Watermelon Salad with Mint

Here’s the most deliciously refreshing salad for the summer: watermelon salad! There are lots of variations on this concept, but this one’s our favorite. Why? It comes together in minutes with just 3 ingredients: and it truly transforms this juicy fruit into a masterpiece.

Zingy lime makes magic with the sweet melon, and fresh mint adds a cooling essence on the finish. We served this to friends at a summer cookout, and they exclaimed, “What’s in this?”

Ingredients in this watermelon salad

Move over, watermelon feta salad. This watermelon salad with mint has got you beat! Don’t get us wrong: we love the pairing of salty, savory cheese with sweet melon. But honestly, we prefer this recipe. It’s even simpler and more refreshing. Here are the three ingredients you need:

• Ripe watermelon
• Lime juice
• Fresh mint

All you’ve got to do? Chop up the melon, chop up the mint, and add the lime juice. Simple as that!

When you’re faced with a massive watermelon and a huge Chef’s knife, what to do? We’ve been there, and we know it’s daunting. What’s the best way to cut this massive fruit? There are lots of methods, but here’s the best way we’ve found to cut a watermelon:

• Slice the watermelon in half around the middle. Don’t do it lengthwise!
• Lay it on the flat side, and cut slices.
• Use a pairing knife to cut off the rind. A smaller knife helps you have more control.
• Make a grid pattern to cut it into cubes. That’s it!

Variations on watermelon salad

A summery watermelon salad has many variations and adders! We’ve made a few different variations that we love. Here are a few adders:

• Sea salt: Top with flaky sea salt.
• Feta cheese: The classic Watermelon Feta Salad is a revelation
• Cucumber: Pair this cooling veggie in Watermelon Cucumber Salad
• Red onion or shallot: Top with onion for a spicy kick
• Basil: Use basil instead of mint
• Lemon or lime zest: Add another citrus twist

Finding a ripe watermelon

The best advice for any watermelon recipe? Grab a ripe watermelon! It’s essential to getting the beautifully sweet flavor: no amount of added sugar can save it. Here’s how to get the best ripe watermelon:

• Shop in watermelon season. If it’s out of season, it’s much more likely to be unripe.
• Look for a yellow field spot. Most watermelons should have a patch on the bottom, which is where they were resting on the ground before being picked. If the patch is yellow, the watermelon is ripe (if it’s white, it’s unripe).

More summer salad recipes

Salads are king in the summer, and this one is one of our top choices! Here are a few more of our top summery salads to make this time of year:

• Mix up an easy Easy Tortellini Salad or Antipasto Salad
• Use the season’s corn with Elote Salad or Corn Salad
• Go classic with Three Bean Salad
• Make the easiest Quick Black Bean and Corn Salad
• Mix up Broccoli Salad or Broccoli Slaw

Dietary notes

This watermelon salad recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.