This watermelon salad recipe is light, refreshing, and balanced. Both sweet and salty, this salad makes a great summer side dish or starter. Enjoy on the 4th of July with smoked chicken thighs or a smoked pork loin.
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This watermelon salad recipe is as simple as can be, but the taste is incredible. I can't think of a more refreshing salad, perfect for enjoying by the pool on those hot summer days!
To enjoy for the 4th of July, simply toss in some blueberries and you've got a red, white, and blue salad perfect for celebrating Independence Day!
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🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Watermelon: I recommend seedless watermelon.
- Arugula: Spinach is another good option, but I personally think the peppery bite of arugula enhances the other flavors.
- Cucumber: I recommend using Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers for this particular salad.
- Lime zest: Lemon or orange zest will also work, but lime is ideal.
- Balsamic glaze: You can make your own balsamic vinegar glaze or find it at most grocery stores.
- Strawberries: You can also use blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc.
- Fresh basil: Fresh mint leaves are a great substitute!
- Gorgonzola: Crumbled blue cheese or, if you prefer, feta cheese.
- Toasted almonds: You can also use walnuts, pistachios, or pepitas.
- Optional ingredients to consider: Red onion, tomato, jalapeño, lime juice, or lemon juice.
*See recipe card for a full list of ingredients.
🍉 How to Make Watermelon Salad
Step 1: Toss the arugula with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Then, using a melon baller or knife, cut the watermelon into chunks. Add ¾ of them to the salad, along with sliced cucumber.
Step 2: Top with strawberry slices, basil leaves, gorgonzola crumbles, and toasted almonds.
Step 3: Add the remaining watermelon chunks, then top with a swirl of balsamic glaze, another pinch of salt and pepper, and freshly grated lime zest.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve this watermelon salad recipe with proteins like smoked chicken thighs, smoked lamb shanks, or this frozen salmon in an air fryer with lemon dill sauce. Or try it with a cheeseless pizza, BBQ chicken flatbread, or air fried BBQ chicken!
If you want to add some crunch, you can crumble some baked pita chips or sourdough discard crackers to use as croutons!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Gorgonzola is another cheese that beautifully complements watermelon, but you can also use goat cheese, grilled halloumi, fresh mozzarella, burrata, and cotija.
Salt is commonly added to watermelon to enhance its natural flavor, but other popular watermelon flavor enhancers include spices like Tajin, chili powder, honey, and citrus!
Chicken is a classic pairing with watermelon, but lamb, salmon, pork, and shrimp can also be great options! Same goes for Greek yogurt and cheese!
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- If you use a melon baller, you'll inevitably have some excess watermelon scraps. Instead of tossing them out, you can blend them up and use the mixture to add fruity flavor to margaritas, smoothies, or this lemonade recipe!
- Even if the almonds already come toasted, you can toast them in a pan on the stove to give them a little more flavor.
- Feel free to experiment with peppery or fruity olive oils that complement the arugula and gorgonzola.
- This recipe yields enough for 2 servings. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-3 days, but the sooner you eat it, the fresher it'll taste!
🥗 More Delicious Salad Recipes
If you enjoy this watermelon salad recipe, check out these other delicious salads!
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Toss the arugula with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Then, using a melon baller or knife, cut the watermelon into chunks. Add ¾ of them to the salad, along with sliced cucumber.
- Top with strawberry slices, basil leaves, gorgonzola crumbles, and toasted almonds.
- Add the remaining watermelon chunks, then top with a swirl of balsamic glaze, another pinch of salt and pepper, and freshly grated lime zest.
Nutrition
Notes
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- If you use a melon baller, you'll inevitably have some excess watermelon scraps. Instead of tossing them out, you can blend them up and use the mixture to add fruity flavor to margaritas, smoothies, or this lemonade recipe!
- Even if the almonds already come toasted, you can toast them in a pan on the stove to give them a little more flavor.
- Feel free to experiment with peppery or fruity olive oils that complement the arugula and gorgonzola.
- This recipe yields enough for 2 servings. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-3 days, but the sooner you eat it, the fresher it'll taste!
Nena Sterner says
We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!