This healthy, watermelon basil salad is fresh and fruity with a great combination of textures and flavors. It’s served over a bed of leafy greens and topped with a refreshing homemade, watermelon reduction vinaigrette.
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🥗 Elevate Your Summer Meals With Fresh Salad
I like to serve this fresh, watermelon salad with basil next to my lemon basil chicken pasta for a complete spring/summer dinner.
What better way to complement the salad than with a watermelon vinaigrette? If you haven’t prepared a watermelon reduction before (also called watermelon molasses), you’re in for a treat!
It’s a healthier way to add sweetness to the vinaigrette without adding any processed sugars and it adds extra watermelon flavor. It’s simple to make and you’ll have mastered a new skill in the kitchen! Another idea to use is this homemade strawberry dressing.
I also have this burrata cheese salad and tomato watermelon gazpacho that are perfect for summer.
🍉 Watermelon Basil Salad Ingredients
- watermelon - You will need a couple of small watermelons for this recipe or one large one: for both the vinaigrette and for the salad. Make sure to choose seedless.
- arugula - Arugula has a distinctive peppery, slightly bitter taste, which adds a unique flavor to this salad. You can substitute with mixed greens if you prefer.
- avocado - When looking for ripeness, look for an avocado with a dark green to almost black skin. A perfectly ripe avocado will feel firm but have some give when pressed.
- goat cheese - Remove the goat cheese if you're vegan or have vegans joining you at the dinner table. It can be served on the side as an optional topping. You can swap it with feta if you prefer but I love the creamy, soft texture of the goat cheese with the fruit.
- pine nuts - Pine nuts are rich, buttery and delicious in this salad. If preferred, you can substitute with slivered almonds or cashews.
- fresh basil leaves - The herbaceous flavor of basil helps to balance the sweetness of the watermelon, creating a more complex taste. I have a post explaining all about basil if you want to know more.
- olive oil - Extra virgin works best for this recipe.
- red wine vinegar - Red wine vinegar has a sharp, tangy flavor that adds a nice, bright acidity to the dressing.
- sea salt flakes - To garnish.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Chef's Note: If you aren’t prepared to spend time making the watermelon reduction, it can easily be substituted with another fruity vinaigrette you have on hand or simply extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar.
🥣 How to Make it
For the Watermelon Reduction & Vinaigrette
Step #1. Cube. Remove the watermelon rind and cut the watermelon into cubes. Check out how to cut watermelon step by step here.
Step #2. Blend. Add the watermelon cubes to a blender and process them until smooth.
Step #3. Strain. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and discard the pulp. Alternatively, you can use a juicer.
Step #4. Heat. Transfer the watermelon juice to a medium saucepan and heat it over medium heat.
Step #5. Reduce. Once it is simmering, lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The watermelon juice should be reduced by at least half. It may take longer for a juicier watermelon. Let cool.
Step #6. Make the Vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, ½ cup of the watermelon reduction and salt. Reserve.
To Assemble the Salad
Step #7. Layer. In individual salad bowls, layer the arugula, watermelon cubes, avocado, goat cheese, blueberries and red onion.
Step #8. Garnish & Serve. Garnish the watermelon basil salad with the pine nuts, basil leaves and flaky sea salt. Drizzle with the watermelon vinaigrette or serve it on the side.
✅ Joss' Top Tips
- Choose the Right Watermelon: Select a ripe, juicy watermelon. It should be heavy for its size and have a creamy yellow spot where it rested on the ground, which signals ripeness.
- Cut Uniform Pieces: Cut the watermelon into even-sized cubes for better salad presentation.
- Dress Just Before Serving: Add the dressing just before serving to prevent the salad from becoming soggy. This helps keep the watermelon and other ingredients fresh and crisp!
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- When you serve your watermelon basil salad, use white, green or pastel plates to keep the fresh summery theme going.
- Use plates with summer-inspired designs like leaves or flowers if you have any in your cabinet.
- Serve the salad with matching glasses, or fill your guests' glasses with fruity drinks that match the salad's bright shade. Something like this non-alcoholic blueberry mojito or watermelon basil cocktail would be perfect!
- This salad makes a refreshing and light lunchtime dish or side salad for dinner. You could pair it with classic summer meals, like barbecued proteins including steak, hotdogs and hamburgers (try my breaded burgers). A light salad offsets the filling main so your guests shouldn’t feel too weighed down after they eat.
- If you have leftover watermelon chunks, try making these melon and prosciutto skewers for a quick summer appetizer.
❓ Watermelon Basil Salad FAQs
As long as there is no dressing on the leftover salad, you can cover it with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge as soon as possible. Try to eat it within the next 1 to 2 days so it stays fresh. Placing a piece of paper towel in the container can soak up moisture and help it last longer.
If you want to prepare the vinaigrette ahead of time, it can be stored in the refrigerator in a squeeze bottle or glass jar for up to two weeks. Give it a good shake before serving.
🍈 More Fruity Recipes to Enjoy This Summer
If you tried this 🍉 Watermelon Basil Salad Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Watermelon Basil Salad
Ingredients
For the Watermelon Reduction
- 1 small watermelon - seedless
For the Vinaigrette
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup watermelon reduction - from above
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Salad
- 3 cups arugula
- 3 cups watermelon - seedless and cubed
- 1 cup avocado - cubed
- 1 cup goat cheese - crumbled
- 1 cup blueberries
- ½ cup red onion - thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- ½ cup basil - coarsely chopped
- sea salt flakes - to taste
Instructions
For the Watermelon Reduction
- Remove the watermelon rind and cut the watermelon into cubes.
- Add the watermelon cubes to a blender and process them until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and discard the pulp. Alternatively, you can use a juicer.
- Transfer the watermelon juice to a medium saucepan and heat it over medium heat.
- Once it is simmering, lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The watermelon juice should be reduced by at least half. It may take longer for a juicier watermelon. Let cool.
For the Watermelon Vinaigrette
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, ½ cup of the watermelon reduction and salt. Reserve.
For the Watermelon Salad
- In individual salad bowls, layer the arugula, watermelon cubes, avocado, goat cheese, blueberries and red onion.
- Garnish with the pine nuts, basil leaves and flaky sea salt. Drizzle with the watermelon vinaigrette or serve it on the side.
Notes
- Note on Nutrition Info: The nutrition information for this recipe does not include the vinaigrette as this amount will vary depending on what each individual uses on their salad.
- Dressing Alternative: If you aren’t prepared to spend time making the watermelon reduction, it can easily be substituted with another fruity vinaigrette you have on hand or simply extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar.
- Choose the Right Watermelon: Select a ripe, juicy watermelon. It should be heavy for its size and have a creamy yellow spot where it rested on the ground, which signals ripeness.
- Cut Uniform Pieces: Cut the watermelon into even-sized cubes for better salad presentation.
- Dress Just Before Serving: Add the dressing just before serving to prevent the salad from becoming soggy. This helps keep the watermelon and other ingredients fresh and crisp!
- Salad Storage: As long as there is no dressing on the leftover salad, you can cover it with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge as soon as possible. Try to eat it within the next 1 to 2 days so it stays fresh. Placing a piece of paper towel in the container can soak up moisture and help it last longer.
- Dressing Storage: If you want to prepare the vinaigrette ahead of time, it can be stored in the refrigerator in a squeeze bottle or glass jar for up to two weeks. Give it a good shake before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Tom says
I love that the vinaigrette was sweetened with cooked down juice from a watermelon. Very unique. And the salad itself was fresh and yummy.
Joss D says
Good to hear, Tom. Thanks!