This easy watermelon salad is ideal for eating outside under the warm sun. Watermelon and mint are refreshing and flavorful, while briny olives and feta offer savory counterpoints. Although chef Jacques Pépin cuts a small, seedless watermelon into rounds with a melon baller (adding the trimmings to the salad, too, so as not to waste them), you can chop any size watermelon into cubes if you prefer.
Peak watermelon season varies by state in the U.S., when you can generally find the tastiest melons from May to September. How do you select the sweetest, juiciest one for the best feta and watermelon salad with mint? Unfortunately, there’s no way to know exactly how sweet a watermelon is until you cut into it. Sweetness can vary based on the type of watermelon and weather conditions, but there are some key things to look for in your quest for watermelon gold.
First, as with most fruits, avoid choosing a melon with dents, cuts, or bruises. Speaking of spots, though, you do want your watermelon to have a pronounced yellow or nearly orange field spot, not one that’s white, green, or pale yellow. This is the part of the melon that sat on the ground as it grew, and a vibrant color indicates that the watermelon is ripe. Don’t be wooed by a shiny melon! A dull, matte exterior is another sign of ripeness. Also, a brown, shriveled stem usually means the melon was not harvested prematurely but left to fully ripen before being picked.
Since watermelons are more than 90% water, you’ll want to select one that seems heavy for its size — water has weight, and juicy is what you’re after. When it comes to flavor, go for a watermelon that’s rounder and evenly shaped as opposed to one that’s more oval.
