. Toss to combine. Then, top the salad with balsamic glaze and salt. Serve with classic cheeseburgers, steak bites, or roasted chicken, just to give a few suggestions. It’s best enjoyed the same day, especially on a warm, summer day with a Mojito Sangria!
Variations to Watermelon Salad
This recipe is easy to make your own. Add rotisserie chicken to the salad to make it more of a meal. You could also use a different kind of cheese, like blue cheese or mozzarella. You use lemon juice instead of lime juice or even add other fruits like cantaloupe, honeydew, and grapes. Next time, I want to try it with candied pecans!
More Delicious Salads
Watermelon Salad
Ingredients
Balsamic Glaze
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
Salad
- 6 cups watermelon, seeded and cut into ½-inch bites
- 1 medium cucumber, sliced into rounds
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ red onion, sliced into ½ circles
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Balsamic Glaze
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Add in the honey and stir to combine. Remove from heat. (The balsamic reduction should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.) Set aside.
Watermelon Salad
- In a large bowl, add watermelon, cucumber, feta cheese, red onion, mint, and lime juice. Toss to combine.
- Top with salt and the balsamic glaze. This salad is best served the same day.
Did you make this recipe?
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The salty feta works so well with the sweeter watermelon. The syrupy balsamic glaze with the touch of honey is a great dressing and then the acidity of the lime juice balances out all the flavors so well!
I have also made this salad as is but added a little smoked paprika and some arugular. Both are so good!
I’ve made this several times it’s a great dish
Very refreshing , I’ve omitted the cucumber, but this recipe is fabulous
I love this salad. I could eat this for all meals.
This salad is delicious, and I am not a big fan of watermelon. Now a convert. Especially great on a hot summer night.
I made a smaller version of this salad because I wasn’t sure I would like it. I forgot to add the lime juice but the salad was still very good!! I was pleasantly surprised. I will make this again!!
I made this recipe yesterday and wanted to try it out before my family reunion.
what did you do with all the water from the melon? It seemed to mess up the flavor.
Could I dried mint instead of fresh?
If you use dried mint use 1tsp for every tablespoon of fresh herbs…dried tends to be a little more potent than fresh so use less
Scrumptious…. top…. highly recommended
WATTERMELLON IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES AND WITH THE COMBINATION OF THE OTHER ITEMS, IT IS GUARANTEED TO BE GREAT! CAN’T WAITE TO TRY IT.
I would have never thought to use watermelon in a salad I am so blown away I’m going to make this for my next luncheon with my family I hope they enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it
I love to learn all the recipes they are so yummy. Thanks for sharing.
Love the Watermelon Salad !