Watermelon Feta Salad with Arugula

This watermelon feta salad is cold, juicy watermelon with salty feta, peppery arugula, thin red onion and fresh mint, dressed with lime and olive oil and sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds. Sweet, salty and fresh all at once, it takes 15 minutes and serves 4 as a side, with about 190 calories per serving. It’s best on a hot day, made just before you eat, and it goes well with anything off the grill.

• Serves: 4 as a side
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 3 minutes to toast the seeds
• Total time: about 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 600 g (about 4 cups) seedless watermelon flesh, from about 1 kg (2¼ lb) with the rind
• 100 g (3½ oz) feta, crumbled or cut into small cubes
• 60 g (2 large handfuls) arugula (rocket)
• ¼ small red onion (about 40 g), very thinly sliced
• A small handful of fresh mint leaves
• 20 g (2 tablespoons) pumpkin seeds
• 1½ tablespoons (20 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice, plus wedges to serve
• Black pepper

Method

1. Wash the outside of the watermelon under running water and dry it before cutting, so the knife doesn’t carry dirt from the rind into the flesh.
2. Cut the watermelon into bite-sized cubes or triangles, removing any seeds. Chill until needed.
3. Soak the onion slices in cold water for 5 minutes to soften their bite, then drain and pat dry.
4. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until they start to pop. Tip them onto a plate to cool.
5. Whisk the olive oil and lime juice together with some black pepper.
6. Spread the arugula on a large platter and arrange the watermelon on top.
7. Scatter with the onion, feta, mint and pumpkin seeds.
8. Drizzle with the dressing just before serving.

Tips

• Keep everything cold. The salad is best when the watermelon is chilled.
• Dress at the last minute. Watermelon releases juice once cut, and the arugula wilts if it sits in the dressing.
• Don’t add salt. Feta is salty enough.
• Use a good feta in brine. It’s creamier and tangier than pre-crumbled packets.
• Choose a ripe watermelon: it should feel heavy for its size, sound hollow when tapped, and have a creamy yellow patch where it rested on the ground.

Swaps and variations

• Cucumber: add a diced cucumber for extra crunch.
• Halloumi: replace the feta with grilled halloumi slices.
• Balsamic: drizzle with a little balsamic glaze instead of lime.
• Spicy: add a pinch of chili flakes or some thinly sliced red chili.
• Herbs: use basil instead of mint, or a mix of both.
• Seeds and nuts: use sunflower seeds or toasted pistachios.
• Lower fat: use half the feta and half the oil.
• Vegan: use a plant-based feta, or skip it and add olives.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

One serving is a quarter of the recipe. These figures were calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for raw watermelon, feta, arugula, red onion, spearmint, olive oil, lime juice and dried pumpkin seeds.

Watermelon is more than 90% water, so this salad is light and hydrating. The sugar in it comes from the fruit itself, not added sugar. Feta adds protein and calcium, along with most of the saturated fat and sodium. Our guide to watermelon nutrition explains more about the fruit, and our tips on staying hydrated in hot weather show how water-rich foods help.

Contains: milk (feta).

Food safety

Cut melon needs to be kept cold. The FDA advises washing produce before you cut it and refrigerating cut produce. Don’t leave the salad out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour on a very hot day. At a barbecue, keep the platter in the shade or over a bowl of ice.

If you’re pregnant, check that your feta is made from pasteurized milk.

Storage

This salad is best eaten straight away. Store any leftover watermelon and feta separately in covered containers in the fridge and eat them within a day or two. Arugula that has been dressed won’t keep.

What to serve with it

• Grilled chicken, fish, lamb or halloumi.
• Our grilled shrimp skewers.
• Other summer salads, such as our strawberry arugula salad.

Common questions

Can I make it ahead?

Cut the watermelon and onion, toast the seeds and make the dressing a few hours ahead. Keep them separate in the fridge and assemble just before serving.

Is watermelon high in sugar?

Not compared with most fruit. A 150 g serving of watermelon has about 9 g of sugar, according to USDA values, and plenty of water.

What cheese goes with watermelon?

Salty cheeses balance its sweetness best: feta, halloumi, ricotta salata or goat cheese.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.