Watermelon Salsa

Watermelon Salsa is a refreshing spin on classic tomato salsa that is perfect for summer. Made with juicy watermelon, fresh cucumber, bright lime juice, and salty feta, this recipe for Watermelon Salsa is the perfect summer appetizer.

It is not a secret that I love chips and salsa. From classic tomato salsa to mango salsa to corn salsa to salsa verde, I love them all.

But one of my all-time favorite summer salsas is this recipe for Watermelon Salsa.

It is salty from the feta cheese, sweet from the watermelon, bright from the fresh lime juice, exceptionally fresh from the addition of the cucumber, and finished with just the right about of herbaceous flavor from the minced cilantro. Watermelon Salsa is absolutely DIVINE!

Watermelon Salsa is a breeze to pull together and is always an unexpected, yet welcomed, dish for a summer gathering. Not to mention, it is exceptionally patriotic when served with blue corn chips. 😉

Notes on Ingredients

• Watermelon: Be sure to use a ripe watermelon for this recipe. You want the flesh of the watermelon to be vibrant and sweet to form the perfect base for the Watermelon Salsa. Using a seedless watermelon will make the prep-work easier, but you certainly can use a watermelon with seeds, just be sure to remove the seeds as you dice the watermelon.
• Onion: For the best flavor, use a Vidalia onion or another variety of sweet onion. Yellow and red onions can overwhelm the delicate flavors in the salsa.
• Cucumber: The cucumber adds a fresh, crisp contrast to the sweet watermelon. Use either a seedless English Cucumber or a garden cucumber. If using a garden cucumber, be sure to peel and seed it before adding it to the salsa.
• Cilantro: If you don't like cilantro, feel free to use fresh mint instead or omit it entirely.
• Feta Cheese: Crumbled feta cheese adds a nice salty finish to the salsa and pairs really well with watermelon. While the cheese adds a lot of dimension to this dish, feel free to omit it if you are dairy-free. 
• Lime Juice: Be sure to use FRESH lime juice for the best flavor. It is the perfect bright finish to the watermelon salsa.

How To Make Watermelon Salsa

It couldn't be easier to throw together this fresh watermelon salsa. The most time-consuming part is cubing the watermelon, which you can speed up if you opt to purchase pre-diced watermelon.

• Remove the peel from the watermelon, and cube the flesh into ¼-inch cubes, removing any seeds from the watermelon if needed.
• If not using a seedless or English cucumber, peel and remove the seeds from the cucumber. Dice the cucumber into small cubes.
• Toss the cubed watermelon, diced cucumber, minced cilantro, and lime juice together.
• Gently stir in crumbled feta cheese.
• Taste and season with salt as desired.
• Serve immediately with chips as desired.

Storage and Prep-Ahead Instructions

This watermelon salsa is best served within a few hours of assembly, as it will become watery as it sits from the juice of the watermelon. If you happen to have leftovers, store the watermelon salsa in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Use a fine-mesh strainer to drain off the excess water that forms before serving the watermelon salsa.

To prepare the salsa in advance which is great when entertaining, I recommend dicing the watermelon, cucumber, and onion up to 24 hours in advance and storing them in separate containers. Right before serving, drain off any excess liquid from the watermelon and/or cucumber, and then combine the ingredients and serve.

More Festive Summer Recipes

• Watermelon Sangria
• Blueberry Pie Bars
• Summer Fruit Salad
• Grilled Corn on the Cob
• BBQ Chicken Burger

If you gave this fresh Watermelon Salsa a try, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.