Greek-Style Watermelon Salad

By Mark Bittman

Updated Oct. 17, 2023

Greek-Style Watermelon Salad
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(2,928)
Comments
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It's not an immediately obvious combination – watermelon, cucumber, olives and feta – but one bite will leave you convinced that this savory-sweet summer salad is something truly special. The astringent punch of the olives and feta provides a sophisticated counterpoint to the watery mellowness of the melon and cucumber. With a hunk of bread, it's a lovely light lunch; with practically any grilled meat or fish, it's an ideal summer supper.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 3cups cubed watermelon
  • 2large ripe tomatoes
  • 1medium cucumber
  • 1small red onion
  • ⅓cup pitted kalamata olives
  • ⅓cup crumbled feta
  • Some chopped parsley and mint
  • Olive oil and red-wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

149 calories; 8 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 701 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl combine 3 cups cubed watermelon; 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped; 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped; 1 small red onion, sliced; ⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives; ⅓ cup crumbled feta; and some chopped parsley and mint. Drizzle with olive oil and red-wine vinegar, sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss and serve.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,928 user ratings
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Comments

Tim F.

Made this on July 4, 2015 in my cheeky current events crossed with holiday way. (Grexit Independence Day Salad, getit?)

To the point, a great combination of flavors and textures. I used about double the olives because olives are tasty. Also let the cubed watermelon sit in a strainer for about 5-10 minutes while I was doing the other prep to let some water drain.

The Gourmet Foodie

This recipe was phenomenal. In reading other reviews, the main complaint was regarding the pooling of juices (watermelon, oil, and vinegar). To remedy, I compiled the ingredients by layer (in recipe order), making the watermelon & cheese the "last" items. Do not add the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper until "just before" tossing and serving. Vinegar & salt soften the walls of the watermelon accelerating the pooling. This is SOOOOO DELICIOUS!

Till

Best. Summer. Salad. Period. Make sure to use well chilled watermelon straight from the fridge. Also, I used white balsamic vinegar (condimento bianco) which worked wonderfully.

Lulu

Since I'm salt free diet I use lemon gree and mozarella

Lori de Ravello

I liked the flavors, but a bit soupy. I appreciate the recommendations to drain the watermelon well and to add olive oil and vinegar last. I think I will blend the leftovers and make an actual cold soup.

Annie

Delicious salad. I have made it a few times now. One note of caution, the red onions can overwhelm all the nice flavors. One time I sliced them ahead of time and microwaved them for a minute to mellow their flavor, but this last time I ended up trying to remove as many as possible from the salad. One taste was all it took to realize they were ruining it. Still a favorite though.

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