Description
Ina Garten’s watermelon arugula salad combines fresh summer ingredients with zesty Mediterranean flavors. Crisp arugula leaves and sweet watermelon cubes create a refreshing dish you’ll savor with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) watermelon, seedless, ¾-inch-diced
- ½ lb (227 g) baby arugula leaves
- ½ lb (227 g) Parmesan cheese, chunk
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) olive oil, good
- ¼ cup (59 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed (2 lemons)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
- Preparation: Layer crisp arugula leaves and watermelon cubes in a spacious mixing bowl, creating a vibrant base for the salad.
- Vinaigrette Creation: Whisk extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper in a compact preparation bowl until the dressing emulsifies smoothly.
- Dressing and Mixing: Gently drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, carefully tossing to ensure each ingredient is delicately coated while maintaining the produce’s structural integrity.
- Cheese Finishing: Delicately shave aged Parmesan cheese using a sharp kitchen knife or vegetable peeler, allowing irregular, elegant fragments to cascade over the dressed salad.
- Plating and Seasoning: Artfully distribute the salad across serving plates, performing a final flavor assessment by sprinkling additional salt if needed, and serve immediately to preserve the salad’s crisp texture and visual appeal.
Notes
- Maximize Freshness: Prepare ingredients just before serving to maintain crisp arugula and juicy watermelon texture.
- Balance Dressing Carefully: Drizzle vinaigrette sparingly to prevent soggy leaves, ensuring light, delicate coating.
- Select Premium Ingredients: Choose ripe, seedless watermelon and fresh, peppery arugula for maximum flavor intensity.
- Cheese Shaving Technique: Use sharp vegetable peeler or knife to create elegant Parmesan fragments that enhance overall salad presentation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg