Watermelon Basil Feta Salad

A summer favorite, this fresh Watermelon Basil Feta Salad in a balsamic reduction is a simple and refreshing summer side dish. It’s gluten free and nut free, and the whole family will love it. This side dish can really be served with any dinner and comes together quickly and tastes refreshingly delicious.

During the summer, we eat a lot of watermelon at our house. Watermelon is so refreshing on a hot August day. I wanted to change things up a bit and experimented with a few different ways to make watermelon salad. For me, I found the perfect combination.

This salad is so versatile. It goes with grilled meats so nicely. There really is so much flavor, and it is one of the simplest dishes to make. You do not need any fancy equipment to make this side dish.

WHY USING FRESH HERBS ARE IMPORTANT?

I think that for any good dish, especially in the summer, use fresh herbs whenever possible. Fresh herbs really can add to any dish, and really amp up the flavor profile of anything you do make. Basil and mint are a perfect combination for this watermelon basil feta salad.

I have honestly used both basil and mint in this dish, and each was great. I can tell that I really did enjoy the basil flavor slightly more than the mint, but it does depend on personal preference. If you are not into basil, you can definitely omit it, but I do believe fresh herbs are necessary for this dish.

In addition, you would not believe how well feta and basil goes with Watermelon. I knew that this side dish needed a dressing to really make the flavor profiles pop. So, I added a little light olive oil and finished the top with a balsamic reduction. Can I just yum yum. This was such a hit at the last dinner party I went to. You know something is good when your friends go for seconds.

WHY ARE FETA AND WATERMELON THE PERFECT PAIRING?

The saltiness of the feta pairs perfectly with watermelon and provides the right level of sweetness.

WHY THIS WATERMELON BASIL FETA SALAD RECIPE REALLY DOES WORK-

• This recipe truly is a keeper because it’s such a creative way of combining two of my favorite summer dishes, which are salad and watermelon. Why not bring this side dish to your next pot luck instead of bringing the traditional salad?
• This recipe is a great way to use leftover watermelon. Sometimes, watermelons can be huge and you don’t always know what to do with all the watermelon. Now, you can use your leftovers to make this amazing salad. If you enjoy salads, please check out my Gluten Free Broccolini Kale Caesar Salad. It’s not only delicious, it’s super easy to come together, and a different approach to a regular Caesar salad.

WHAT DRESSING GOES WITH THIS SALAD?

For this recipe, I’m keeping things simple. I am just using light olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic reduction on the top.

THIS DISH IS NATURALLY GLUTEN-FREE

Another great benefit of this dish is that it is gluten-free. This is something you can bring to a potluck without worry. And all your celiac friends will definitely thank you for bringing this dish.

HOW LONG WILL THIS SALAD KEEP?

I can honestly say that because it does have dressing on it, it tastes best the day it’s made.

CAN THIS BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

Of course it can. You can chop up the watermelon and leave it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble. Then, add all your ingredients before serving. The hardest part of this dish is chopping the watermelon.

WHY I USE LIGHT OLIVE OIL FOR WATERMELON BASIL FETA SALAD?

Well, first of all, the summer is already hot. For me, regular olive oil can seem rather heavy during the hot summer months. I like the taste of the light olive oil with this. I feel that it doesn’t take away from the star ingredient which is the watermelon. Regular olive oil would just be too heavy for this dish.

THIS DISH IS ONE OF THE EASIEST SALADS YOU CAN MAKE-

This watermelon basil feta salad comes together in less than 20 minutes. The most time consuming part is chopping up the watermelon. You could definitely used a pre-cut watermelon, but I like a whole watermelon that I can pick out and cut up. Plus, I’m controlling which watermelon I want to use for this salad.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED-

• 1 Smaller Size Whole Seedless Watermelon.
• 3/4 Cup Feta
• 1/3 Cup Light Olive Oil
• 3-4 Tbsp of Balsamic Reduction
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 10 Basil Leaves chopped

INSTRUCTIONS NEEDED FOR WATERMELON BASIL FETA SALAD-

1. First of all, you need to chop up your seedless watermelon. I usually do this the day before I make this as the watermelon has time to chill in the fridge overnight. Cut the watermelon into bite sized pieces. Use a large mixing bowl for this.
2. Add the crumbled feta into the watermelon.
3. Chop the fresh Basil leaves and toss into the watermelon salad.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Add the light olive oil and toss well but gently.
6. Right before serving, add the balsamic reduction drizzled over the top.
7. Serve and enjoy.

Watermelon Basil Feta Salad

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 6 reviews

A summer favorite, this fresh Watermelon Basil Feta Salad in a balsamic reduction is a simple and refreshing summer side dish. It’s gluten free and nut free, and the whole family will love it. This side dish can really be served with any dinner and comes together quickly and tastes refreshingly delicious.

• Author: Allie
• Prep Time: 20 Minutes
• Total Time: 20 Minutes
• Yield: 15 1x
• Category: Side Dishes
• Method: No Bake
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 Smaller Size Whole Seedless Watermelon. 
• 3/4 Cup Feta
• 1/3 Cup Light Olive Oil
• 3–4 Tbsp of Balsamic Reduction
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 10 Basil Leaves chopped

Instructions

• First of all, you need to chop up your seedless watermelon. I usually do this the day before I make this as the watermelon has time to chill in the fridge overnight. Cut the watermelon into bite sized pieces. Use a large mixing bowl for this.  I usually try to buy a watermelon between 5-7 pounds.
• Add the crumbled feta into the watermelon.
• Chop the fresh Basil leaves and toss into the watermelon salad.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the light olive oil and toss well but gently.
• Right before serving, add the balsamic reduction drizzled over the top.
• Serve and enjoy.

Keywords: Watermelon Basil Feta Salad, Gluten Free, Summer, Fresh, Basil, Feta, Herbs, Olive Oil, Side Dishes

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