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Have fun watermelon season with this mild and flavorful salad tossed in a vivid white balsamic French dressing.
Throughout a getaway to Santa Barbara final month, Barclay and I took a day journey to Ojai and fully fell in love with the picturesque, laid-back little city. We wandered from store to buy, stopped right into a handful of cute cafés and wineries, and soaked up the California sunshine. However the surprising standout of the day? A contemporary watermelon salad from a candy spot referred to as Little Gem. ♡
It was every part a summer time salad ought to be — juicy watermelon, peppery arugula, salty feta, crunchy nuts, and crispy shallots, all tossed collectively in a lightweight and tangy French dressing. We couldn’t cease speaking about it the remainder of the week! In order quickly as we arrived dwelling, I began testing my very own model, and it has rapidly earned a everlasting spot in our rotation throughout watermelon season.
It’s contemporary, easy, and completely balanced with vibrant flavors — the form of recipe that works simply as effectively for a fast weeknight dinner because it does for a yard cookout with pals. I extremely advocate taking the additional jiffy to fry up a batch of your personal crispy shallots, which add a lot taste right here, however you can too simply seize a bag on the retailer (we like those from TJ’s) for those who’d like to avoid wasting a step. Let’s make some salad!
Recipe Variations
This watermelon salad is endlessly adaptable, so be at liberty to combine and match substances to fit your style or no matter you have got readily available. For instance, be at liberty to:
- Add a protein. Prime the salad with grilled shrimp, rooster, and even prosciutto for those who’d like so as to add a protein.
- Add some grains. Stir in an enormous scoop of cooked quinoa, farro or couscous to make it extra hearty.
- Amp up the warmth. Thinly slice a jalapeño or drizzle in a little bit of sizzling honey or chili crisp for those who love a sweet-and-spicy vibe.
- Combine and match your greens, cheese, nuts or onions. Swap the arugula for child spinach, spring combine, or Romaie. Strive creamy goat cheese, cotija, or contemporary burrata as a substitute of feta. Use toasted almonds, walnuts, pecans, or pepitas rather than pistachios. And for those who’d moderately skip the crispy shallots, you may simply use thinly sliced uncooked shallots as a substitute.
- Use grilled watermelon. For a touch of smoky taste, rapidly grill thick slabs of watermelon earlier than dicing — only a minute or two per facet.
Extra Fruit-Stuffed Salad Recipes To Strive!
Watermelon Salad:
- 24 ounces (about 5 cups) diced watermelon
- 5 ounces child arugula
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped pistachios, divided
- 1/2 cup crispy fried shallots, divided
- 1/4 cup (about 0.25 ounce) julienned contemporary mint leaves
White Balsamic French dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon advantageous sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- Make the French dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk collectively the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper till effectively mixed.
- Assemble the salad. In a big mixing bowl, mix the watermelon, arugula, feta, half of the pistachios, half of the shallots and mint. Drizzle evenly with the French dressing. Toss very gently till mixed.
- Serve. Serve instantly, garnished with the remaining pistachios, crispy shallots, and an additional twist of black pepper. Get pleasure from!
Notes
Recipe impressed by the watermelon salad at Little Gem in Ojai — make sure you cease in and check out theirs for those who’re on the town!
