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Watermelon Salad Recipe

This amazing watermelon salad recipe is supremely refreshing all summer long! It’s a crazy-easy and fun spin on summer fruit salad. Perfect for all those picnics and cookouts, coming right up. 

watermelon salad recipe fruit salad summer salad

watermelon salad

Calling all self-proclaimed watermelon fanatics: we’ve got the boss of all fruit salads for you today.

If you love all things watermelon, you’ll be all in with this refreshing summer watermelon salad recipe.

If you’ve enjoyed watermelon salad before, you already know all about its tempting virtues. If you’ve yet to try it, tarry no longer. Watermelon salad is a big burst of summer goodness in every bite – sweet, juicy, tangy, and crispy. Plus just enough zing to liven up your plate and bring you back for more.

Serve this refreshing watermelon salad at your next cookout, along with a batch of yummy Watermelon Margaritas for the best summer gathering, pretty much ever.

watermelon salad recipe fruit salad summer salad

tips for your watermelon salad:

  • Start off with the sweetest, crispiest, ripe watermelon you can get your hands on. This is the trickiest part of entire watermelon salad recipe, because the salad itself is super easy. If picking a great watermelon is a mystery, learn how we consistently pick the best watermelon every time.
  • Make sure your yellow tomatoes are fresh and sweet. If you can’t source yellow tomatoes, you can certainly use the little orange or cherry tomatoes.
  • Get only the freshest basil; if you’re lucky enough to grow basil in your garden, you’re in business. If you prefer, you can use fresh mint leaves.
  • Use only freshly squeezed lime juice. No bottled lime juice here.

how to serve watermelon salad:

Watermelon salad is amazing at any summer gathering you can dream up. It’s perfect next to BLT Burger with Roasted Garlic Mayo or your favorite burgers ‘n brats scenario.

It’s a stunning accompaniment to Garlic Marinated Ribeye Steaks plus all the steaks in the world. You get the idea…anytime it’s grill time, it’s watermelon salad time.

This watermelon salad is also a deliciously cooling and healthy snack on a warm afternoon. Important: keep watermelon salad tightly sealed and chilled until ready serve. It’s also best to enjoy watermelon salad shortly after tossing it together.

watermelon salad recipe fruit salad summer salad

Watermelon salad
commonly asked questions

Can I make this watermelon salad in advance?

Though the vast majority of our recipes can be made in advance, this one isn’t one of them. We recommend enjoying this salad soon after tossing. Keep covered and chilled.

Do I have to use yellow tomatoes?

The yellow tomatoes tend to be extra sweet, but are chosen mainly for color. You’re free to use cherry tomatoes or whatever baby tomatoes are the sweetest ones you can find.

What can I substitute for fresh basil?

If you can’t find fresh basil (or simply don’t prefer it,) try freshly torn mint for a burst of refreshing flavor.

Can I add other fruit to this watermelon salad?

Absolutely! Try adding other melons like honeydew or cataloupe at a 1-1 ratio. We recommend using watermelon as the main fruit, to keep it a watermelon salad 🙂

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Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

watermelon salad

Watermelon Salad Recipe

5 from 10 ratings
This amazing watermelon salad recipe is supremely refreshing all summer long! It's a crazy-easy and fun spin on summer fruit salad. Perfect for all those picnics and cookouts, coming right up.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • 5 cups watermelon, cubed
  • 1 ½ cups yellow grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • ½ cup freshly torn basil leaves
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 TB pure honey
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Combine: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Use rubber spatula to gently fold together until well combined.
    watermelon salad
  • Cover and Chill: Cover and chill no more than 1 hour before serving (watermelon salad is best served immediately.)

Notes

Watermelon salad will produce excess liquid if it sits too long; it's best served right away. If you must chill for awhile before serving, be sure to lightly toss again before serving.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ♡

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 75kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.1g | Protein: 1.4g | Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 4.3mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 15.4g
Course: Salad, Side
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Method: Mixing

Fruity Favorites:

Fresh Strawberry Crumb Cake

strawberry crumb caked, sliced with fresh berries on white plate

Watermelon Margaritas

watermelon margaritas in glasses with watermelon slices

Honey Yogurt Fruit Dip

Honey Yogurt Fruit Dip

Fresh Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Sugar Chips!

fruit salsa with cinnamon sugar chips

Add a comment

Recipe Rating




40 comments

    • Moop Brown
    • 5 stars

    Watermelon is one of my favorite fruits and I love how refreshing and easy to make this salad is.

    • Tristin
    • 5 stars

    Had never had watermelon in a salad until trying your recipe! Loved the refreshing flavor and fresh ingredients.

    • Hayley Dhanecha
    • 5 stars

    What a refreshing watermelon salad, that is so quick and easy to put on the table. One of my favourite salad 🙂

    • Daniela Weiner
    • 5 stars

    Thank you for teaching me how to pick the right watermelon! I am so excited to make this salad over and over

    • Jessica

    What a delightful summer salad! Juicy, fresh, and delicious, this will be perfect for sharing at all the barbecues and potlucks I have coming up.

    • Amanda Mason
    • 5 stars

    Every single ingredient in this recipe contributed a nice and tasty flavor in every bite! I enjoyed it with a light dinner, but I’ll be making this one again to take to my 4th of July party with family!!

    • Natalie
    • 5 stars

    Besides this wonderful salad recipe, I finally learned how to pick the right watermelon, thank you!

    • veenaazmanov
    • 5 stars

    This colorful Bowl is so refreshing and tempting. Looks perfect as a Summer cooler too.

    • LaKita
    • 5 stars

    This watermelon salad is so light, refreshing, and tasty. It is the perfect balance of sweet and savory!

    • Shishira, The Backpacksters

    My mouth’s watering already! Healthy food always makes me happy! Thanks for sharing!

    • Fabulous Perks
    • 5 stars

    I ain’t think I’ve ever seen watermelon salad. This looks amazing, my mouth is literally watering.

    • TweenselMom (@TweenselMom)

    This looks really delicious! Watermelons are my favorite fruits so thanks for sharing this!

    • aisasami

    This looks super yummy. I love eating watermelon and it has such a saavy taste. I gotta try it!

    • Papa Jack

    I love to be healthy. Fruits and vegetables are my main concentration. Thank you for sharing this one for the book.

    • WorldInEyes

    wow..this salad recipe is much unique and amazing…looks so delicious and tasty..just loved it,..thanks for sharing..

    • joanna

    This looks like such a delicious and refreshing summer salad. I used to make a similar salad in summer, just add feta cheese on top.

    • Taslyn

    I love watermelon the salad looks so fresh and so yummy I would eat your photo’s if I could absolutely beautiful.

    TaslynMatina

    • Tiffany Yong

    Do you have any idea how I can keep fruit/ salads in the fridge without making the fridge smell after some time? I like them cold and they usually don’t get all eaten up at once.

    • Rachel

    I love watermelon, especially in the summer months, have never thought of adding it to a salad though. This looks amazing!

    • Daisy

    This sounds absolutely freaking DELICIOUS!!! What a fabulous summer idea to share at any summer BBQ!!

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