Watermelon Salad with Feta, Peanuts & Lime Mint Dressing
Watermelon Salad with Feta, Peanuts & Lime Mint Dressing
Recreate this refreshing watermelon salad with feta, roasted peanuts, fresh mint, and a bright lime dressing. The perfect summer side for burgers and cookouts.
Watermelon Salad with Feta, Peanuts & Lime Mint Dressing
Sometimes the best summer recipes barely feel like recipes.
My wife, my dad, and I recently had a rare night without the kids. We celebrated by lingering over a two-hour dinner al fresco at one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants. The homemade pasta with crab and sweet corn was excellent, but it was this simple watermelon salad that I couldn't stop thinking about. It reminded me that some of the most memorable dishes aren't the most complicated. They're the ones that know exactly when enough is enough.
A few days later, I recreated it at home with a few small changes. Instead of the restaurant's version, I added roasted peanuts for crunch and made a bright lime and mint dressing with a touch of red pepper flakes. The result was fresh, balanced, and exactly what I want to eat on a hot summer evening.
Why This Watermelon Salad Works
Every ingredient has a purpose.
The watermelon brings sweetness and plenty of juice.
Feta adds creamy saltiness.
Roasted peanuts provide an unexpected crunch and a rich, nutty flavor.
Fresh mint keeps everything cool and refreshing.
The lime dressing ties it all together with acidity, olive oil, and just enough heat from the red pepper flakes.
Nothing competes. Everything balances.
Ingredients
For the Salad
1 small seedless watermelon, cut into wedges or large cubes
5–6 ounces feta cheese in brine, thinly sliced
¾ cup roasted salted peanuts
¼ cup fresh mint, thinly sliced
For the Lime Mint Dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely sliced
Instructions
Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until combined.
Arrange the watermelon on a serving platter.
Spoon the dressing over the watermelon.
Scatter the feta evenly across the top.
Sprinkle with the roasted peanuts.
Finish with a little extra fresh mint and another crack of black pepper if desired.
Serve immediately while the watermelon is cold.
A Few Tips
Chill the watermelon before serving. Cold watermelon makes the whole salad more refreshing.
Dress the watermelon just before serving so it stays crisp.
Good feta makes a difference. Buy a block in brine and thinly slice it yourself, if possible.
Use roasted salted peanuts rather than raw peanuts. The extra crunch and salt are worth it.
What to Serve With It
This is one of those sides that makes almost any cookout feel more complete.
We served it with grilled burgers, but it would be equally good alongside grilled chicken, cedar plank salmon, pork chops, or even grilled shrimp.
The acidity from the lime cuts through rich grilled foods, while the watermelon cools everything back down.
Summer Doesn't Need to Be Complicated
One of my favorite parts of summer cooking is that the ingredients do most of the work.
A ripe watermelon.
Fresh mint.
Good olive oil.
Real feta.
A handful of peanuts.
That's enough to make something people remember.
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