Watermelon, Feta & Mint Salad with Quinoa
This Watermelon, Feta & Mint Salad gets the added twist of some quinoa for a perfect summer party or picnic side dish!
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Summer in Chicago, really all of the Midwest and likely anywhere it gets really cold in the winter, is a precious commodity. So what do we do when the sun shines?? You have BBQs and rooftop parties! Basically, anything that will get you outside in the warm weather. When I’m going to an outdoor party, I want to bring something tasty and somewhat healthy that will travel and keep well.
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Recipe Highlights
The perfect salads for summer parties are flavorful, can be made ahead of time and are fairly easy to make. Traveling well is a bonus! This watermelon salad is exactly that!
- One of the reasons I love this salad is because it’s super easy to make and comes together in less than 30 minutes, including the time it takes to chop the watermelon.
- Adding quinoa to this salad gives it a bit of extra protein and substance.
- Watermelon and mint create a super flavorful, summery combo.
- This salad can be left out of the refrigerator for a while, making it ideal for a backyard BBQ or potluck.
- You can easily double or even triple the recipe if you need to feed a crowd.
Recipe Ingredients + Substitutions
The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Watermelon: Using seedless watermelon in this salad makes it much easier to eat. You can usually find a whole watermelon or large sections of seedless watermelon in most major grocery stores in the summertime.
- Feta cheese: Precrumbled feta cheese is the easiest option for this recipe. It provides a nice balance to the sweet watermelon.
- Quinoa: Quinoa is known as a “superfood” and a great way to add protein to salads and other dishes.
- Mint leaves: You can add as much or as little as you like.
- Lime: The fresh lime juice adds a little extra zing to this salad.
- Balsamic glaze: This adds richness and depth of flavor to the salad and makes it a little unique.
- Olive oil: Use the highest quality olive oil that fits in your budget.
What you’ll need for this recipe
Serving bowl with lid – For outdoor gatherings, I’m a fan of non-breakable serving dishes to avoid accidents. These bowls are nice enough to serve in but also have lids so you can easily store and transport whatever is in them.
Handheld Juicer – This is my new favorite juicer! The design makes juicing really easy and it’s easy to clean. It works for both lemons and limes.
How to make this recipe
I love this salad because it’s really easy to make and only requires a handful of ingredients.
- Cook the quinoa. Start by cooking the quinoa according to the package directions. You’ll want to do this slightly in advance, up to several days in advance, so it has a chance to cool.
- Assemble the salad. While the quinoa is cooking, chop the watermelon and add it along with the feta to a mixing bowl. Add the quinoa and mix everything together. Then add a squeeze of lime juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss the salad and top it with fresh, chopped mint leaves.
Make Ahead Tips
If you want to prep this salad ahead of time so you can have it ready in a snap, cook a big batch of quinoa at the beginning of the week. It keeps in your refrigerator for several days and you can use the rest to make this Quinoa Breakfast Bowl or this Chicken Quinoa Salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can but I prefer seedless watermelon as it’s easier to eat.
Watermelon can get soggy and produce a lot of liquid after it’s chopped so I suggest assembling the salad within an hour of when you plan to serve it.
Serving Suggestions
For a great, easy party menu, I’d serve this with:
Cowboy Caviar – This makes a great starter for any party.
Tortellini Salad – This pasta salad has chicken in it so it can double as a main dish.
Pulled Pork Sliders – The pulled pork can be made ahead of time and then served with the toppings on the side so your guests can make their own sliders.
No Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream – Ice cream always makes a great summer treat!
More summer salad recipes
If you are looking for other great summer salads check out these reader favorites:
-
A Summer Quinoa Salad: Honey Quinoa with Cherries + Cashews
-
Summer Panzanella (Bread) Salad
-
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
-
Tuscan White Bean Salad
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Watermelon, Feta & Mint Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup white quinoa
- 6 cups cubed seedless watermelon
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- juice of one lime
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup mint leaves chopped
Instructions
-
Cook quinoa. Place quinoa in a small saucepan and add ½ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Let cool slightly.
-
Assemble salad. Add watermelon and feta to a mixing bowl. Add cooled quinoa, stir to combine. Add lime juice and olive oil; toss to coat. Top with chopped mint and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in July 2018. It was updated in June 2024 with some new information and photos. No changes were made to the original recipe.
