Watermelon Basil Salad – The Almond Eater

August 14, 2023

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This straightforward Watermelon Basil Salad tosses cubed watermelon, basil, mint, feta, and crimson onion in a candy and floral champagne honey French dressing. It’s a refreshing facet dish that’s greatest loved below the summer time solar!

Watermelon is a candy summer time deal with, however how are you supposed to make use of up all the melon? I’ve acquired it… Watermelon Basil Salad!

Candy and refreshing watermelon salad with feta and basil is the reply when you have to expend the leftover watermelon in your fridge. This recipe makes use of a whopping 6 cups of watermelon, so there’s sufficient for the entire potluck or summer time get together!

You’ll discover a chic and irresistible mixture of watermelon, feta, basil, mint, and crimson onion on this straightforward summer time salad. The refreshing and herbaceous combine is complimented by the 4-ingredient champagne French dressing, leaving you with a crowd-pleasing salad to serve initially of your summer time meals. It’s scrumptious with grilled rooster, white bean salad, and extra!

Recipe options

Nothing fairly says “summer time” like watermelon feta basil salad. It’s ultra-refreshing and a celebration of recent summer time produce.
Wearing a champagne French dressing, each chunk is deliciously candy, tangy, floral, and delicate.
It’s at all times crowd-pleasing and vital for summer time meals, yard events, potlucks, and barbecues.
You may mess around with the substances to search out your excellent taste! Swap the cheese, add extra fruits or greens, or change the dressing.

Components

Champagne honey French dressing – The watermelon salad is wearing a floral, candy, and tangy dressing. It’s straightforward to make utilizing champagne vinegar, honey, olive oil, and salt.

Watermelon – When purchasing, search for a seedless watermelon that feels heavy for its measurement, has darkish inexperienced pores and skin, and has a big yellow-green “area” spot (this blemish marks the place the melon grew within the area). All of those qualities imply that the watermelon might be stuffed with taste and completely ripe.

Pink onion – I really like the distinction of crunchy and pungent crimson onion subsequent to the candy watermelon. You need to use shallots as an alternative if the crimson onion is just too sturdy for you.

Feta – Feta and watermelon are a match made in heaven. The cheese is creamy and salty, which cuts via the candy and juicy watermelon.

Basil and mint – The herbs have to be recent!

Step-by-step directions

Step 1: Make the dressing. Whisk the vinegar, honey, olive oil, and salt collectively in a glass measuring cup or small bowl.

Step 2: Assemble. Add the watermelon, onion, feta, basil, and mint to a big salad bowl. Pour the dressing over prime, toss to mix, and luxuriate in!

watermelon basil salad mixed together in a large bowl

Suggestions and FAQs

Be happy to make the dressing forward of time and maintain it in a jar within the fridge till it’s time to make the salad. Or apply it to different salads within the meantime! Its floral and candy notes assist it pair nicely with delicate inexperienced salads, like my Candied Pecan Frisée Salad and Child Kale Salad.
Use pre-cut watermelon as a substitute of reducing it your self to make this recipe further speedy.
This recipe makes sufficient salad for 4 individuals however you’ll be able to simply double or triple it so there’s sufficient for your entire friends on the get together.

Tip

Is uncooked crimson onion too tart for you? Soak the slices in chilly water for 10 minutes. This manner, the stronger onion flavors might be toned down and can style far more appetizing.

Variations

Watermelon basil salad is a lot enjoyable to play with. There are limitless variations and substitutions accessible and, with the next concepts, you can also make it your personal! Test them out:

Add extra fruit and veggies – Add sliced peaches, blueberries, blackberries, avocado, or cucumbers.
As a substitute of feta – Toss the salad with goat cheese or torn burrata cheese.
Add warmth – Use diced chili peppers, crimson pepper flakes, or Tajin to provide this salad a spicy kick.
For a Mexican-inspired taste – Gown the salad in lime juice and olive oil, swap the feta for crumbled cotija cheese, and change the mint and basil with recent cilantro.
To make a vegan watermelon feta salad – Use maple syrup within the salad dressing and swap the feta for vegan feta cheese (or omit it solely).
Swap the dressing – Gown the watermelon salad in balsamic French dressing or olive oil and lime juice as a substitute of the champagne French dressing.

What goes nicely with watermelon salad?

Each summer time meal ought to embrace watermelon feta salad as an appetizer or facet dish. Pair it with BBQ rooster thighs, buffalo chickpea burgers, grilled zucchini, and Mediterranean pasta salad for a flavorful and well-balanced dinner.

Are you able to make watermelon salad prematurely?

Sure, the salad will be assembled with out the dressing as much as 1 day prematurely. Wait so as to add the dressing till proper earlier than serving or else the salad will change into soggy and watery.

Storage

Fridge: Retailer the salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for two to three days.

a close-up of watermelon basil salad in a bowl

Extra refreshing summer time appetizers

In case you made this recipe, you should definitely depart a remark and star ranking beneath. Thanks!