Watermelon, Tomato and Baby Kale or Arugula Salad
Prep 10 mins Eat 10 mins
Have you tasted the watermelon in the markets this summer? OMG, the word is super sweeeeet! This Watermelon, Tomato and Baby Kale or Arugula Salad topped with goat cheese is out of this world! I’ve gone through four large watermelons so far and they are so delicious. If you love fresh summer watermelon, you will love this recipe. The sweetness of the watermelon is offset with the acid in the tomato and red onion and the heat in the cayenne pepper.
This salad is just one of the many recipes using watermelon that you will want to try. The reason I love this recipe is that you can throw it together in ten minutes literally, depending on how good your knife skills are. It’s hard to resist just eating the watermelon right out of the refrigerator cut up into wedges or into cubes. I eat watermelon with plain yogurt and fresh made granola most mornings. Yummy! But there is so much more you can do with this healthy giant.
Nothing like fresh sweet summer watermelon!
The National Watermelon Promotion Board says here’s what to look for when buying a watermelon.
- Look the watermelon over.
You are looking for a firm, symmetrical watermelon that is free from bruises, cuts or dents. - Lift it up.
The watermelon should be heavy for it’s size. Watermelon is 92% water, most of the weight is water. - Turn it over.
The underside of the watermelon should have a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.
Liz smiles at how easy this watermelon salad is to make at our Main Dish Salads Cooking Class.
In one minute, you can mix up the 4-ingredient vinaigrette of olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, kosher salt and cayenne pepper. A little cayenne pepper goes a long way, giving you a gentle hint of the pepper flavor. Dice the watermelon, slice the tomatoes in half, slice the red onion, tear a handful of basil and place on a platter in the next 6 minutes.
We used a mixture of baby kale and arugula at our Main Dish Salads cooking class.
Top the watermelon mixture with baby kale or arugula and you are ready to serve. It is important to use only baby kale or baby arugula for this salad. The grown up version will be too tough.
The Watermelon, Tomato and Baby Kale Salad is beautiful and patriotic with white and blue table linens.
Crumble some goat cheese to top or serve on the side and you are ready to serve in 10 minutes. You will want to share this one at your next picnic. To keep it fresh, don’t make it to far ahead before serving. Also, like most salads, wait until serving before drizzling the vinaigrette over the greens and topping with the fresh goat cheese. Get ready for your guests to say, Sweeeeeeeet!
Watermelon, Tomato and Baby Kale or Arugula Salad
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoon White Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups watermelon, cut into 1″ cubes
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1 handful basil leaves, torn
4 ounces baby kale or arugula leaves
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1. Make the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl, dressing container or jar. If you are taking this to a picnic, choose a recycled covered jar that you can leave behind.
2. Spread the watermelon, sliced tomatoes, sliced onion and basil on a large serving platter. Top with the baby kale or arugula.
3. When it is time to serve, push the greens down to mix with the watermelon slightly, drizzle with the vinaigrette.
4. Crumble cold goat cheese over the top or leave on the side. DO NOT TOSS the goat cheese into the salad or it will become milky.
Servings: 4 – 205 calories per serving
Watermelon, Tomato and Baby Kale or Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon White Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups watermelon cut into 1" cubes
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
- 1/2 small red onion sliced
- 1 handful basil leaves torn
- 4 ounces baby kale or arugula leaves
- 2 ounces fresh goat cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl, dressing container or jar. If you are taking this to a picnic, choose a recycled covered jar that you can leave behind.
- Spread the watermelon, sliced tomatoes, sliced onion and basil on a large serving platter. Top with the baby kale or arugula.
- When it is time to serve, push the greens down to mix with the watermelon slightly, drizzle with the vinaigrette.
- Crumble cold goat cheese over the top or leave on the side. DO NOT TOSS the goat cheese into the salad or it will become milky.
- ENJOY THIS RECIPE FROM FreshFoodinaFlash.com
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