Sun soaking in the shade
One watermelon for two people goes a long way. So today we’re bringing you two watermelon recipes. That’s right kids, two! It’s only fitting really. This was a dual effort. While I chopped, and chopped, and chopped some more, Katherine whipped both of these up. She then relaxed on the couch with a watermelon cooler and watched Gilmore Girls while I cleaned up. Kidding, she never got into that show. The salad is inspired by our pal Maris over at In Good Taste whose version calls for basil.
Watermelon, feta and mint salad
- 4 cups unseeded watermelon, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp rosewater
- 1/4 cup mint, chopped
- 4 ounces feta, crumbled
Mix honey, lemon juice and rosewater in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, pour dressing over watermelon. Toss with fresh mint and top with feta.
Drizzle on some limoncello
Watermelon granita
- 1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
- juice from one lime
- 7 cups watermelon
- 1/4 cup sugar
Blend lime juice, sugar, berries and about half the melon in a blender until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Blend remaining melon and mix the two batches. Pour into a glass container (about the size of a brownie pan), cover and freeze. To serve, scrape into bowls. Garnish with fresh mint.
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide 
Watermelon salad has become my “go to” party dish. I either make one like your using basil (I need to try the mint!), or a “Mexican” version with cilantro and cotija.
Have you ever had one with olives? I saw it on a menu a few days ago… I can’t decide if it sounds awesome or gag-inducing.
Olives? I can’t put that together in my head. We still have leftover watermelon and I actually did eat snacks for dinner last night, watermelon, crackers, olives… what Katherine wasn’t home! I like the cilantro idea. Hey aren’t you on vacation?
Granita looks perfect for me!
Both of these look great (as usual!).
Well, shucks.
Gilmore Girls! Ha! Still giggling. Great recipes. I especially like the first one. It’s similar to a grape feta salad I’ve been eating for lunch. I may have to try it with the watermelon.
I love cold watermelon. The Granita is on the list for the weekend. Thanks.
Both sound refreshing but I think the Creator had granitas in mind when watermelons were created.
You and your wife are now genius’s in my book!! Never have I heard of this kind of yummy combination before. I rarely eat watermellon anymore because its so boring. But no longer!
Ha, thanks!
Is that seriously how easy a granita is!? Apparently, I’ve been missing out!
Oh it’s so simple. Just a blender and freezing time. Doesn’t heat up the kitchen and is fairly healthy as desserts go.
I’m so glad Katherine never became a fan of Gilmore Girls–so, so bad. I’ve got to make one of these recipes for my dad. He’s obsessed with watermelon. I’m sure he’d eat it every day if he could. I’m liking the suggestion to drizzle some limoncello on top of the granita. How could that be bad!?
Hey now, Gilmore Girls isn’t *that* bad! :$
This looks amazing 🙂
Those look so refreshing!
The granita is a definite. I have some clients with me at the moment who work in pharmaceuticals. They have been telling me about a GM watermelon that has no seeds, and a very thin skin to make it easier to eat. That’s scary and very weird.
That is very worrying. Rather like UK supermarkets that sell tomatoes “grown for taste”…why else would we choose to eat something, very strange indeed.
I wish I had a deseeded one. It took a lot of chopping to get all the seeds out, which I think I alluded to! Let us know if you try it please.
Although the thin-skinnned genetic one does sound weird!
Feta and watermelon, what a great combo. I never knew someone do that as well, we tend to mix something salty with watermelon and feta is one of it, I love the contrasting taste.
Watermelon is “the business”, plain, in salad, granita, cocktails. How can something taste so good and be so pretty? Love the mint and feta combo…love it all actually 🙂
I’ve seen so much of this granita recently. Did EVERYONE watch Something for the Weekend last weekend? (It was on there) Looks lovely!
Thanks. Haven’t heard of the show. Eventually we’ll get the good cable. Normally we make strawberry granita. We have so much watermelon we might have to make another batch of the watermelon.
I am so honored to have 2 incredible cooks such as yourselves refer to one of my recipes! I was a big big Gilmore Girls fan back in the day! Shh, don’t tell anyone though!
Ha, that’s too funny, Maris. We both love your site.
Oh yum!! I want to have a go at the 2nd recipe. The first is much like our traditional fetta wrapped sandwich with oil and dried mint…munched on with large slices of watermelon… YUMMMM!!
That sounds amazing!
2 winning recipes!
🙂 Mandy
watermelon and strawberries, they simply hold hands well together don’t they.
Mmm, that watermelon granita looks perfect right about now! I also have half a watermelon in the fridge!
We still have about a third of one AFTER also making a drink.
Thank you for this double watermelon feast! I have never paired watermelon with anything savoury yet. I love the idea. Oh, and I wouldn’t say no to the watermelon cooler either 😉
(By the way, in my today’s post I invited you to participate in a Seven Links Challenge, so if you feel like doing it…)
Thanks!
Watermelon is one fruit I always have on hand. Love the granita.
I have never thought of adding feta to watermelon but it’s looks so wonderful and refreshing. Definitely must try that. And limoncello is a staple for me in the summer so the second recipe looks great, too. Thanks for this terrific ideas.
I hadn’t either but we keep hearing about it, so figured we’d give it a shot.
Both look so cool and refreshing! Now I look at that watermelon on the counter in a different light!
Your granita looks like the most refreshing sno-cone in the world! Limoncello would definitely be nice, too.
