Sweet & Savory Watermelon Salad

Summer just got a little sweeter with this Sweet & Savory Watermelon Salad Recipe. A light refreshing salad that goes perfect with burgers, chicken, kabobs, and pork.

Sometimes at barbecues when I get together with friends and family I overdo it. There is always so much food and I want to taste it all! Feel me on this?

So having a nice light salad like this Watermelon Cucumber and Mint salad is just what I need to go with a juicy hamburger. Sweet, savory, fresh-tasting… all the things I need in a summer salad!

Don’t get me wrong though … I have other summer salads I love too like this Potato Salad or Greek Pasta Salad but they tend to be a little heavier and are sometimes more filling than I want after a marathon day of snacking at the family picnic.

Ingredientst You’ll Need

• Watermelon – The sweet foundation of this refreshing salad.
• Cucumber – Because what salad is complete without some vegetables right? English cucumbers work best because they are firmer, less seedy, and slightly sweeter than a regular cucumber.
• Feta cheese – Adds a hint of saltiness to balance out the sweetness of the watermelon.
• Mint – Fresh mint really makes the watermelon flavour pop and adds delicious flavour. Fresh mint is the only way to go here!
• Lime juice – Balances the sweetness of the watermelon with a little acidity.
• Olive Oil – An essential part of any salad dressing.
• Salt and Pepper to taste.

How To Make Watermelon Cucumber Mint Salad

I would like to sound like a culinary expert here and give you a full list of all the necessary steps for this recipe to impress you this is pretty much all I got.

Step One

Throw all the ingredients in a bowl, mix and serve cold.

Super fancy! So for anyone out there who is still working on their culinary skills and wants an easy delicious salad to impress your friends or family this recipe is for you!

How to choose a Ripe watermelon

Watermelons don’t ripen once they have been harvested so you need to find a ripe one at the store or market. Here are a few easy steps to snag that perfect watermelon for your watermelon and mint salad:

1. First, pick one up. Does it feel heavy? Heavier than your second choice for its size? Watermelons are juicy and juice or liquid is heavy so it goes to say that if you find a watermelon that is on the heavy side you likely have found a juicy one.
2. Look for a flat patch where it would be laying on the ground. Is it green? Put it back. A creamy sunshiney yellow means it is ripe.
3. Now find the part where the stem once was. The first thing to do is look at the colour. If it is green it was picked too early. If it is brown then it ripened on the vine which is good.
4. Now give the watermelon a tap. If it makes a hollow sound that is another thumbs up for your watermelon pick. A flat almost no sound means it did not ripen enough.

Check out this video for information picking the perfect watermelon.

Can this recipe be made ahead of time?

Yes, but it is best to be made and eaten the same day. Since the watermelon is juicy it will become soggy with time. I have had success eating it the next day but that is the most I would push it. If you are bringing it somewhere to share I would make sure the salad is made fresh so it looks its best.

Recipe variations

• Replace mint with basil – Both herbs pair well with watermelon but be sure to stick with fresh herbs for the best flavour and texture.
• Add some spice – For a little extra pick me up toss in a finely chopped jalapeno pepper with the seeds removed.
• Add more fruit – Strawberries or blueberries go well with watermelon and add a nice pop of additional colour.
• Switch up the cheese – Feta is the best pairing in my opinion but if you feel adventurous swap out the feta for halloumi, goat cheese, or if you are really daring blue cheese.

This watermelon salad recipe pairs very well with pork, burgers, chicken, and shrimp. Outside of burgers beef is in my opinion, not a great pairing and a bit heavy for such a light salad.

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