This Panera Bread inspired watermelon and feta salad is perfect for ripe summer produce! Crisp sliced cucumbers, sweet cubed watermelon, and tangy feta cheese tossed in a homemade sesame vinaigrette. I like to top this salad with lots of fresh herbs and some chopped almonds or pistachios for crunch. This salad is great for a backyard BBQ or summer gathering, its like, flavorful, and refreshing!
If you like a good copycat recipe at home, try this Panera strawberry smoothie, lemon drop cookies, or my Thai chopped salad. All easy restaurant recipes you can make in your own kitchen. Find all of my copycat recipes and salad recipes here for more inspiration!
Recipe Highlights
- Light and fresh: this salad is a refreshing summer side, perfect for a warm day! Watermelon and cucumbers a tossed in a light dressing that keeps them light yet flavorful.
- Beautiful presentation: this dish is full of vibrant colors and flavors. The contrast between the pink watermelon and the green cucumbers plus the creaminess of the feta creates a beautiful dish. Garnishing with fresh herbs and chopped pistachios adds additional color and texture. This is great served family style on a large serving platter.
- Perfect for summer produce: with watermelon on sale left and right and an endless abundance of cucumbers, this dish is excellent for summer. Plus, if you’re anything like me you have an excess of fresh herbs to use up. This salad is great with mint, basil, thyme, or oregano!
- Simple, no-cook recipe: nothing like keeping your oven off in the summer! This dish doesn’t call for any cooking, but if desired serve along side grilled chicken or steak! If you’re serving this at a summer gathering its great with chicken burgers or brats, or even pizza for a light touch!
Key Ingredients For The Salad
If you’ve never tried pairing watermelon with savory flavors, this is your sign to do so! The sweet, juicy watermelon pairs so well with the crisp cucumbers and the saltiness of the feta. Tossed in the salty, spicy, tangy vinaigrette ties everything together perfectly.
- Ripe Watermelon: use you watermelon picking skills to find the best one, anything will work! Check here to find out how to pick the best watermelon. I like to cut my watermelon in small, uniform cubes, about 1″x1″ but it can be cut into any shape or size! Making this for a holiday? Use fun cookie cutters to cut watermelon into fun, festive shapes.
- Persian cucumbers: I love using mini cucumbers, they are always so fresh and crunchy and I like the mild skin. Any kind of cucumber will work, like hothouse cucumbers, English cucumbers, or Armenian cucumbers – seedless cucumbers are best. Thinly slice or finely dice your cucumbers.
- Feta cheese: I like to buy a block and cut into large cubes (I do this for those non-cheese lovers, so they can easily pick around the cheese) or use crumbled feta cheese, marinated feta cheese works great here too. Blue cheese or goat cheese can be substituted.
- Pistachios: I like the crunch and color these add as a topping, they can be omitted if desired. Cashews, pepitas, or almonds can be used as well.
- Fresh herbs: basil and thyme are my go-to herbs here but fresh oregano, Thai basil, or mint leaves are also great additions. I recommend using fresh herbs and not dry herbs.
Key Ingredients For The Dressing
- Extra-virgin olive oil: avocado oil or a flavored olive oil can be a substitute.
- Soy sauce: coconut aminos or tamari can be a substitute to traditional soy sauce.
- Red pepper flakes: add more or less as desired, these can be optional.
- Rice vinegar: I like the tanginess this adds, white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or mirin can be a substitute.
- Sesame seeds: add as many as you like! I lovvee sesame seeds and tend to go overboard, so use at your own discretion – these make a great garish as well. I like a mix of white and black sesame seeds.
How to make the Watermelon Feta Salad
Let’s talk a little about how to make this Panera Bread Inspired Watermelon and Feta Salad (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick Overview:
- Prep all fresh ingredients.
- Combine ingredients for dressing.
- Toss everything together and plate.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy.
- Firstly, cube watermelon into even sized pieces, cubes, chunks, or slices. Sliced or dice cucumbers.
- Secondly, prepare any fresh herbs. In a small bowl combine olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Thirdly, cube feta cheese. I like to drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, herbs separately for a little extra flavor. You can do this with crumbled feta as well.
- Fourthly, assemble salad, I like to plate ingredients one at a time, opposed to mixing everything together.
- Finally, drizzle the dressing over top, garnish with more fresh herbs and chopped pistachios. This salad is best served immediately, it does not hold up well with the dressings. If you need to make ahead of time, prep all ingredients and wait to dress until service.
Tools I Recommend
- Ceramic Plate – a great neutral option for serving salads or pastas, I love the rustic look and muted colors.
- Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls – perfect for mixing the salad, and storing any leftover. I love a set of nesting bowls with lids, they are space saving and can be used in so many different ways! I use the large bowl the most.
- Pint Mason Jar – perfect for shaking up salad dressings, any extra dressing can easily be stored in the fridge.
I love this recipe for summer picnics or to make after a trip to the farmer’s market. The sweetness of the watermelon along with the salty combination of feta cheese and pistachios is so good! Make this on repeat all summer long! Check out these 40 Easy Cucumbers Recipes to find more inspiration for summer cucumbers!
Recipe Variations
This salad can be kept as simple as you liked, but it can also be dressed up with more flavors and textures. If I have these ingredients on hand, I like to throw some of these into my salad. Along with some ideas on how to serve this salad, beyond just a side dish!
- Diced or sliced avocado
- Chopped or whole pitted Kalamata olives
- Serve with pita chips or tortilla chips
- Marinated red onions or crispy onion strips
- Cantaloupe or honeydew melon chunks
- Serve alongside grilled shrimp skewers
- Serve over grilled chicken or salmon as more of a “salsa”
Recipe FAQs
This salad is made of fresh watermelon, Persian cucumbers, feta cheese, fresh herbs, and pistachios tossed in a homemade sesame soy vinaigrette.
This salad is a great fresh touch alongside grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or steak. This is also wonderful with soft pita bread, pita chips, or tortilla chips. I like to turn this into a topping or salsa. In a rush? Serve this alongside Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Sheet Pan Chicken Pitas, or Chicken Meatball Bowls!
Yes, this salad can be made ahead of time, but I do not recommend dressing the salad until right before service. Prep the watermelon, cucumber, and feta – keep everything separate until service. The dressing can be prepped and stored in the fridge in an airtight container. Once ready, toss all ingredients together, plate and garnish.
Panera Bread Inspired Watermelon and Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups Watermelon , cubed
- 4 mini Persian cucumbers, sliced
- 8 oz. Feta cheese block, cubed
- 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp Rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- Fresh basil or thyme, chopped
- Chopped pistachios, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine watermelon, cucumbers, and feta cheese.4 cups Watermelon , 4 mini Persian cucumbers, 8 oz. Feta cheese block
- In a small mixing bowl combine olive oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Drizzle over the salad and toss to combine.1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp Soy sauce, 1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp Rice vinegar , 1 tbsp Sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, Fresh cracked black pepper
- Garnish with fresh basil and pistachios. Enjoy immediately.Fresh basil or thyme, Chopped pistachios
Notes
Nutrition
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