Watermelon Feta Salad is a light and refreshing summer salad recipe with a sweet-tart reduced balsamic reduction. Gorgeous and perfect for entertaining!
I cannot WAIT for you to get your hands – er, forks – on the recipe for Watermelon, Feta, Basil and Pistachio Salad. This fresh, flavor and texture-packed salad is like summer on a plate!
My recent prayers for a summer heat wave were finally answered last week and the scorching hot temps have had me looking for refreshing meals that are nearly no heat required. This salad is it!
Sweet, fresh watermelon is combined with lettuce and basil for a super light base then pumped up with cubed feta cheese, chopped pistachios, and my favorite part, reduced balsamic vinaigrette. As in, reduced balsamic vinegar used IN the vinaigrette that’s drizzled on top. SO GOOD.
This salad is the perfect starter to any meal, or if it’s hot as blazes where you live too, a filling and refreshing entree that’s nearly no heat required.
Start by making the Reduced Balsamic Vinaigrette, which includes reduced balsamic vinegar, one of my favorite foods on the planet. With it’s sweet-tart taste and syrupy texture, it’s the perfect base for this simple yet luscious vinaigrette.
Simply boil 1 cup balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan until it’s the consistency of thin maple syrup, about 15-20 minutes or until you have between 3 and 4 Tablespoons of reduced vinegar.
Let the reduced vinegar cool slightly then add to a mason jar with 1 clove minced garlic, 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, and shake to combine. The instant the warm vinegar hits the raw garlic it is lights out. Incredible!
The rest of the salad components are a cinch to prep. Cube a 6oz block of feta cheese, julienne 14-16 fresh basil leaves, roughly chop 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, then cube 2 cups fresh watermelon.
Search for a watermelon that’s heavy for it’s size and has a large white or pale yellow spot on the underside which indicates it’s been sitting and ripening to perfection in the sun.
Wash then dry the watermelon, and then cut it in half. I find my serrated bread knife works even better than my big chef’s knife for the job!
Cut each half in half, then slice each quarter like so.
Switch to a smaller, paring knife then slice off the rind and then cube the watermelon. That’s it!
To assemble the salad, divide 9-10oz arugula or the mixed green of your choosing on plates then top with the watermelon, feta, pistachios, and basil. Give each plate a heavy drizzle of Reduced Balsamic Vinaigrette, and then serve!
More Watermelon Recipes
Ingredients
- 9-10 oz arugula, or other mixed green
- 2 cups 1″ watermelon cubes
- 6 oz block feta, cubed
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
- 14-16 fresh basil leaves, julienned
For the Reduced Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- salt and pepper
Directions
For the Reduced Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- Bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan then turn heat down slightly and boil until consistency is like thin maple syrup, 15-20 minutes. You should have 3 – 4 Tablespoons reduced vinegar. Let vinegar cool slightly then pour into a mason jar, add garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then shake to combine and set aside.
For the Salad:
- Divide lettuce among plates then top with watermelon, feta, pistachios, and basil, and then drizzle with Reduced Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Made this with chili roasted pistachios and red onion and it was AMAZING, the dressing is so simple and delish 🤌🏼
I made this tonight and halved it! Delicious!!!!
Oh I’m so, so glad, Katie – thank you so much for your feedback!
My daughter made this for my birthday, and it was delicious! The dressing is so light and tasty. I will definitely be making this salad.
amazingly simple and scrumptious recipe
What is the nutritional value ?
Hi Kristin!
Usually I don’t even think about mixing fruit in a salad but this looks really yummy, I will defiantly try it! Thanks!
Xx
Reduced balsamic is my secret ingredient in everything from soups to stews to salads. LOVE this!
This looks so refreshing and summery! I love it. Plus, I love your mini-tutorial on cutting watermelon. You’d think I’d have it mastered by now after eating so much watermelon this summer, but for some reason I just haven’t figured out the “right” way to cut it…I think I do now, though! Thanks!