Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad

Ingredients

3pounds seedless watermelon (about 1 small or 1/4 large), rind removed, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 2 pounds/1kg chunks after rind is discarded)
1tablespoon (15ml) juice from 1 lemon, plus 4 (2-inch) strips zest, removed with a sharp vegetable peeler
1/4cup (10g) roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
3tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Up to 4 ounces (1 quart) arugula leaves (optional; see notes)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4ounces (110g) feta cheese (see notes)

Directions

Place watermelon chunks in a large bowl. Finely chop lemon zest. Add lemon juice and half of zest to bowl with watermelon. Add mint, oil, and arugula (if using) and toss until watermelon is evenly dressed. Season lightly to taste with salt and pepper. (The cheese will add saltiness, so go light on the salt at this stage.)

Transfer salad to a wide, shallow bowl or a large plate and spread out evenly. Crumble feta over the top. Sprinkle with remaining lemon zest. Drizzle with more olive oil and a few grinds of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes

This dish greatly depends on the quality of the feta. If you have options at your supermarket, look for true Greek or Bulgarian sheep's-milk feta, which tends to be creamier and tangier than domestic cow's-milk versions. To make this salad more substantial, add arugula.

Nutrition

Info: (per serving)176 Calories 13g Fat 12g Carbs 4g ProteinNutrition FactsServings: 4 to 6Amount per servingCalories 176% Daily Value*Total Fat 13g 17%Saturated Fat 4g 20%Cholesterol 17mg 6%Sodium 225mg 10%Total Carbohydrate 12g 5%Dietary Fiber 1g 3%Total Sugars 10gProtein 4gVitamin C 13mg 64%Calcium 108mg 8%Iron 1mg 4%Potassium 192mg 4%*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.