My sister made this cooling summer staple for a backyard barbecue and it was gone in seconds. Sweet, salty, and incredibly refreshing with just 3 things.

This 3-ingredient watermelon feta salad is one of those cooling summer staples that disappears the second it hits the picnic table. My sister first brought it to a backyard barbecue, and everyone kept going back for “just one more scoop” until the bowl was scraped clean. It’s sweet, salty, and incredibly refreshing, and you only need juicy watermelon, crumbly feta, and fresh mint—nothing fussy, just honest, bright flavors that fit right in at any Midwestern cookout or weeknight family dinner.

Serve this salad well-chilled in a big white plastic serving bowl alongside grilled burgers, brats, or chicken, plus simple sides like corn on the cob and baked beans. It also pairs nicely with anything off the grill that has a little smoke or spice, because the watermelon cools everything down. For a lighter meal, put it next to grilled fish or a big green salad, or spoon it over a bed of mixed greens for an easy lunch. Keep it on the buffet with other cold salads so folks can come back for seconds as it sits on ice.

Servings: 6

8 cups seedless watermelon, cut into bite-size cubes

Chill the watermelon: If your watermelon isn’t already cold, cube it and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so the salad is extra refreshing.

Prep the ingredients: Cut the seedless watermelon into bite-size cubes and place them in a large white plastic serving bowl. Crumble the feta cheese if it’s in block form. Gently rinse and pat dry the fresh mint leaves, then roughly chop or tear them into small pieces.

Assemble the salad: Add the crumbled feta cheese over the watermelon cubes in the serving bowl. Sprinkle the chopped mint leaves evenly over the top so you see bright red melon, white cheese, and green mint throughout.

Toss gently: Using a large spoon or clean hands, gently toss everything together just until the feta and mint are evenly distributed among the watermelon cubes. Be careful not to mash the watermelon.

Chill and serve: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes to let the flavors mingle, then serve cold. Give the salad a light toss right before setting it out at your barbecue or family meal.

For picky eaters, you can keep a small bowl of plain watermelon cubes on the side and let them sprinkle on their own feta or skip the mint entirely. If someone isn’t a fan of strong feta flavor, try using a milder, creamier feta or cutting back the amount slightly. For a heartier version, you can serve this salad over a bed of mixed greens or baby spinach (this adds a fourth ingredient, but you can keep the base recipe the same). To stretch it for a big crowd, add more watermelon and keep the feta and mint amounts the same so the flavor stays balanced. If you like a touch of tang, you can offer a tiny drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lime at the table for those who want it—just don’t mix it in ahead if you want to stick closely to the 3-ingredient idea and keep the salad from getting watery too quickly. Food safety tips: Always start with a clean cutting board and knife, especially when cutting watermelon after handling any raw meat for the grill—use separate boards if possible. Wash your hands and the outside of the melon before cutting. Because this salad is dairy-based, keep it refrigerated until serving, and if it’s sitting out at a warm backyard barbecue, try to keep the bowl on a tray of ice and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if it’s very hot outside). Discard any leftovers that have been left out too long or look or smell off.