Sweet, juicy, sour, cool, funky: If I had to profile my favorite cocktails this would just about describe them all! But let’s not limit these aromatic qualities to a cocktail hour. Just as satisfying as a daiquiri is this watermelon salad. It has all the components of my perfect drink. It contains sweet, juicy watermelon, sour lime juice, cooling mint, and a little funk from the watercress. With summer just around the corner, I think I’ve stumbled onto my favorite new recipe to cool off.
Here’s what I love about watermelon salad:
- It has jazzy color. With big color and toppings that look like confetti, this salad is its own centerpiece!
- It’s easy to make. I love that this salad comes together in a matter of minutes. With limited ingredients and no mixing ingredients or dressings, it’s a breeze to make.
- It’s garden-friendly. It seems like I’m always picking the smallest quantities of herbs from my garden. I grab a little here, a little there, never enough for a pesto. However, with this recipe, I can enjoy a sprinkling of various herbs without mowing down an entire plant. I’m especially eager to substitute purslane or basil for the watercress.
- It mellows the pungency of watercress. I love a peppery herb, but it’s nice to find a recipe where this noseful isn’t center stage.
- It’s raw. As with any salad, go have yourself a nutritional field day. Watermelon is particularly high in vitamins A and C. And, thanks to its ruby red color, its high lycopene content adds antioxidants, too.
- It’s hydrating. Eating a cup of watermelon is equivalent to drinking over a half cup of water.
Having a salad soirée? Try some of these alongside it!
- Crispy Tofu Quinoa Salad
- Green Chutney Potato Salad
- Roasted Zucchini Salad
- Pesto Couscous with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
- Farro with Mushrooms and Walnut Dressing
Watermelon Salad with Mint and Watercress
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
An attractive, cooling summer salad made with raw ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1/2 small watermelon, cubed (or as much as can fit on your serving dish)
- 1 scant tablespoon olive oil
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 handful of mint leaves, large leaves torn or coarsely chopped
- 1 small handful watercress
- sesame seeds for topping
Instructions
- Pile the watermelon cubes onto a medium-sized serving dish.
- Drizzle with the olive oil and squeeze the lime juice evenly over the fruit.
- Arrange the mint on top of the watermelon, then the watercress, then sprinkle the sesame seeds on top.
- Enjoy or chill and eat later in the day.
Notes
You can use flax seeds or sunflower seeds, among other options, in place of the sesame seeds.
If you’re vegetarian you might consider adding pieces of mozzarella cheese.
Instead of lime juice, you can use lemon juice or even apple cider vinegar.
You could also omit the watercress and add extra mint.
Keywords: watermelon salad, watermelon, salad, healthy, vegan, vegetarian, summer, fruit salad, fruit, raw