Oh, I just love this!! Watermelon is a favourite and you do it up so well. Love the photos. The bowl in the first image gives the appearance of washing the melon in radiant light – stunning! And the granita… my mouth is watering… love the old fashion bowls. One of my favourite posts so far!
Thanks, Kelly. Katherine got those bowls at a vintage store in Memphis.
I love the use of mint in the salad..it must have added a double dose of freshness
and that granita looks so cool..wish I had one right now
Bonus day! Two recipes! Watermelon granita is new to me, sounds so refreshing! I purchase a watermelon (wedge) once a week just because it is a summer memory from forever so I’m always looking for new ideas!
Watermelon granita is awesome, and your photos turned out spectacular! I made a sorbet the other day, but haven~t blogged about it yet
Can’t wait to see it!
I love watermelon . . . I cube up half at a time, stash the cubes in stackable containers, and eat it like candy. Love the idea of the granita with limoncello (or other fruity liquor on top).
Awesome! I love watermelon. I just cut up a huge melon yesterday, and you are right it does go a long, long way. This is perfect for this hot summer. 🙂
Watermelon granita has to be my favorite thing to eat during the summer and yours looks fantastic as well as the salad. Mint goes and feta go so well with this wonderful fruit! YUM !
Now that looks refreshing! Love all the watermelon recipes I’ve seen this summer–so good!
gonna try granita now. thanks!
Thai basil in the salad – or the granita! – is good, too.
I like that suggestion. We have so much mint though!
I love that watermelon salad – looks like a perfect bite on a hot day.
Thai basil sounds like a great idea too.
These both sound so freshing during the dog days of summer. I think I’ll be stopping by the store on the way home tonight to pick up some watermelon.
I love watermelon, feta and mint salad, I put cucumber in mine too. I haven’t made it yet this year, thanks for the reminder!!
What time should we be over? 🙂
If you’re bringing some tasty brews, anytime!
Oh come on… you know a good Italian boy never arrives empty handed. Mamma and Papa raised me right! 🙂
The watermelon, feta and mint looks dreamy. What a great combo of tastes!
I tried a seedless watermelon not long ago. Not bad, although it still had seeds inside… just smaller, younger, whiter seeds. I like to eat great slices of watermelon and then “machine gun” all the seeds out :p Aah, childish pleasures 🙂
There’s a festival in Arkansas called the Hope Watermelon festival and I think watermelon spitting is a contest.
I love watermelon all ways but I’m eyeing that granita.
I’m not even a melon fan – but that granita looks amazing… I’ve only ever eaten it in Naples… maybe I’ll try my own soon!
it’s so easy and if you don’t like watermelons there are tons of other fruits in the, um, sea. We hope you’re doing OK. Sounds like it might be settling down over there. Fingers crossed.
Cheers – it’s seemingly better tonight! fingers crossed it stays that way – it’s been a bit ridiculous really…
Yum, no wait…scratch that. DOUBLE YUM! I wish I still had some watermelon. Looks great!
Wow! The granita looks fantastic! Will be trying. Especially as there’s a lonely half watermelon in the fridge leftover from making watermelon sandwiches for my daughter 😉 x
I love these recipes! We will try them both asap. Thanks!
Watermelon is one of my favorite things to eat in the summertime!
These look like great recipes!
Wow – Watermelon and Feta – two of my favorite things – and I wouldn’t have thought to combine the two! 🙂
I love the salty sweet salad idea, I have made a curry salad too with watermelon which was yum but hard to convince people to try it if they aren to adventurous. Roll on watermelon season!
Wow, I must live under a rock, everyone seems keen on the idea of feta and watermelon! I would have never thought of such a thing, but your photos look so lovely and everyone can’t be wrong! I’m going to have to give it a go 🙂
My mother loves both watermelon recipes. But I, personally, LOVE the Watermelon granita recipe. This is sooo right up my alley. Delish!
Wow, watermelon and feta sounds like a crazy idea! I can’t wait to try it!
Two wonderful summer recipes. I’m going to a weekend party and was asked to bring a salad. Now I know what to take that will travel well.
I have a watermelon in the fridge that’s too big for two — I never thought of such amazing ways of preparing it. I’ve loved watermelon since I was a kid, when spitting seeds was probably more important the eating the watermelon itself. Can’t wait to try one of your recipes.
Wow, your recipes look amazing! Thanks so much for your comments on my blog today, I’m some way off from being as great a cook as you. I’ve never been brave enough to have watermelon with savoury flavours but I’m going to have to try it!
You’re too kind. We got the idea from others too! Definitely try it and let us know how it turns out.
watermelon + feta… love.
You have chosen probably the best watermelon recipes there are!! I loved the pun on Gilmore Girls!
You have chosen probably the best watermelon recipes there are!!! I loved the pun on Gilmore Girls!
That watermelon and feta combo looks incredible, and I bet it tasted trulicious too!
Being a Southerner watermelon is one of my favorite things. These look wonderful.
Thanks, there’s a huge watermelon festival each year over in Hope. Arkansas loves its watermelons.
WOW! Seems so beautiful; sounds delicious… But these are almost, new for me. Thank you, with my love, nia
Watermelon Mint Feta Salad really is good. I have heard about it for a while but only just tasted it recently. Wow! I’m hoping to get more watermelon this weekend at the farmer’s market–they have some great heirloom varieties.
That sounds wonderful. This was the first time we had it too. But watermelon and feta are such great summer flavors. Well, feta I eat all year round.
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