Watermelon Salad Recipe with Feta, Kiwi, and Fresh Mint

Today we're preparing a watermelon salad recipe with feta, kiwi, and fresh mint. This is one of my favorite go-to treats for any outdoor cookout for the simple reason that there's no denying the warm-weather magic behind a perfectly ripe watermelon on hot summer days. A chilled watermelon is a summer treat like few others, with bright, tropical juice refreshing and cooling you from the inside out, while carrying the unmistakable 'taste of summer' in every bite. Our watermelon, kiwi, feta, and fresh mint salad gives a delicious twist to this summer staple.

Most watermelon salads stick to the tried and true (but predictable) combination of watermelon and berries. Today's recipe brings in kiwis and oranges and mixes the fruit with crumbled feta. The kiwi brings lovely tropical notes and a lovely pop of green color, while the orange brings juicy citrus brightness. Meanwhile, the crumbled feta cheese provides the essential salty contrast that works to kick this salad up from a simple fruit bowl into something that's sure to impress the guests.

And the best part - this salad takes just five minutes to prepare and uses only five ingredients with zero cooking required. This is summer entertaining made effortless.

Ideal for backyard BBQs, this easy salad recipe provides a bright, refreshing contrast to summer staples like seared steaks, grilled fish, or barbecued chicken and works great for picnics. Now, let's get to it.

Jump to:

• Watermelon Salad Overview - What to Expect
• Watermelon Salad Recipe Ingredients
• Choosing a Ripe Watermelon
• Watermelon Cutting Techniques
• Getting Creative - Making this Salad Your Own
• Watermelon Salad

Watermelon Salad Overview - What to Expect

Taste and Texture

In terms of taste, this watermelon salad delivers an absolutely delicious and refreshing balance of seasonal flavors that perfectly encapsulate why sweet-and-salty is an enduring combo. The watermelon itself provides the crisp and juicy foundation of the salad. Meanwhile, the kiwi brings bright tropical notes that cut through the sweetness with refreshing acidity. The orange brings citrusy brightness and natural sweetness that brightens the entire bowl. The Feta cheese, however, is where the magic happens. The feta creates that signature 'Mediterranean salad contrast' that transforms this salad into something genuinely crave-worthy. A few sprigs of fresh mint complete the picture, providing aromatic depth.

In terms of texture, the watermelon and orange provide juicy, refreshing crunch, while the kiwi adds a tender graininess. The crumbled feta cheese brings creamy, salty richness. Together, these ingredients combine to create a salad with a lovely and layered complexity to its texture.

Watermelon Salad Difficulty Level

Sublimely easy. This recipe is about as simple as it gets. To make this watermelon feta salad, all we're doing is slicing some fruit, crumbling some cheese, and mixing it together. That's it. Five ingredients. As I said, this is a simple summer salad, but it doesn't skimp on flavor.

Preparations Process

From start to finish, this recipe takes a maximum of 15 minutes. We start with a large watermelon and slice it into chunks. Then, we peel and slice the kiwis. After that, we peel and segment a few oranges. Finally, we crumble the feta cheese, chop up some fresh mint, combine it in a large bowl, and serve.

Getting Creative

We'll cover this more below, but I want to say that tweaking this salad couldn't be easier. As a starting point, you might consider adding in extras like lemon juice, lime juice, or a drizzle of honey. Halved cherry tomatoes or cubed cucumber would also be delicious in this salad. For extra seasonal brightness and aromatic depth, you might consider adding in additional fresh herbs such as basil. Personally, I'd consider tossing in some finely chopped anise and red onions.

Pairing our Watermelon Salad

• Grilled Meat: This salad works best at outdoor gatherings, especially as a side to barbecued favorites such as grilled chicken, seared steaks, or BBQ pork chops.
• Seafood: Barbecued seafood such as grilled shrimp, salmon, or fish tacos all work great. This salad works especially well alongside smoky flavors.
• Appetizers: As a side to Mediterranean appetizers such as hummus, pita bread, or homemade flatbreads, olives, cheese, or charcuterie.

