Watermelon, Feta & Cucumber Chopped Salad

This Watermelon, Feta & Cucumber Chopped Salad is perfect for hot summer days when you need something refreshing, spicy and light. Crunchy, antioxidant-rich watermelon and cucumber team up with briny feta and spicy Fresno chiles to create a new spin on a chopped salad. A light, bright lemony vinaigrette pulls all the flavors together, while a sprinkling of basil adds a final fresh pop. This salad is a must-add to your next gathering. Keep reading for our expert tips, including ingredient substitutions. 

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• If the block of feta cheese is too salty, you can rinse it under cold water to remove the excess salt.
• Dress the watermelon salad right before serving to prevent the watermelon from becoming too watery.
• This salad is best served with a slotted spoon, as the watermelon will release some juice.
• You might consider substituting the red Fresno peppers with jalapeños and using champagne vinegar or white-wine vinegar instead of the white vinegar.

Nutrition Notes

• Watermelon isn’t just a summertime favorite. It’s also loaded with antioxidants linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. And if you’d rather eat your water, watermelon is a great hydrating fruit.
• Cucumber brings more antioxidants and hydrating qualities to this salad. One of these compounds is silica, which helps with collagen production. Eating more cucumbers might reduce your risk of cancer and diabetes.
• Feta is a salty cheese. If you have high blood pressure or your body is sensitive to sodium, you’ll want to moderate your intake of salty cheeses like feta. If you want to replace the feta in this salad with a lower-sodium cheese but still get that tangy flavor, goat cheese or Swiss might be good swaps. 
• Fresno chiles add a little heat to this salad, along with plenty of plant compounds and health benefits. Eating spicy foods regularly might support your heart and a healthy weight, and you might even live longer.