Watermelon Beet Salad
This Watermelon Beet Salad is a great summertime salad – it’s light, refreshing, and full of flavor. Plus, it’s easy to make, making it the perfect dish for a summer cookout or potluck. This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free, with a vegan option.
This vibrant salad will be perfect for your next potluck. Not only is it fast and easy, it’s delicious as well. The perfect summer watermelon paired with roasted beets? Amazing!
Why You Need This Recipe
- Make roasted beets ahead of time and this salad will come together quickly! You can also buy pre-roasted beets to use in this Watermelon Beet Salad.
- You only need part of the watermelon, so you can still enjoy the rest in slices.
- The ingredients of this watermelon salad play together nicely for a delicious flavor combination.
Key Ingredients
Seedless watermelon is hydrating and the perfect touch of summer. Try to use a ripe juicy watermelon for the best flavor.
Check your local farmers market for the best tasting melons! Or see this post on how to pick a watermelon.
Roasted beets are high in folate and their rich color looks great. You can use red beets, yellow beets, or golden beets in this recipe.
Feta adds just the right amount of tang. You can use regular feta or dairy-free feta to make this salad dairy-free and vegan. Or, you can even use creamy goat cheese as an alternative.
Olive oil is a healthy fat that will help you absorb the other nutrients.
Balsamic vinegar also adds richness to this simple dressing.
Recipe Steps
Step One
Combine the cubed beets and watermelon with the feta in a large bowl.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Step Two
Stir up the ingredients well to combine.
Step Three
Mix the dressing in a small bowl and then stir into the salad to coat.
Recipe Tips & Substitutions
- Beets can be roasted in the oven or cooked in an Instant Pot (see my recipe for Instant Pot Beets). You can also use pre-roasted beets which are found in the refrigerated produce section of most grocery stores. Or you can use frozen cooked beets that you have defrosted.
- You can double this recipe if you want more servings.
- This salad is best served on the day it is made. That said, you can prep the salad ahead of time and then assemble it on the day you want to serve it.
- If you don’t want your cheese to turn pink from the beets, you can serve the cheese on top without tossing it.
- Feel free to get creative with the ingredients. You can also add thinly sliced red onion or use white balsamic vinegar instead of red. You can feel free to add black pepper or lime juice for extra flavor. Chopped crunchy walnuts on top would also be great.
Recipe FAQs
I used traditional feta, but you can use a vegan or dairy-free variety if you’d like.
You can very easily roast beets in the Instant Pot! I find it so easy even compared to the oven. You can even take a shortcut and look for pre-roasted and diced beets in the produce section.
No, it’s best to use roasted or baked beets so they are soft and easy to digest.
More Healthy Beet Recipes You Might Like
More Summertime Salads You Need to Try
Watermelon Beet Salad
Summertime is perfect for enjoying delicious salads made with fresh, in-season produce. This Watermelon Beet Salad is a great example – it’s light, refreshing, and full of flavor. Plus, it’s easy to make, making it the perfect dish for a summer cookout or potluck. This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free, with a vegan option.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 large roasted beets, quartered and then cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cups watermelon (from about 1/4 of a medium seedless watermelon), cut into 1-inch cubes (you can also use a melon baller if you prefer)
- 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese (you can also cube the feta cheese; use a dairy-free feta alternative for vegan or dairy-free diets)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the beets, watermelon, and feta cheese.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine.
- Then, pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate to serve chilled (see notes for preparing this salad ahead of time).
Notes
- Beets can be roasted in the oven or cooked in an Instant Pot (see my recipe for Instant Pot Beets). You can also use pre-roasted beets which are found in the refrigerated produce section of most grocery stores.
- You can double this recipe if you want more servings.
- This salad is best served on the day it is made. That said, you can prep the salad ahead of time and then assemble it on the day you want to serve it.
- If you don’t want your cheese to turn pink from the beets, you can serve the cheese on top without tossing it.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 134
- Sugar: 7.5 g
- Sodium: 152.5 mg
- Fat: 10.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.3 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 2.9 g
- Cholesterol: 12.6 mg
Keywords: roasted beets, watermelon and feta, watermelon beet salad
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Such a yummy summertime salad!!!
★★★★★