Watermelon Salad Recipe Ingredients

• 1 large watermelon, cubed or scooped (approximately 4-5 cups)
  • Seeded vs Seedless: Both work just fine. It's entirely preference. Seedless are more convenient for salads since you don't need to remove the seeds before cubing. Seeded watermelons, however, often have more flavor - except when they don't.
  • Drain the Excess Juices: While juicy watermelons create the best salad, this is only because juicy watermelons tend to have the most flavor. However, we actually do not want all of that juice draining into the salad otherwise it will become watery. To prevent this, place the sliced portions in a colander for 5-10 minutes to drain any excess juice. This prevents a watery salad.
  • Storage: Whole watermelons keep at room temperature for up to a week. Once cut, watermelon will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container - though it is best consumed within 1-2 days.
  • Substitutions: Cantaloupe or honeydew would be my go-to. Mango could also work.
• 3 Kiwis, peeled and sliced
  • Selecting Ripe Kiwis: You want kiwis that yield slightly to gentle pressure, but that aren't mushy. Hard kiwis are underripe and will be sour. Very soft kiwis are overripe and may have a fermented flavor.
  • Substitute: Star fruit, pineapple chunks, green grapes, or gooseberries would all work fine.
• 3 Oranges, peeled and chopped
  • What type of orange to use? I would opt for navel oranges. They're sweet, easy to peel, and virtually seedless. That said, any orange variety will get the job done - so feel free to use your favorite type, or whatever you have on hand.
  • Segmented and Chopped: I recommend segmenting the orange and then slicing the segments into halves, as shown in the pictures, for a more even distribution. That said, you can leave the segments whole if preferred.
• ½ cup Feta Cheese, Cubed or Crumbled
  • Why Quality Matters: The feta is the flavor anchor of the salad. It provides the salad with the salt contrast for the melon, and the creamy texture that builds complexity. With only five ingredients in this salad, that puts a lot of weight on the feta to elevate the salad's flavor profile.
  • Block Feta: Block feta provides fuller flavor, better texture, and is actually more affordable when priced per ounce. That means not only is block easier on your wallet, it's also higher quality.
  • Crumbled Feta: The only advantage to crumbled feta is convenience. Full stop. Crumbled is drier, and because it is drier it has less flavor and a less desirable texture. What's more, it is also usually more expensive.
• 3 tablespoons Fresh Mint
  • Fresh is Essential: Dried mint absolutely will not work for this recipe. Fresh mint provides bright, aromatic cooling notes that tie all of the other flavors together.
  • Rough Chop: Stack the leaves, then roll into a tight cylinder, and slice across for ribbons, then give the ribbons a few rough chops.
  • Don't Over-Chop: Excessive chopping bruises mint and reduces its flavor. Aim for medium-coarse pieces that are about one-quarter of an inch thick.
  • Substitutes: Fresh basil. It will bring a summery, anise-forward flavor to the salad, but will work beautifully in this recipe nevertheless. If using basil, consider drizzling a little extra virgin olive oil over the salad to give it an almost caprese salad flavor. Cilantro would also work nicely.

Choosing a Ripe Watermelon

• Check the Field Spot: The pale yellow or cream-colored patch where the watermelon rested on the ground should be a deep yellow or butter colored (not white or green). A white field spot indicates the watermelon was picked too early.
• Weight Test: When ripe, a watermelon should feel too heavy for its size. This weight indicates water content and juicy flesh.
• Sound Test: Tapping gently on the watermelon should produce a deep, hollow sound, rather than a dull thud.
• Shape and Appearance: You want a watermelon that is symmetrical and firm, without soft spots, bruises, or cuts. Webbing or "sugar spots" (brown, web-like patches on the skin indicate sweetness.

Watermelon Cutting Techniques

• Cubing: I recommend cubing for this particular recipe. To do this, slice off both ends of the watermelon, then stand the watermelon on the sliced end and slice off the rind in stripes around the watermelon. From there, cube the flesh into bite-sized pieces (about 1-inch cubes).
• Melon Balls: Use a melon baller for rounded portions. This is more time-consuming, but if you prefer the look, go for it.
• Triangular Wedges: Cut the thin triangular pieces for a more rustic appearance. This is, by far, the most time-consuming way to cut the melon.

Getting Creative - Making this Salad Your Own

One of the great things about this salad is just how easy it is to modify to suit your palate. Here are a few suggestions to get your creative juices flowing.

• Avocado Cubes: Add creamy richness and some nice color contrast. This is my go-to addition.
• Cucumber Slices: For some extra crunch and freshness. Particularly nice for a more Greek-inspired variation of the recipe.
• Jalapeno: Some thinly sliced jalapeno makes for a nice sweet-and-spicy version of this recipe.
• Balsamic Glaze Drizzle: Brings tangy depth and works particularly well when substituting basil for the mint.
• Arugula: Brings a nice peppery base and makes for a more substantial version of this salad.
• Lime Juice or Lemon Juice: A squeeze of lemon or lime juice brightens up the salad with some nice citrusy notes. The added acidic depth also works beautifully with the watermelon.

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And that's our Watermelon Salad with Feta, Kiwi, and Fresh Mint. If you enjoyed today's recipe or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below.

Happy Cooking!