Greek-Style Watermelon Salad

By Mark Bittman

Updated October 16, 2023

  • Craig Lee for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(3,098)
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

  • 3 cups cubed watermelon

  • 2 large ripe tomatoes

  • 1 medium cucumber

  • 1 small red onion

  • ⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives

  • ⅓ cup 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)

18 grams carbs; 11 milligrams cholesterol; 153 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 8 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 721 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 11 grams sugar

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
3,098 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.

Goodcourageruth

Delicious! I thought I had most of a jar of Kalamata olives in the fridge but SOMEBODY has been snacking on the so there we 5 olives left. I’m getting another jar before we dig in and finish it up tomorrow. This is going in the rotation.

Lu

Mostly pantry friendly. But it turned out to be a great hot summer (90°s for the last 11 days) refreshing treat.

KTG

Spectacular summer salad. I didn't have parsley or mint but it was great with Basil and Dill. added celery for extra crunch. Used white balsamic vinegar because that is what I had. Did not drain any fruit/vegetables so had lots of wonderful liquid at the bottom of the bowl which I drank.

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