Description
Cool watermelon salad by Michael Symon delivers summer freshness with crisp fruit, feta cheese, and mint. Zesty dressing and unexpected ingredients make this dish a refreshing crowd-pleaser you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce:
- 3 cups large diced red seedless watermelon
- ½ cup diced English cucumber
- ¼ cup finely sliced scallions
- 1 small Fresno chile or jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- ¼ cup finely torn or finely chopped fresh mint
Cheese and Dairy:
- ½ cup Greek feta cheese, crumbled
Dressing and Seasonings:
- 6 to 9 tablespoons (90 to 135 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) red wine vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and combine Fresno peppers, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and minced garlic inside. Sprinkle kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, then add chopped fresh mint leaves.
- Secure the lid tightly and vigorously shake the jar to thoroughly blend the dressing ingredients, ensuring all components are well incorporated. Set the marinade aside to allow flavors to meld together.
- When ready to serve, select a large mixing bowl and gently combine diced watermelon chunks, thinly sliced cucumber, and finely chopped scallions.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and delicately toss the ingredients to ensure even coating without crushing the delicate watermelon pieces.
- Crumble fresh feta cheese over the top of the salad, distributing the cheese evenly for maximum flavor distribution.
- Chill the salad in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to enhance the refreshing qualities of the dish before serving. Garnish with additional mint leaves if desired.
Notes
- Culinary Zen happens when you relax and let flavors mingle before serving, giving each ingredient time to whisper its secrets.
- Temperature matters more than you might think, so pull ingredients out 30 minutes prior to mixing for seamless blending.
- Customize this recipe like your personal kitchen playlist, swapping ingredients based on what makes your taste buds dance.
- Kitchen tools aren’t just utensils; they’re your culinary companions waiting to transform simple ingredients into something extraordinary.
- Fresh herbs are the rockstars of this dish, bringing explosive flavor that dried versions can only dream about.
- Chopping technique impacts texture dramatically, so slice deliberately and with confident, consistent movements.
- Leftover potential runs high with this recipe, storing beautifully in airtight containers for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
- Salt gradually and taste constantly, building flavor layers like a master chef constructing a delicious symphony.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, creating silkier textures and more harmonious flavor profiles.
- Olive oil quality transforms good recipes into unforgettable experiences, so splurge on a bottle that makes your palate sing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Tossing
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 170 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 410 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg