This salad is summer in a bowl. This Watermelon feta salad is super simple, refreshing and full of my favorite summer fruit – watermelon! Ready in under 10 minutes including making the homemade balsamic tahini dressing! That's what I call a simple summer meal! This watermelon feta salad is gluten free, vegetarian, and easy to make!
Watermelon Feta Salad – Summer Love
Let's be honest, there is never a bad way to enjoy watermelon! Am I right? Putting it in a watermelon feta salad is just one more way to get in some extra!
I was lucky enough to pick out the most delicious and perfectly ripe watermelon the other day at the store. After practically stuffing myself silly on watermelon, I got my act together and decided I better make some dinner before the watermelon was completely gone. Did you know I have absolutely no self control around watermelon? It's a curse I swear!
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With that being said, you shouldn't be surprised that those perfectly ripe chunks of watermelon made their way into my dinner salad and tada, the watermelon geta salad. OMG what a perfect meal! It was sweet, salty, crunchy and peppery.
Seriously this watermelon feta salad hit on so many notes. And it's all food I normally have in the fridge or the pantry so this is certainly going to become a regular meal this summer! Well his salad or my favorite watermelon gazpacho, I think I'll make that next week!
Balsamic Tahini Dressing
Making salad dressing was always something that intimated me during my fat phobia days. I remember watching Bobby Flay or Ida make dressing on the Food Network and thinking OMG ALL THAT OIL!! I was baffled and swore I would find a way to make dressing without fat. Ahem all vinegar.
But I've learned my lesson. Fat is not something to fear. Well at least not healthy fats! I love using nut butters like tahini as the base of my salad dressing. They bring such interesting flavor and the fat helps you feel full and satiated as well as help you absorb the fat soluble vitamins from your salad. Needless to say, my salad dressing always has some healthy fats (in moderation of course).
What I love the most about this dressing is that it's just a few simple ingredients and you can make it in a mason jar in like 1 minute. Just stir and shake and viola, the perfect salad dressing (or vegetable dipping sauce ever) and all the ingredients are things you can pronounce and recognize as food! That is how I like to fuel my body!
P.S. be careful about the balsamic vinegar you pickup. I randomly grabbed a bottle at Trader Joe's (one that I've bought and used for quite some time) but decided to turn around the bottle and check the ingredients. I had to put it back on the shelf. It has caramel coloring in it. UGH. Why do they gotta go and do that!! Luckily I've been buying this awesome balsamic vinegar at Costco for my clients and I was able to use that – no crazy chemicals or additives in that!
Did you know that you are suppose to wash your watermelon (all melons) before cutting into them? I really hadn't thought much of it, since we don't eat the skin but as soon as someone mentioned it to me, it made sense. You have to cut through the skin to get to the juicy melon, and anything on the outside then gets transferred to what you are eating. YUCK! So before you go cutting into that melon, take a few minutes and wash it with some produce wash. It's a step I don't miss and now I bet you won't either!
Watermelon Feta Salad with Balsamic Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 bags arugula
- 2 cups watermelon chunks
- 2-3 tbs. feta cheese crumbles - omit for vegan
- 2-3 tbs. chopped walnuts
Balsamic Tahini Dressing
- 3 tbs. tahini
- 3 tbs. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbs water
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Place the arugula, watermelon, crumbled feta and chopped walnuts in a large salad bowl.
- In a mason jar make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and stirring. Finish with a quick shake after securing the lid tightly.
- Pour over the salad and enjoy!
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What about you?
- How do you like to enjoy watermelon?
- What's your favorite summer salad?
- Give me a fun fact about watermelon I don't know!
Elaine Matthews
This salad looks amazing!!
Kristy
Thanks for linking up with us at A Little Bird Told Me link party. You’re one of my features this week! Great recipe!
Victoria @DazzleWhileFrazzled
This looks good! I’ve never tried watermelon in a salad but I’m sure it’s tasty. Of course, add some walnuts and I’m a fan! Thanks for linking up with Funtastic Friday.
Jess @hellotofit
Oh, Sam…I just LOVE watermelon in salads!! I usually have it fresh, but had it in a feta and blueberry salad for the first time last summer. JUST DELICIOUS!
Liz @ The Clean Eating Couple
Love everything about this! That dressing sounds fab. Gotta try this with some chicken :)
Cathy Lawdanski
I love all of these flavors and like you, always have this stuff in my fridge. Great salad recipe!
Danita Carr
Yum! Looks beautiful and delicious! Thanks for sharing! #SmallVictories
Debra @ Bowl Me Over
Beautiful salad, gorgeous styling & fabulous pictures! I love watermelon paired with feta and arugula – such a yummy combination!! Hey thanks for sharing with us at #FoodieFriDIY – wanted to pop by and let you know I’ll be featuring your delicious salad this week on the link-up – have a great rest of the week, hope to see you Friday!
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
This sounds delicious! ‘Adding the ingredients to my shopping list right now AND I’d like to feature this post today at Tuesdays with a Twist! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Theresa
Perfect timing we just got a watermelon. Can’t wait to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing at the Inspiration Spotlight party. Pinned & shared. See you again soon. Have a great weekend.
Julie @ Running in a Skirt
Oh yum!!! This is a dream salad for me. Can’t wait for all the watermelon to come out.
rachel @ athletic avocado
drooling over that dressing, so delish! Pinning this bad boy :)
jill conyers
I’ve been craving watermelon too. Love the blend of flavors in this recipe.
Have a great Friday Sam.
Kristy @ Southern In Law
Oooh, this looks so so delicious! Watermelon and feta salads are probably my all time favourite! So much so that we even had it at our wedding, canape style ;)
Lauren @ The Bikini Experiment
This salad is gorgeous!. My go to salad in the summer is english cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, black olives and feta cheese with a little olive oil and lemon.
Susie @ Suzlyfe
Mouth is totally watering right now. In 3rd grade (back when I didn’t like watermelon, actually), we had a watermelon seed spitting contest. As part of school. It was awesome, and I lost rather badly. I guess you can’t have all the talents, right?