Watermelon salad with feta cheese and grapes is savory, sweet and perfectly tangy go to side dish with any grilled protein for hot summer days.
Reminds me of all the beautiful summer printed dresses and the beautiful balmy weather I will never let go off.
If you are still skeptical about add savory fruit salad as a side with protein. I want you to jump right in because you are missing out on this right mix of savory sweet flavors with refreshing mint and lemon. Most people avoid fruit desserts as fruits are further sweetened by macerating in sugar. This is one way of enjoying fruit salad where nothing is overpowering other than the fruit itself. I find the kids and elderly reaching out for second and third helping of the salad.. now what more can I ask for!
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST WATERMELON SALAD:
- Buy seedless watermelon to make life easy.
- Do not make the watermelon salad in advance. You don’t want the watermelon juice to come out as it sits. If u really need to then cut and keep the watermelon separately and mix just before serving. This way you can remove the juice collected before mixing with the vinaigrette.
- Do not buy pre flavored crumbled feta instead buy the plain block and cube or crumble yourself it is much cheaper and tastes better this way.
- Refrigerate all the ingredients as the salad tastes best when chilled.
- More than the EVOO and Lemon juice shines in this salad so if u like the tartness be generous. Even without oil this salad would taste good in my opinion.
- Remember to add few fresh mint leaves as garnish as the chopped ones start to darken the moment it’s bruised.
- Feta cheese adds the umami flavors which brings the beautiful twist to the fruits. Grapes is sweet and tart for the punch.
DO NOT RECOMMEND :
- DO NOT MIX THE SALAD as these are fruits have high water content the salad will drown in its juices and destroy salad texture.
- Onion – Too overpowering for the watermelon salad. Tried it & did not like it.
- Balsamic vinegar – Steals the beautiful color of the salad and makes it look muddy.
- Black pepper too doesn’t look pretty on the reds and greens instead use white pepper is recommended
- Do not add too much sweetness even if the salad is tart may be a dash of honey should be enough to balance the flavors.
Watermelon salad
INGREDIENTS :
- 2 cups Watermelon cubes
- 1 -2 Cucumber
- 3/4 -1 cup Grapes (mixed colors)
- 4 0z Feta cheese
Vinaigrette
- 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste Sea salt crystals preferred
- White pepper powder to taste
- 1/2 to 1 Large lemon juiced
- Few sprigs Mint leaves
INSTRUCTIONS :
- Make the vinaigrette and shake well until combined
- Assemble all the fruits and cucumber on the serving platter. Spread the cheese as cubes or crumble. Drizzle the vinaigrette evenly. Do not stir if possible as this will bruise the fruit and the juices from it starts collecting in the platter.
- Serve the watermelon salad immediately before the fruit looses its firmness.
Video
Other very interesting watermelon dishes to try are :
- Watermelon Malibu Surf (alcoholic drink)
- Watermelon Halwa (gummy sweet)
- Pickled –Watermelon rind
- Agua fresca (cooler)
Hope you will give this watermelon salad recipe a try and let me know.
Meena