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Watermelon Beet Salad

Watermelon beet salad with roasted beets, creamy feta, and mint, finished with a honey-lime dressing. Roasting the beets until tender gives a mellow earthy flavor that contrasts with cool, juicy watermelon.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad
  • 4 cup seedless watermelon, cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 medium red beets, roasted and sliced into wedges
  • 0.5 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
  • 0.25 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
Honey-Lime Dressing
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 0.25 tsp sea salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Roast the beets
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Wrap each beet individually in foil and set on a sheet pan.
  2. Roast at 400°F (200°C) for 45–55 minutes, until a fork slides in easily. Remove and let cool completely.
  3. Peel the beets and slice into thin wedges. Set aside until ready to assemble the salad.
Make the honey-lime dressing
  1. Whisk lime juice, honey, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth and emulsified. Continue whisking until no streaks remain.
  2. Taste and adjust the balance of tangy and sweet. If needed, add a pinch more salt for seasoning.
Assemble the salad
  1. Cut the watermelon into 1-inch cubes. Arrange the cubes on a wide, shallow serving platter.
  2. Scatter the roasted beet wedges across the top. Keep the beets spread so every scoop gets some.
  3. Add the thinly sliced red onion and torn mint leaves, distributing evenly across the platter. This gives color and fresh flavor throughout.
  4. Drizzle the honey-lime dressing generously over the entire salad. Use enough to lightly coat the watermelon and beets.
  5. Crumble the feta cheese all over the top, then scatter the toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch. Finish right before serving for best texture.

Notes

For the cleanest flavor contrast, roast the beets a day ahead and refrigerate them until completely cool; cool beets slice neatly and taste less “hot” against the watermelon. If assembling ahead, refrigerate the salad without dressing for up to 2 hours, then drizzle the honey-lime dressing and add feta and pumpkin seeds just before serving for better freshness. Freezing is not recommended for watermelon. For a dairy-light option, swap feta with a similar amount of crumbled goat cheese or omit it for a less creamy finish.