Watermelon ‘steak’ topped with chickpea and feta salad

A warm night, a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean, and a big bowl of watermelon with feta cheese: If we had to take a guess, that would be our mom’s definition of the perfect summer dinner. 

If you’ve never tasted watermelon and feta together before, it may sound like a strange combination. But give it a taste and you will certainly be hooked. The sweetness of the juicy watermelon meets the rich, salty feta creating an explosion of flavor in every perfect bite.

Inspired by the traditional Israeli watermelon salad, we created this recipe incorporating protein rich chickpeas, greens, and sweet tomatoes beautifully arranged on top of a thick slice of watermelon — all drizzled with a tangy lemon, mustard, and olive oil dressing. 

It’s a light, refreshing addition to a summer brunch, lunch, or light dinner.

For the salad:

1 small baby watermelon
6 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped (you can also use your favorite greens)
16 red cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
6 small yellow tomatoes, quartered
1 cup crumbled sheep’s feta cheese (about 6 ounces)
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans
1 cup chopped parsley
2 tsp. sumac

For the dressing:

2 Tbsp. brown mustard
2 Tbsp. lemon
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt

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Slice the watermelon into four half-inch rounds and remove the rind.

Place the rest of the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients together until well incorporated. Add dressing to salad and toss well.

Arrange salad on top of each watermelon slice and sprinkle with sumac. Serve immediately.

The Nosher food blog offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from hallah to shakshuka and beyond. Check it out at TheNosher.com.