To me, watermelon is an icon of summer and happiness.  And I love feta cheese.  So I am unsure why I was initially so resistant to the idea of a watermelon and feta salad. But the minute I tried it, I realised how wrong I had been.  It is DELICIOUS!!!!  And a really good way to use up a little bit of watermelon you may have left in your fridge.

It is winter and dark and grey here in Melbourne at the moment so this salad is a mere memory of sunshine.  However, for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, I hope this becomes as much a staple on your summer table as it is now on mine!

Before we even get onto the taste, let’s talk about how my Watermelon and Feta salad looks!.

It is such a lovely contrast of colours – the deep pink of the watermelon against the white of the feta, the deep blackish purple of the olives, the lighter purple of the onions and the bright green of the leaves.

And as for the taste?  It will get your tastebuds dancing lust ike this!

The girl in the white mini dress is the watermelon…it’s the first thing you notice and she’s bringing the sweetness.

The girl in the leafy bikini is the feta. Also up front but bringing a bit more complexity by adding some salty creaminess to the mix.

Blue Speedo guy is the red onion.  He’s adding some pow!

Sitting down girl is the olives – she’s bringing some more salt and a briny oiliness and somehow keeping all the others on beat.

White bikini in the background?  She’s the leaves – she’s bascially a supporting player for the front four

And finally, orange Speedo’s?  He’s  the sprinkle of fresh dill and chilli flakes….not noticeable all the time…but when you do…it’s memorable!

Add them all together and you’ve got a party just ready to happen!

This is a fun salad and if you aren’t into the beach party breakdown I have given you, look at some other ways people have had fun with it:

Rubik’s Cube Salad (via Cityline TV)

Watermelon Cups (via Clean Food Crush)

And my favourite, just because it is so pretty! Watermelon Stars (via Taste.com.au)

This starry version will be part of Christmas lunch this year for sure!

My recipe is fairly loose, depending on what I have on hand.  Check out any of the recipes above for an exact version.

But don’t forget to add the olives.  None of the other recipes include them and believe me, they bring it!!!

Have a fabulous week!