Your new GO-TO summer salad! Our Watermelon Basil Salad is light and refreshing. Perfect for summer cookouts, backyard parties, potlucks, or as an easy picnic food! This watermelon salad recipe is quick and easy to make, and is sure to become one of your favorite fresh and healthy summer recipes. If you can chop, then you can make this easy salad recipe!
Ingredients for Watermelon Basil Salad with Balsamic Glaze
Watermelon in a salad is so flavorful versus the average summer salad recipe! Seriously, if you haven’t tried sweet and savory watermelon recipes for the summer, then you have to get on it, pronto! Here are the ingredients you need to make this watermelon salad recipe:
- 14 oz watermelon diced
- 1/2 red onion sliced very finely
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes halved
- 7 oz mozzarella cheese roughly torn
- 1/2 cup basil roughly chopped
- balsamic glaze
With ingredients like these, this balsamic glaze watermelon salad recipe is so light and refreshing, it will become one of your favorite summer season foods! Picture this: backyard, sunshine, family and friends around, your favorite foods on the grill like a Salmon Foil Pack or a Picanha Steak Recipe, sangria (our favorite is Moscato Sangria) and this summer salad recipe alongside your favorite side dishes for BBQ! When it comes to summer food ideas, you can’t get any better than that.
The sweetness of the watermelon goes so well with the sweetness of the tomato, which is then cut through with a little acidity from the balsamic glaze. The combination of mozzarella and basil makes you feel like you’re eating a healthy Margherita pizza in salad form!
RECIPE TIP: How to Pick a Watermelon at Your Grocery Store
- Pick it up – does it feel heavy for its size? You want that watermelon to feel heavy, because that means it is full of delicious watermelon juice.
- Look for a yellow spot. The yellow spot develops when it is on the ground and the watermelon becomes ripe.
- Give it a good tap. A ripe watermelon with have a deep sound when it is given a thump.
How to Make Salad with Watermelon
Fresh basil recipes like these are full of deliciously sweet flavor. To make this watermelon tomato salad, you simply cut up the ingredients and arrange them nicely on a platter. Then top with the basil, mozzarella and balsamic glaze. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
- Dice your watermelon into bite-size chunks. Halve your cherry tomatoes and cut your red onion into thin slices, then cut those slices in half so you have thin strips of onion. Chop up your basil.
- Lay diced watermelon on a platter, and top with red onion and halved cherry tomatoes. Then top with the mozzarella and fresh basil.
- Finally, drizzle over the balsamic glaze and serve.
Pretty simple, right? Read on to learn how to cut watermelon into cubes! You want to make sure your watermelon is in bite-size pieces for the best watermelon basil salad possible. We’ve got some tips for you just below!
RECIPE TIP: How to Cut Watermelon into Cubes
- 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.
Watermelon Tomato Salad Recipe Notes
- Use ripe watermelon! Trust me on this one, unripe watermelon makes the salad taste bitter. Ripe watermelon makes the salad nice and sweet and cuts out the acidity from the onion and balsamic glaze.
- I opted to use mozzarella, but feta cheese would also be a good option. I used a ball of fresh mozzarella, then tore it apart to add.
- Balsamic glaze is easy to find in most supermarkets and is well worth a purchase! Unlike balsamic vinegar, the glaze has a slight sweetness to it and is nice and is thick, making it perfect for dressing.
- The onion needs to be very, very finely sliced! You do not want big chunks of red onion in your watermelon salad recipe; trust me.
The Best Salad Recipes for Summer:
- Grilled Peaches Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad
- Greek Cauliflower Rice Salad
- Fresh Vegetable Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing
- Buffalo Mozzarella Salad with Lentils
- Quinoa Feta Salad
- Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
- Wild Rice Salad with Strawberries
- Strawberry Quinoa Feta Salad
- Watermelon Mint Feta Salad
Love this watermelon salad recipe? We would love to hear all about it! Let us know with a comment and a rating below.
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Watermelon Basil Salad
Ingredients
- 14 oz watermelon cut into cubes
- 1/2 red onion sliced very finely
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes halved
- 7 oz mozzarella cheese roughly torn
- 1/2 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.
Video
Notes
- The most important tip is to use ripe watermelon!
- You can substitute feta cheese for the mozzarella. It is a delicious option.
- Tear the mozzarella cheese instead of slicing it. It add a great texture to the salad.
- Balsamic glaze is easy to find in most supermarkets and is well worth a purchase! Unlike balsamic vinegar, the glaze has a slight sweetness to it and is nice and thick making it perfect for dressing.
- The onion needs to be very, very finely sliced! It will blend in nicely with the rest of the salad.
How to Cut Watermelon into Cubes
- 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.
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