These take-along watermelon skewers with feta and mint pesto dressing are a quick and easy appetizer or snack for your next outdoor gathering, BBQ or picnic! Enjoy these delicious and healthy watermelon skewers on a hot summer day!
Thank you National Watermelon Promotion Board for sponsoring this post. Watermelon is the perfect portable food for enjoying wherever life takes you!
Let me just say how much I love watermelon. Raw and grilled, cubes and balls, sweet and savory. You can be creative and extend the ways you eat your watermelon beyond just eating it sliced.
You can turn it into a watermelon feta salad, or blend it into a refreshing raw watermelon gazpacho or make these super easy take along watermelon skewers with feta and mint pesto dressing! Watermelon is a perfect ingredient for on-the-go meals and snacks!
If you’ve never tried savory watermelon recipes, you definitely should. These watermelon skewers will change your perception of what watermelon tastes like. In combination with feta and mint pesto watermelon tastes so much different and also so good!
Watermelon pairs so well with feta cheese because the tangy feta makes the watermelon taste even sweeter (and juicier!) creating a nice salty-sweet contrast. For the same reason you can try to moderately salt your watermelon slices and see whether it makes a difference for you. For me it does!
Why Make Watermelon Skewers with Feta
Besides the taste, there are other reasons you should make these watermelon skewers for your next summer BBQ party:
- They are very easy to make. That makes them a perfect appetizer/snack ready within minutes. Even your kids can make it!
- They are easily portable. In case you are searching for an easy take along appetizer to bring to a picnic, BBQ, potluck or any outdoors gathering, search no more. Everybody will love these watermelon skewers!
- They look impressive. It’s hard to beat that!
- They are refreshing and hydrating. Food doesn’t have to be liquid to hydrate you and watermelon does a pretty good job hydrating your body in a hot summer day! Take it with you as a beach snack and stay hydrated.
How to Make Watermelon Skewers with Feta
For these watermelon skewers you’ll need a seedless ripe watermelon and feta cheese. For the mint pesto dressing use fresh peppermint leaves, fresh basil leaves, almonds, garlic, grated hard cheese, extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
I used both basil leaves and peppermint leaves to make the pesto taste less intense not to overpower the watermelon taste.
You’ll need to cut your feta and watermelon into cubes.
Here is a food hack video on how to cut quick watermelon cubes. This easy trick is a lifesaver!
When you are cutting watermelon cubes, make sure they are roughly the same size as your feta cubes.
Next step is to make a mint pesto dressing. Combine fresh peppermint leaves, fresh basil leaves, almonds, garlic, grated hard cheese, extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper in a cup of a food processor and blend until smooth, scrapping sides and adding water to adjust the consistency.
The dressing should be a bit thinner than your regular pesto but not too thin.
Thread a watermelon cube onto a skewer following by a chunk of feta. Repeat until you have 3 watermelon cubes and 2 chunks of feta on the skewer. Continue with the rest of the skewers.
Place your watermelon skewers on a serving plate or into a container and drizzle with the pesto dressing. Garnish with peppermint leaves. Enjoy!
Here is the full recipe of these watermelon skewers with feta and pesto dressing. Bring them along to your next summer gathering, BBQ or picnic!
Watermelon Skewers with Feta and Mint Pesto
Ingredients
For the watermelon skewers:
- 1/4 seedless ripe watermelon
- 7 oz or 200 g feta cheese
- 10 skewers
- 4 tablespoons mint pesto dressing See below
For the mint pesto dressing:
- 1/2 cup or 35 g fresh peppermint leaves
- 1/2 cup or 35 g fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 oz or 15 g raw peeled almonds
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon hard cheese grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Cut feta and watermelon into cubes (see notes above).
- Make a mint pesto dressing: Combine fresh peppermint leaves, fresh basil leaves, almonds, garlic, grated hard cheese, extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper in a cup of a food processor and blend until smooth, scrapping sides and adding water to adjust the consistency. The dressing should be a bit thinner than your regular pesto but not too thin. Reserve about 4 tablespoons and refrigerate the rest (you can use it for pasta or as a bread spread).
- Thread a watermelon cube onto a skewer following by a chunk of feta. Repeat until you have 3 watermelon cubes and 2 chunks of feta on the skewer. Continue with the rest of the skewers.
- Place watermelon skewers on a serving plate or into a container and drizzle with the pesto dressing. Garnish with peppermint leaves. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Love,
Elena
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Nicole says
Mint Pesto?! This looks soo good and refreshing! It looks like Watermelon Salad on a stick!
Elena Szeliga says
Glad you like the idea Nicole! 😉
Jyothi(Jo) says
Watermelon, feta and mint – you cant mess up with this , can you! Looks absolutely gorgeous. Love how perfect squares watermelon is cut!
Elena Szeliga says
SO thankful to the National Watermelon Board for their tutorial on how to cut perfect watermelon cubes! It was a game changer for me!
Stacey says
These are one of our favorites, love to take them to BBQ’s! Gorgeous!
Elena Szeliga says
They are so great to bring along 😉 Thank you Stacey!
Eileen Kelly says
What a refreshing appetizer or snack. Watermelon is so good and these skewers are hitting it out of the park. Creative and yummy
Elena Szeliga says
Glad you like them Eileen!
Jessica Knott (swanky recipes) says
I was just to a graduation party this past weekend and I wish we had this one. Not only is this a pretty way to incorporate fruit into a cookout, potluck, or summer party, but it’s refreshing and delicious!
Elena Szeliga says
Now you know what to make next time for a party 😉 Thank you Jessica!
Andrea says
Love the watermelon+feta combo, always a winner! I’m drooling all over your pictures, I better make these summer skewers soon – they look simply delicious!
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you so much Andrea! You’ll love them 😉
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
Watermelon and feta is my newest addiction. I have never tried it until this year, but now that I have it is all I want during the summer!
This looks perfect! I love that you also made the pesto!
Elena Szeliga says
I discovered it recently as well and it was love from the first bite 🙂
Natalie says
This sounds so flavorful and so perfect for grilling backyard party. I can’t wait to make this for my guests next weekend. They will be thrilled.
Elena Szeliga says
I bet they will be! Thank you Natalie!
Vanessa says
Oh my gosh, this sounds like a wonderful flavor combination! I have to make these ASAP. Thanks!
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you Vanessa! 🙂
Julie says
Watermelon and salty feta is such a perfect pairing. I love that these are portable to take on picnics… and what kid doesn’t love food on a stick?!
Elena Szeliga says
I know right? It’s probably the best thing about these watermelon skewers, besides maybe their awesome taste!
Dominique | Perchance to Cook says
These are such beautiful summer skewers! I love the combination of watermelon, feta and mint pesto…. it just sounds so fresh! Such a great idea!
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you Dominique! I can’t get enough of them this summer 🙂
Kitty says
These skewers look awesome. Tomatoes, corn and watermelon are the stuff summer dreams are made of! And the recipe contest sounds fun too! Wonder what I should make…
Elena Szeliga says
I’m sure you will come up with something awesome Kitty! Glad you like the skewers and it’s so true about tomatoes, corn and watermelon. That’s basically what 80% of my diet consists of right now 😀
Jenni says
I have had watermelon and feta before, but I LOVE the idea of the pesto drizzle on top! The combo of mint and basil together is brilliant
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you Jenni! Peppermint has such a strong flavor that needs to be balanced not to overpower the whole thing, so basil really does the trick!