Watermelon Salad with Cilantro & Feta
Enjoy the taste of summer with this simple Watermelon Salad, which features cilantro, feta, toasted pine nuts, and crisp cucumber on a bed of rocket salad.
Watermelon season is on! What better way to fill up on water than a pink, sweet, juicy watermelon? This popular combo of watermelon and feta has been around for some time now, and it seems to be here to stay. Every kid loves watermelon, so why not try it in a salad?
This watermelon salad with cilantro takes this famous duo of ingredients to another level. It features roasted pine nuts for crunch, arugula for a slight bitterness, and cucumber for extra freshness. Fresh cilantro replaces the usual mint but adds as much vigour to the salad. The dressing consists of simple extra-virgin olive oil and a balsamic glaze because sometimes, more straightforward is better.
The Perfect Salad Theory
I believe a perfect salad must always contain lettuce of some kind, a fruit, a nut, cheese or yogurt and some juicy tomato or cucumber. This way, you always get a delicious dish filled with nutrients, a mix of textures and many colours. Never sadder, in my book, than a plain lettuce salad.
Kid Friendly
I believe salads are divine! So fresh and healthy if not soaked in dressing. Young kids often find it challenging to dig into a green salad. However, they need to learn to appreciate a good salad. This is why this recipe is so great: the watermelon! No kid can resist a juicy, pink cube of watermelon. Right? If at least they dig in for the watermelon at first, maybe the second time around, they will dig in further, try the cheese, etc. However, I would first keep the cilantro away from the kid’s version because of its strength. So, you’d better omit it for them or start with simple, fresh basil, which would do wonders here, too.
Pine Nuts Toasting
These tiny nuts are incredible protein-packed gems that transform into a powerhouse ingredient with a touch of toasting. While they may be bland when raw, these little companions burst with a potent nutty flavour once toasted! Therefore, I suggest lightly toasting them before adding them to your Watermelon Salad with Cilantro. There is no need to use a special pan or oil; take any skillet or pan and move it up once in a while until golden.
Other Summer Dishes
Watermelon Salad with Cilantro & Feta
Ingredients
- 2 cups arugula
- 100 g feta cheese
- 1 slice of watermelon cut into small cubes
- ½ cucumber sliced into small cubes
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 2 tbsp cilantro to taste
Dressing
- extra-virgin olive oil
- balsamic cream
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pine seeds at medium-high heat in a non-stick pan until golden.
- Assemble the salad.
Video
Nutrition
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying a full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share your thoughts on it! Leave a comment or share a picture and tag me @littlenomadsrecipes on Instagram.
What a delicious combination of foods! I’m Definitely giving a try!
Definitely!
Great recipe. I love watermelon. I need to try it.
Watermelon is the best fruit for the summer! Filled with water and yummy!
This is so bright and fresh for the season! Everyone loved it, and I personally love the added touch of balsamic drizzle. So many wonderful flavor combos!
I’m a big balsamic glaze fan too! So yummy!
This was fabulous! What a tasty summer salad. I made this for a party and it was a hit.
Glad it was a success!
I found your recipe right at the perfect time! I had some watermelon to use up, some cucumbers and a house full of visiting family. They all thought this salad was super delicious and it disappeared quickly.
Glad it disappeared so quickly!
This is so much better than your standard watermelon feta salad. The addition of cucumbers and cilantro makes it so fresh. The whole family loved it!
So fresh, usually you see mint but I find mint overpowering. Cilantro is just right to catch the essence of the watermelon.
Such a delicious and refreshing summer salad – I could eat this every day!
I know, me too, and would if I would have recipes to create.
This salad has so many ingredients that I love in it. Such a dreamy blend of flavours! I will be enjoying this all summer.
So refreshing this summer salad, enjoy!
Wow! I love all these amazing ingredients, however how can I lower the calories and carbs? Are there other substitutes that I can make, perhaps with the pine nuts?
Pine nuts are low carb, they can be in moderation in the Keto diet. They bring very little carb and fat, so maybe just cut on the amount and you are in business.