Gordon Ramsay’s watermelon feta salad is chunky watermelon with crumbled feta, toasted pecans, cucumber, fresh mint and a dusting of sumac, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, ready in 5 minutes.
In Ultimate Home Cooking, Ramsay warns not to assemble this ahead of time because “the salty cheese and nuts will draw the moisture out of the watermelon, making them all soggy.” He traces it back to Greece, where they add black olives, but swaps those for toasted pecans because he prefers the crunch.
The sumac is doing more than decoration. It adds a fruity sourness that sits between the lemon juice and the feta, tying the sweet watermelon to the salty cheese. Without it the flavours split into two camps. With it, every bite has all of them at once.
Gordon Ramsay Watermelon Feta Salad
Course: Salads, Sides4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalFrom Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Home Cooking: ripe watermelon chunks with crumbled feta, toasted pecans, cucumber, fresh mint, sumac and lemon juice. A five-minute summer salad that must be served the moment it is assembled.
Ingredients
50g (2 oz) whole pecan nuts
1 ripe watermelon, flesh cut into chunks, seeds and white parts discarded
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
200g (7 oz) best-quality feta cheese
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Small bunch of mint, leaves only, roughly chopped
1 tsp ground sumac
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Toast the pecans: Break up the pecans and lightly toast in a dry frying pan with a pinch of salt until golden. Remove and lightly crush in a pestle and mortar. Leave to cool.
- Assemble and serve: Place the watermelon in a serving bowl and mix in the cucumber. Crumble in the feta and mix well, seasoning with a little salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Add the mint leaves, pecans, sumac and lemon juice to taste. Toss lightly and serve immediately.
FAQs
Why does Ramsay use pecans instead of the traditional olives?
In Greece this salad is usually made with black olives, but Ramsay says he prefers pecans for the crunch. Olives add brine and chewiness, which works but can fight the feta for saltiness. Pecans add a buttery, toasty contrast that stays out of the way of the cheese. If you want both, use a handful of Kalamata olives alongside the nuts.
Does Ramsay have a second watermelon feta recipe?
In Ultimate Fit Food he takes a completely different approach: instead of crumbling feta over the top, he blends it into a yoghurt dressing and pours it over the watermelon with radishes and sugar snaps. It is lighter and creamier, designed as a post-workout meal. The Ultimate Home Cooking version here is richer, simpler and better for a summer table.
Why can you not make this salad ahead of time?
Salt pulls water out of fruit. The feta and the seasoning start extracting juice from the watermelon within minutes of contact. After 30 minutes you end up with a pink puddle at the bottom of the bowl and soggy cheese. If you need to prep ahead, cut the watermelon and cucumber, crumble the feta and toast the pecans, but keep them all separate until serving.
What goes well with watermelon feta salad?
Ramsay pairs this with griddled chicken thighs in the same book. Anything grilled works because the cold, juicy salad contrasts with hot, charred meat. Try it alongside a chicken burger at a barbecue, or with sticky pork ribs where the sweetness of the watermelon picks up the glaze.
How do you pick a ripe watermelon?
Look for a yellow spot on the bottom where it sat on the ground: the deeper the yellow, the riper the fruit. It should feel heavy for its size, which means it is full of juice. Tap it and listen for a deep hollow sound rather than a high-pitched one. Avoid any with soft spots or cracks. In the UK, watermelons are best from June to September when they are imported at peak ripeness.
Does watermelon feta salad store well?
No, and that is not a flaw. This is a make-and-eat salad. Leftovers go watery within an hour. If you have too much watermelon, store the cut fruit in the fridge for up to three days and make a fresh batch when you need it. The pecans can be toasted in advance and kept in an airtight jar for a week. For options that last longer, he has salads for every season.
