• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sweet Cayenne
  • ABOUT
    • Work With Me
  • RECIPES
    • All Recipes
    • RECIPES BY CATEGORY
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Desserts
    • Main Entree
    • Sides
    • Snacks
    • How-To Guides
  • NEWSLETTER
  • CONTACT
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • NEWSLETTER
  • CONTACT
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ABOUT
    • RECIPES
    • NEWSLETTER
    • CONTACT
    • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home > Recipes > Salads

    Red, White, and Blue Watermelon Flag Salad

    Published: Jun 20, 2019 · Modified: Sep 21, 2023 by Whitney Reist · This post may contain affiliate links |

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    A red, white, and blue watermelon flag salad is perfect for patriotic-themed cookouts and will easily feed a crowd. Learn how to make it just in time for the 4th of July!

    A white platter with a red, white, and blue watermelon flag salad on top on a blue stone background.

    The 4th of July is almost here and I am SO excited. Y'all. This may sound like blasphemy but I need to just go ahead and put it out there: *whispers* the 4th of July is my favorite food holiday. Did you hear that? Now that I've said it, let me say it a bit louder: "the 4th of July is my favorite food holiday!!!" It always has been. I know, weirdo. Maybe it's because I love summertime so much or being outside, or warm weather, or holidays that involve a high likelihood that you will be around a body of water. Or maybe it's because SUMMER FOOD IS THE BEST. Seriously though, just give me a hot and juicy burger, some watermelon or fresh cherries, kettle chips and a big bowl of fruit cobbler with homemade ice cream and I will die a happy gal.

    My mom knows this about me and totally gets it. We are spending the 4th with my family this year and I've been planning the menu since MAY. And since we will likely have 10-12 people around, I've got to pick dishes that are fairly easy to put together and make enough to serve a lot of hungry bellies. We celebrate food BIG TIME in my family, so the potential for leftovers is not very likely! This is where today's recipe comes in: watermelon flag salad. It's a twist on the watermelon, feta, and arugula salad that I've made and loved for a while now, with the addition of my new fresh mint vinaigrette recipe. So go ahead and grab the biggest platter that you have, preferably one in the shape of a rectangle (I use and love this one), and let's get to work!

    A close up shot of blueberries on a white platter as part of a red, white, and blue watermelon flag salad.

    Watermelon Flag Salad Ingredients

    • Arugula - the peppery notes from the arugula add a savory element to this fruit-based salad. Now I know some people aren't the biggest fans, but hear me when I say that I've served this salad to arugula haters before, they actually end up enjoying it combined with the watermelon and cheese. So give it a try!
    • Fresh basil and mint - the arugula gets tossed with some fresh basil and mint leaves to add extra flavor and interest. And because it is summer, and fresh herbs should be easier to come by.
    • Blueberries - for the blue element, of course! When you purchase blueberries, be sure to gently press one between two fingers to make sure they are not too soft. I also like to try one before I buy, to ensure that the berries are juicy and crisp, with no mealy or graininess inside.
    • Watermelon - you will need a medium-sized, seedless watermelon to feed 8-10 people in this recipe. A personal size seedless watermelon should feed 4-6.
    • Feta Cheese - the combo of feta + watermelon + fresh mint is an all-time favorite of mine. While goat cheese is a little too tangy/ripe-tasting for my preference, feta is mild and has the perfect fruit-pairing flavor profile.
    • Fresh Mint Vinaigrette - I just posted this recipe yesterday and plan to make it all summer! It's a great option for jazzing up any kind of fruit salad.

    An inside shot of a blender with fresh mint vinaigrette.

    How to Make a Watermelon Flag Salad

    This salad can be assembled up to 4 hours ahead of time and dressed right before you'd like to enjoy it. Here's how to assemble it:

    • Mix arugula with fresh basil and mint leaves. If the leaves of the herbs are on the larger side, feel free to give them a rough chop before adding to the arugula.
    • Line the outside edges of a rectangular dish or platter with the arugula and herb mixture.
    • Arrange the watermelon and feta cubes in alternating stripes, beginning and ending with watermelon. The first two stripes will be about ⅓ shorter than the last 3 stripes, leaving room for a square shape of blueberries.
    • Nestle the blueberries in the square that remains in the top left corner of the platter.
    • When ready to serve, drizzle the top of the entire platter with fresh mint vinaigrette.

    A white bowl filled with watermelon cubes surrounded by smaller white bowls with feta cheese, blueberries, arugula, and mint dressing.

    Storage Tips and Recipe Modifications

    • Store the assembled salad in the fridge up to 4 hours before serving. Do not dress with the vinaigrette until just before serving.
    • Leftovers can be kept in the fridge up to 2 days but will accumulate juices with storage. If that doesn't bother you, then you will likely enjoy the leftovers!
    • Arugula substitutions:  fresh baby spinach would be a great substitution for the arugula if you aren't a fan.
    • Fruit substitutions: if you aren't a fan of watermelon, feel free to sub in a mixture of fresh cherries and strawberries, each cored/pitted and cut in half.
    • Cheese substitutions: pearled mozzarella would be a really yummy, milder substitution for the feta cheese in this salad. For a stronger flavor, mix cubes of feta with slices of goat cheese.
    • Make it vegan: substitute cheese with cubes of fresh jicama or dollops of cashew cheese.

    Serve this salad with:

    • The Best Homemade Hamburgers
    • Mushroom Swiss Smash Burgers
    • Peach BBQ Chicken Kabobs
    • Easy as Pie Blueberry Cobbler

    A white platter with a red, white, and blue watermelon flag salad on top on a blue stone background.

