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Light, refreshing, and packed with delicate summer flavors, my Watermelon Salad recipe is absolutely to die for and ready in just 10 minutes or less! It's the perfect blend of crunchy, juicy, creamy textures and mouthwatering flavor.
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Watermelon Basil Salad
When it comes to summer salad recipes, watermelon salad might just be the king. I'm already obsessed with watermelon recipes, so making a delicious salad with watermelon seemed like the next best step! Ever since I made strawberry chicken salad, I've been having so much fun trying out new fruit salad ideas.
This watermelon and basil salad came from a whole lot of testing in the kitchen! I brought all sorts of fresh herbs, different kinds of cheese, and various vegetables, then just started playing around with bites of different flavor combinations.
The result? Falling absolutely in love with a dreamy combination of juicy watermelon, zesty red onion, creamy mozzarella, and bright, sweet cherry tomatoes. It's everything you could ever want from a summer salad recipe, and best yet, there's no cooking required!
Tools to Make Watermelon Salad
- A heavy cutting board for slicing the watermelon.
- A very sharp, heavy knife for cutting into the watermelon and thinly slicing onion. The sharper, the better!
- Optional: A melon baller or cookie scoop to make cutting up the melon easy!
Ingredients in Watermelon Basil Salad
- Watermelon: A ripe seedless watermelon will work best. Pick a watermelon that has a big pale patch and feels heavy; these are signs of ripe watermelon that have the best sweetness. You can also use pre-cut cubed watermelon.
- Red onion: Red onion has a uniquely zesty, bright, sharp flavor that works perfectly for salads as I find it's best served raw!
- Cherry tomatoes: Sliced cherry tomatoes add a burst of balanced sweetness and juiciness. Use nice sweet ones.
- Mozzarella cheese balls: You can use either mozzarella pearls or get a large mozzarella cheese ball and tear it up! I don't recommend low-moisture mozzarella as it won't be soft and mild enough. Alternatively, you can use feta crumbles for a stronger flavor.
- Fresh basil: Basil watermelon salad is a classic combination. The fresh, flavorful basil perfectly complements sweet watermelon.
- Balsamic glaze: The perfect dressing for watermelon salad! I recommend making your own but you can also buy it at the store. Glaze is different than balsamic dressing!
- Salt and pepper: Flaky salt adds crunch and you can never go wrong with a little peppery heat!
Optional Variations
- Swap the basil for fresh mint leaves for a watermelon and mint salad.
- Swap the mozzarella for feta cheese for a tangy watermelon feta salad.
- Add in some sliced cucumbers for watermelon and cucumber salad.
- Serve this salad over a bed of arugula for a savory twist.
- Squeeze on some lime juice or lemon juice for extra flavor.
Watermelon Salad Recipe
Equipment
- melon baller optional
Ingredients
- 14 oz watermelon - cut into cubes
- ½ red onion - sliced very finely
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes - halved
- 7 oz mozzarella cheese - roughly torn
- ½ cup basil - roughly chopped
- 4 Tablespoons balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Lay diced watermelon on a platter, and top with red onion and halved cherry tomatoes.
- Top with the mozzarella and fresh basil.
- Drizzle over the balsamic glaze and serve.
Notes
- For an ultra-easy salad, you can use packaged cut watermelon.
- I highly recommend using seedless watermelon. If you use watermelon with seeds, make sure to pick out any of the large black seeds, as they're not very pleasant to eat.
- Use a high moisture mozzarella like mozzarella pearls or a torn up mozzarella ball. Low-moisture mozzarella, usually sold in blocks, is too hard and has a saltier, cheesier flavor.
- I don't recommend making this salad ahead or storing it for later. The onion flavor tends to soak into everything over time, overpowering the gentler flavors. Make it fresh for the best experience!
- Balsamic glaze isn't the same as balsamic dressing! The glaze is sweeter and stickier, making it ideal for this salad that already has plenty of juicy ingredients.
- Cut the onion as thinly as possible! Thick slices are unpleasant in this salad; you want the slices very thin, as thin as you can cut. Use your sharpest knife.
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Isabel! I've been sharing my recipes online, in cookbooks, and in TV specials since 2012. The most important thing to me is Sunday supper with my family, and inspiring togetherness with my recipes!
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Expert Tips
- For an ultra-easy salad, you can use packaged cut watermelon.
- I highly recommend using seedless watermelon. If you use watermelon with seeds, make sure to pick out any of the large black seeds, as they're not very pleasant to eat.
- Use a high moisture mozzarella like mozzarella pearls or a torn up mozzarella ball. Low-moisture mozzarella, usually sold in blocks, is too hard and has a saltier, cheesier flavor.
- I don't recommend making this salad ahead or storing it for later. The onion flavor tends to soak into everything over time, overpowering the gentler flavors. Make it fresh for the best experience!
- Balsamic glaze isn't the same as balsamic dressing! The glaze is sweeter and stickier, making it ideal for this salad that already has plenty of juicy ingredients.
- Cut the onion as thinly as possible! Thick slices are unpleasant in this salad; you want the slices very thin, as thin as you can cut. Use your sharpest knife.
How to Cut a Watermelon
- Cut a thin slice off of one side of the watermelon so it doesn't roll while you're cutting it. Use a sharp knife.
- Place the watermelon on a cutting board with the sliced side down.
- Cut the watermelon in half lengthwise.
- Cut each half in half again, so the watermelon is now in quarters.
- Carefully cut the rind off of each quarter. Keep your hand away from the knife as the watermelon tends to get slippery! Remember to always carefully cut away from yourself and never towards for safety purposes.
- Chop the watermelon into 1 inch cubes.
FAQ
Yes, but I recommend making it only an hour or two ahead of time at most. If you make it a day or more ahead, the flavor of the onions will seep into the rest of the salad and overpower the flavors. Make it fresh for the best experience, or chop up all the ingredients and store them separately until ready to combine and serve.
Yes, you can absolutely use different herbs. I recommend swapping the basil for fresh mint for a light and refreshing watermelon mint salad. When serving this as a side salad for BBQ, I prefer basil, which pairs well with the smoky flavors of grilling.
You can, though I find I prefer other fruits for chicken and fruit salad. For a perfect protein-packed salad with fruit, try my strawberry grilled chicken salad or add chicken to a grilled peach salad.
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