Sweet Watermelon, salty Feta, on a Salad bed of healthy greens or a whimsical Rubik Cube over basil, with Mediterranean Lemon Herb dressing.
Watermelon: Summer’s Perfect Fruit
While I could think of numerous salads I long for during summer, none captures my longing quite as readily as a watermelon and feta salad.
The delicious contrast of sweet, juicy watermelon, creamy salty feta cheese, over a bed of crisp greens and fresh herbs, is simply summer on a plate.
While we might have to wait well into summer before the perfect sweet melons are sun kissed ready, and peak sweetness, it is so worth it.
Do be certain to buy many, cut some for now, cube and freeze many bags for later.
Watermelon Drink Recipe
When you are in want of a perfect summertime, hot day cocktail or mocktail, the frozen chunks of watermelon will be ready and waiting for a scrumptious treat I call: Watermelon Cocktail or Mocktail!
Like to drink your salads? Don’t forget how easy and convenient it is to toss watermelon, other healthy ingredients and some ice into a blender for a great smoothie.
Smoothies are not only great for a busy lifestyle, making sure to get your day’s nutrients, but also great for getting kids to eat healthy ingredients they might otherwise turn their nose up at.
Salty Feta & Sweet Watermelon
Did you know that salt makes sweets sweeter?
As a kid, growing up, I had friends that use to put salt on fruit. That left a lasting memory of fruit with salt for me.
Fast forward, and now it’s a thing well, maybe not exactly salt on fruit, but salty things mixed with sweet things.
You know what? The salty ingredient actually makes the sweet ingredients taste sweeter in contrast.
Salad Greens
Any green would be refreshingly complimentary in this salad but my first choice is often the dark green, gentle flavor of the spinach leaf.
The pink watermelon looks so pretty against the spinach leaf and the spinach does not compete with the juice that emits from the watermelon the way, say an iceberg lettuce would.
Watermelon Recipes With Fun Shapes
While cubes of watermelon can be cut at the same size as the feta, I love the whimsical added touch of using cookie cutters to press shapes out of the watermelon.
But, here is the catch to that; potential waste from the scraps.
Since watermelon is easy to make cutouts with, there is still more fruit that will be left behind, but now worry, we’ve got a plan for that too!
Summertime’s Favorite Watermelon Recipe
What’s not to love about Popsicles! In the heat of summer, an ice cold, healthy frozen treat is something we all can enjoy.
Since watermelon is loaded with more juice than just about any other fruit, they make the perfect choice for whipping up homemade popsicles.
While a watermelon popsicle is perfect for summertime, don’t forget to stash a few extras deep in the freezer for cold and flu season as the perfect hydration for a cough or sore throat.
Ingredients Needed
- Watermelon
- Spinach
- Feta
- Lemon Thyme Dressing
- Smoked dried chili flakes
Equipment Needed
- Cutting board
- Chopping knife
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Large spoon
Looking For A Whimsical Way To Serve Watermelon Feta Salad?
As I was cutting out lots of star shapes in my watermelon for this salad, the scraps were plentiful enough to do something a little whimsical with.
Long strips of watermelon were cut into half inch cubes, and set aside. I wanted to attempt a delicious yet whimsical Rubiks Cube presentation with watermelon and feta.
Tips For Cutting Feta So It Doesn’t Crumble
The feta was going to be a bit more challenging to cut, so I popped the long strips of feta into the freezer for a short time.
The type of feta used will play a role in how crumbly the feta is. Feta made from goat’s milk tends to crumble more than cow’s milk.
Types Of Milk Used To Make Feta
While we often have a preference in flavor, when it comes to milk, traditionally feta is made with sheep’s milk.
Sheep’s milk feta is my favorite, probably because growing up in a Mediterranean influenced home, sheep milk feta was the only feta I knew.
Now, you will find that most feta in the grocery store, unless otherwise stated, is made with cow’s milk.
While I don’t prefer the ultimate flavor to the traditional feta I grew up with, this type of feta crumbles less, making it easier to work with in a variety of recipes.
Watermelon and Feta Rubik Cube Salad
Having cut the feta and watermelon in as exact cubes in size as I could manage, I stacked them like a Rubik Cube.
First row lined up as watermelon, then feta, then watermelon. The next row behind it the opposite and so on.
Then the next row on top stacked contrastingly with feta, then watermelon, then feta until you’ve stacked a sufficient size cube to serve as a salad.
While it is not quite so easy to move, once shaped, I’d suggest stacking the cube right on top of the individual plate it will be served on and place the green salad around it!
Watermelon Feta Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Cutting board and sharp knife
Ingredients
- 2 cups Watermelon cubed or cutouts
- 3 cups Spinach
- 4 oz Feta cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp Dried Mint
- 1/4 cup Lemon herb salad dressing homemade
- 1 tbsp Smoked dried chili flakes optional
Instructions
- Toss the spinach with the mint and dressing. Place in one bowl or four individual plates.
- Arrange the watermelon and feta cheese on top. Sprinkle the chili flakes and serve.
- If going for the Rubik Cube, simply stack small cubes of watermelon and feta as is done in the Rubik cube, over a bed of dressed spinach and serve.
Video
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.