    Are you ready to try this Red, White, and Blue Watermelon Flag Salad? I’m so excited for you to try this recipe. Once you get the chance to make it, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment and rate the recipe below. This will help me with the creation of future recipes! I’d also love to feature your creation in my monthly newsletter, so you can upload a photo to Instagram or Twitter with the tag @sweetcayenne5 to be featured!

    Recipe

    A white platter with a red, white, and blue watermelon flag salad on top on a blue stone background.

    Watermelon Flag Salad

    This Red, White, and Blue Watermelon Salad looks like an American flag and is dressed with a fresh mint vinaigrette. It’s perfect to serve for Memorial Day or the 4th of July!
    Tried this recipe?Mention @sweetcayenne5 or tag #sweetcayenne!
    Print Pin
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 Servings

    Ingredients

    • 10 cups watermelon cubes, about 1 inch in size
    • 2 (8 ounce) packages feta cheese, cut into ¾’’ cubes
    • 2 cups blueberries, washed and dried
    • 8 cups arugula leaves
    • ½ cup fresh basil leaves
    • ½ cup frehs mint leaves
    • Fresh mint vinaigrette

    Instructions

    • Mix arugula with fresh basil and mint leaves. If the leaves of the herbs are on the larger side, feel free to give them a rough chop before adding to the arugula.
    • Line the outside edges of a rectangular dish or platter with the arugula and herb mixture.
    • Arrange the watermelon and feta cubes in alternating stripes, beginning and ending with watermelon. The first two stripes will be about ⅓ shorter than the last 3 stripes, leaving room for a square shape of blueberries.
    • Nestle the blueberries in the square that remains in the top left corner of the platter.
    • When ready to serve, drizzle the top of the entire platter with fresh mint vinaigrette.

    Notes

    Note: the salad can be assembled and kept covered in the refrigerator up to 4 hours before serving. Do not dress the salad with vinaigrette until ready to serve.
    Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.4g | Protein: 3.9g | Fat: 12.3g | Saturated Fat: 4.4g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 9.2g | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 1mg

    Pin this, pretty please!

    A white platter with a red, white, and blue watermelon flag salad on top on a blue stone background.

    Don't miss these recipes!

    • A white bowl filled with pizza pasta salad garnished with fresh basil leaves.
      Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad
    • A brown-rimmed bowl with zucchini pasta salad and a spoon on the side.
      Summer Pasta Salad with Zucchini
    • A spoon dipping into a glass bowl of honey mustard dressing.
      Simple Honey Mustard Dressing
    • A grey bowl with Thai cucumber mango salad with a small dish of vinaigrette and fresh limes on the side.
      Thai Cucumber Mango Salad

    Want more?

    Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get exclusive content (like menus, cooking downloads, and more!), blog recaps, and a chance to connect or be featured!

    Affiliate Disclosure

    Many of the links in my posts are affiliate links, which means I can get a small commission for any click or purchases made through the links. I am also an Amazon Associate and I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hello there!

    I'm Whitney, the chef, photographer, dietitian, and blogger-extraordinaire behind Sweet Cayenne. Welcome to my online kitchen!

    About Whitney & Sweet Cayenne

    What's In Season

    • A pink bowl on a cutting board filled with sweet potato lentil curry and rice.
      Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Coconut and Spinach
    • A cinnamon roll on a white rimmed plate.
      Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
    • A cinnamon apple cake with two slices cut out on a piece of parchment paper with a navy blue background.
      15+ Healthy Apple Recipes
    • Bell Pepper Nachos
    • An up-close shot of a white bowl of Southern-style pasta e Fagioli.
      Southern-Style Pasta e Fagioli
    • Two Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders on a blue ceramic plate with a baking dish of sliders and blue napkin in the background.
      Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

    Free cookbook and menu planners!

    Subscribe to my weekly newsletter & receive a free e-cookbook of my 25 best recipes along with menu planning sheets!

    Cozy Cooking:

    A pink bowl on a cutting board filled with sweet potato lentil curry and rice.

    Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Coconut and Spinach

    An overhead shot of a white soup ramekin filled with ribolita soup and topped with crusty bread on black background.

    Instant Pot + Slow Cooker Ribolita (Italian Bread Soup)

    A gray plate of red beans and rice with a gingham dish towel and a glass of water on the side.

    Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

    An overhead shot of a white bowl filled with turkey and drop biscuit dumplings.

    Turkey and Drop Biscuit Dumplings (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

    A white bowl of soup filled with posole verde and garnished with avocado and cilantro.

    Instant Pot Chicken Posole Verde

    An overhead shot of a wicker charger with parchment paper and Mango Mojo Chicken Tacos with a side of mojo sauce and avocado ranch on the side.

    Mango Mojo Chicken Tacos

    Travel Here Next:

    • The product wall of skincare items at Lemon Laine Oil Bar in Nashville, TN.
      Nashville Finds: Lemon Laine Oil Bar
    • A girl standing on a beach in Positano, Italy.
      Positano, Italy: Budget-Friendly Travel Guide
    • A photo of Civita di Bagnoregio in Italy
      The Best Tuscan Road Trip Itinerary + Tips on Driving in Italy
    • A traveling foodie's guide to the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy - including what to taste in Parma, Modena, and Bologna! European travel guide and itinerary.
      A Foodie's Guide to Emilia-Romagna, Italy

    Cooking Guides

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Photography Services

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 SweetCayenne

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required