Watermelon Feta & Basil Salad

This watermelon feta basil salad is so refreshing and the perfect summer side dish! It’s filled with sweet watermelon, salty feta cheese, and paired with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

I’ve been on a huge salad kick lately. Every day we make something with tons of different veggies and sometimes a touch of fruit for sweetness! This watermelon salad is perfect if you love a little bit of a sweet bite in your bowl of greens.

Every bit of this salad is so refreshing and has all the flavors you could ask for in a summery salad! A little bit of juicy watermelon, some salt from the feta, crunchy cool cucumbers, and then a tangy balsamic vinaigrette to top it off.

I promise that you’ll love every bite of this fruity side dish!

Ingredients You Need

You’ll need just 10 ingredients to make this salad and the dressing! Even though these are the ingredients I used, you’ll find there’s plenty of room to customize this salad to your preferred taste.

Watermelon: fresh, juicy watermelon cubes for sweetness!
Arugula: for a little flavor and as a base of greens. You can also swap for any other leafy green you love!
Cucumber: for some crunch.
Feta cheese: a “salty” flavor to pair with the sweet watermelon.
Red onion: for a zing of flavor!
Fresh basil: try to use fresh basil and not dried.
Oil: olive or avocado for the dressing base!
Balsamic vinegar: this will add some tang to the dressing.
Garlic powder: for flavor!
Maple syrup: to naturally sweeten the dressing and help the vinegar balance out. You can also swap for honey or coconut sugar.

How to Make It

First, whisk all of your dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Taste and adjust flavor if needed.

Then arrange salad ingredients in a large bowl or serving plate, and drizzle a generous serving of dressing over top. Serve with chopped fresh basil and cracked black pepper to taste!

Extra Tips for Sucess

Switch up the greens – if you don’t like arugula, you can swap for spinach, butter lettuce, or spring mix.
Additional herbs – I love fresh basil in this salad, but you can also add fresh oregano or mint.
Use balsamic glaze – if you have balsamic glaze (reduced balsamic vinegar) on hand, you can use it instead of the homemade vinaigrette.
Add protein – you can pair this salad with some protein like chickpeas, lentils, or your favorite grilled meat.
Add nuts – add a little more texture to your salad by topping with chopped walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or cashews.
Best cheese to pair with watermelon – I used salty marinated feta in this salad, but you can also use mozzarella or goat cheese.
Keep leftovers fresh – store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days.

More Summer Salads to Try

Tuscan Artichoke Salad
Greek Cucumber Tomato Salad
The Best Crunchy Lentil Salad
Avocado & Strawberry Spinach Salad