Watermelon, Feta, Cucumber & Tomato Salad by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
August 21, 2025
This is a SUMMER salad, if ever there was one. Crispy, crunchy, simple and vibrant. There’s nothing like eating diced pieces of watermelon. And I cannot explain why this is, but this salad will be more enjoyable if you focus on your knife skills and cut the
watermelon and cucumber into small even cubes. Why? Because the textures will be more satisfying!
I added chopped pistachios on top but chopped almonds or walnuts would work as well. Don’t put too much dressing on the finished salad. I recommend just a few drizzles and serving extra dressing alongside.
Ingredients
¼ whole, small seedless 10-12 pound (!) watermelon, rind removed, with a yield of about
1.5 pounds
5-6-ounces feta cheese, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
½ pint yellow grape tomatoes, washed and dried
Fresh mint leaves, washed and dried
½ cup white balsamic salad dressing (homemade or purchased), or any sweetish, mild
vinaigrette
A pinch or two of fresh ground black pepper
1/3rd cup toasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
Directions
Cut the watermelon.Trim the rind completely off the wedge of watermelon. Cut the wedge into even slices, about ½ -inch thick. Lay each slice down on the cutting board and cut each slice into ½ -inch strips. And then cut each strip into ½ -inch diced pieces. Add all the diced watermelon to a large bowl. (You should have about 4-5 cups of diced watermelon.)
Dry the block of feta cheese on a paper towel and dice the cheese into ¼-inch pieces. (Yes, a little smaller dice than the watermelon pieces.) Add to a separate bowl. Peel the cucumber and trim off the ends. Cut the cucumber into 3 or four pieces. Cut each piece into quarters and then cut each ‘stick-shaped’ cucumber piece into ½-inch pieces. Add the diced cucumber to the bowl with the watermelon and gently mix together.
Peel the cucumber and trim off the ends. Cut the cucumber into 3 or four pieces. Cut each piece into quarters and then cut each ‘stick-shaped’ cucumber piece into ½-inch pieces. Add the diced cucumber to the bowl with the watermelon and gently mix together.
To serve:I think this salad looks best served on a platter rather than in a bowl. Fill the bottom of the platter with the watermelon and cucumbers. Add the feta and tomatoes, distributing evenly. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of vinaigrette. (Serve extra dressing on the side.) Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Garnish with mint leaves, torn into pieces for extra flavor. Add fresh ground black pepper to your taste.
Servings: 4-6 as a side dish
Prep time: 20-30 minutes, depending on the watermelon prep you must do.
