Watermelon Feta Salad with Balsamic Glaze

I think I've found my go-to summer salad.

It's crisp and fresh and the ingredients work together in such an amazing way. It's also really easy and can be thrown together really quickly if you need something to serve for company or to bring to a BBQ.

I heard someone mention a watermelon feta salad last summer, and even though I was curious, I never actually made or tried the combination. Recently, I decided I needed to start doing something new for lunch - my daily lunches at the office were getting STALE - and since it finally feels like summer - and what says "summer" more than juicy watermelon? - I decided to revisit the watermelon feta combo. 

I looked online for inspiration and then created this salad with my own twist. Some people make their watermelon feta with oil. Some use oil and vinegar. Some use balsamic. Some added other ingredients; others kept it simple.

You start with your greens.

I've made this salad three times this week (when I fall in love with a new food or meal, I eat it almost exclusively and obsessively until I move on to the next thing. I have a problem). The first two times, I used baby arugula. Pictured in this recipe is baby spinach, since I ran out of arugula. Both combinations work, but I think if I had to choose I'd choose the arugula.

Then it's just three additional ingredients (watermelon, red onion, and feta cheese) before the dressing, and you're done. Simple!

Next comes the dressing. I went back and forth a few times with this. I didn't think I'd like the oil or oil/vinegar combo with the watermelon. Balsamic vinegar is always a good choice, but I felt like this salad needed something sweeter. That's why the balsamic glaze is perfect. It has the flavor of balsamic but it's much thicker and sweeter than the vinegar. It goes perfectly with this salad.

I wish I could explain why all these ingredients work together so well. I wish I could tell you why the sweetness of the watermelon tastes so good with the crunchy red onion. I wish I could explain how the feta adds a subtle but amazing flavor to the salad and how the balsamic glaze ties it all together in the most delicious way. I wish I could tell you why, but I can't. I don't know why all these ingredients work together. They just do. And you need to try it ASAP.

Summer is coming - and it deserves to be celebrated with this salad.

Until next time!

Ingredients

• 12 cups baby arugula (2 bags of salad mix)
• 4 cups watermelon, cubed
• 6-8 oz fat free feta cheese, crumbled
• 3/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 6 tbsp balsamic glaze

Serving size: 1/4 salad
Serves: 4
Weight Watchers PointsPlus value: 5

Instructions

1. Rinse the arugula and place it in a large bowl. Add the watermelon, feta cheese, and red onion, and toss to combine.
2. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the salad. Toss again to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving, or refrigerate overnight and serve the following day.

Nutritional information