I love the flavor combination in this simple watermelon, arugula, and feta salad. It is a cool, crisp summer salad and is perfect to serve with anything you are grilling.
There is nothing better than a light and refreshing summer salad during the hot summer months. This watermelon, arugula, and feta salad is made with simple ingredients, but is bursting with flavor. You get the sweet from the watermelon, salty tang from the feta, and peppery flavor from the arugula. In addition, it is all complimented by the mint, balsamic glaze, and red onion.
The first time I tried the watermelon-feta combination was at a wedding. The appetizer was simply a cube of watermelon, small piece of mint, and a hunk of feta. One bite and immediately all my food senses were triggered by the sweet, salty, juicy combination. Who knew feta and watermelon were a match made in heaven.
Nutritional Benefits
Watermelon is over 90% water and is incredibly hydrating during the summer months. Although it is low in calories, protein, and fat, watermelon still offers many nutritional benefits.
Nutrients found in watermelon:
- Beta carotene (Vitamin A) – is important for eye health and helps boost the immune system
- Vitamin C- helps boost the immune system’s defense against infections and viruses
- Vitamin B6- helps the immune system produce antibodies, which are needed to fight disease. It is also important for keeping the nervous system healthy
- Lycopene- an antioxidant, which helps fight free radicals in your body which cause damage to cells. In other words, antioxidants like lycopene, help keep cells working properly. Lycopene is what gives the fruit its red color and is also found in tomatoes, pink grapefruit, and papaya.
This salad is the perfect side dish and is great to bring to a bbq. Add a protein or a grain to make it a more filling and nutritionally dense meal. For instance, add chicken, shrimp, tofu, quinoa, barley, or farro. My marinated lemon garlic chicken would be delicious served on top of this salad.
I am not a big fan of using fresh mint in dishes. But I have to be honest, the mint is what really makes this salad. Also, I recommend buying a block of feta that is packed in brine. Its flavor is superior to the vacuum packed variety.
Also, if you don’t have balsamic glaze, use regular balsamic. Experiment with a balsamic reduction (thickened balsamic) by gently boiling balsamic vinegar over low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent it from burning, until sauce has reduced by about half. Let cool before you use.
Watermelon , Arugula, & Feta Salad
crisp summer salad and is perfect to serve with anything you are grilling. Servings:2-3 large salads
4-5 side salads
Ingredients
- 6 cups arugula
- 2 cups watermelon diced into 1 inch cubes
- ⅓ cup feta cheese
- 10-12 mint leaves sliced
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- Extra virgin olive oil drizzled
- Balsamic glaze drizzled
Instructions
- To marinate red onion (this is optional- makes it less strong tasting compared to when it is raw): place the sliced red onion in a wide bottom bowl. Cover the onions 3/4 of the way with red wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar) and then add water until the onion Is submerged. Set aside and occasionally stir. This is best done at least an hour before eating, the longer it sits the better.
- To assemble the salad, place the arugula in a medium bowl or on a large platter. Add the remaining ingredients (through red onion- Be sure to strain the red wine vinegar from the onions before adding to the salad).
- Wait until you are ready to serve to dress the salad, since the arugula will get soggy if it sits in the dressing for too long. Drizzle the salad with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Just a note: this recipe is based on approximate measurements. It is up to your taste and preference for how much of each ingredient you add to the salad.
Want more BBQ/summer recipe ideas? Check out the recipes below
What is your favorite summer salad? Share below or if you try this recipe out leave a comment to let me know how you liked it! Also, be sure to stay in touch and follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
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