Watermelon Feta Salad with Greek Oregano

This Watermelon Feta Salad is so simple it doesn’t really need a recipe you can just use this as a guide.

It’s not an obvious combination – watermelon, and salty Greek feta – but wait until you taste the two of these together. It’s savoury and sweet all at once. Watermelon is absolutely a reminder of summer and this sweet juicy salty combo is a Greek summer favourite.

It’s a fancy looking square salad that will impress in looks but, it’s the simple combination of flavours that will make it even more memorable. All I add is the main ingredients but the flavour that gives this salad its character is the almost pungent Greek oregano. For me the addition of soft onion flavoured chives and Greek olive oil is my perfect welcome to summer salad.

Is oregano the same all over the world?

No it isn’t.

Although widely used all over the Mediterranean oregano is also a classic herb in Mexico and Argentina. Mexican oregano is far more lemon/ citrus flavoured and not as savoury. The deeply savoury and slightly pungent species grown in Greece makes other varieties seem a little mild. The climate in Greece is so dry it intensifies the plant that often grows weedlike all over the place. Eating Greek food without this ubiquitous herb on everything from Greek Salad topped with feta to grilled meats and seafood simply slathered with oregano, lemon and greek olive oil, is unthinkable.

How do I customise my Watermelon Feta Salad?

You may just want to customise your watermelon feta salad, and why not? You can customise it by tossing your squares together with cucumber, salty black olives and mint. You could also raise the bar by keeping it stacked adding thinly sliced red Spanish onion, some peppery watercress tendrils and drizzling with a sweet balsamic dressing. The most important thing is to make sure you add some Greek Oregano because there is no flavour like it. I buy all Greek products here if you are looking for proper Greek organic oregano.

With a hunk of bread, it’s a lovely light lunch; and with grilled meat or fish and taramasalata, you could be on the beach. If you have been to Greece it will take you back to a taverna, with your feet in the sand. I hope you get to experience this one day if you haven’t already.

Watermelon feta salad is not really a recipe – But a great idea!

I like a simple squeeze of lemon just before serving but if you want to shake yourself a dressing and include a wine vinegar you still can’t go wrong. I just make sure I have a good sized glug of golden Greek oil and a crack of black pepper. Or for an extra flavour bomb, try a flavoured oil. I tried Majestic a blend of 3 olives plus lemongrass. OMG it’s a really unexpected combination that elevates this simple salad to cult status.