This watermelon arugula salad is a true summer gem, combining refreshing flavors and textures into one delightful dish.
It’s perfect for those warm days when you crave something light, vibrant, and bursting with taste. You’ll love how quickly it comes together, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights or impromptu gatherings.
Featuring sweet watermelon, peppery arugula, crisp radish, and salty feta, this salad hits all the right notes. It’s a simple yet elegant side dish that complements almost any meal, from grilled chicken to backyard barbecue favorites. Get ready to add a new favorite to your recipe rotation!
Table of Contents
- What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
- Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
- Time Needed From Start To Finish
- How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
- Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
- Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
- How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
- Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe
Watermelon Arugula Salad with Feta and Radish
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This watermelon arugula salad is a true summer gem, combining refreshing flavors and textures into one delightful dish. It’s perfect for those warm days when you crave something light, vibrant, and bursting with taste. You’ll love how quickly it comes together, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights or impromptu gatherings. Featuring sweet watermelon, peppery arugula, crisp radish, and salty feta, this salad hits all the right notes. It’s a simple yet elegant side dish that complements almost any meal, from grilled chicken to backyard barbecue favorites. Get ready to add a new favorite to your recipe rotation!
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Prepare the watermelon: Start by cutting your seedless watermelon into bite-sized cubes, roughly 1-inch in size. Aim for consistent pieces so each bite is balanced. Place the cubed watermelon into a large mixing bowl.
2. Slice the radishes: Wash and trim the radishes, then slice them very thinly. A mandoline slicer can help achieve uniform, delicate slices, but a sharp knife works perfectly well. Add the sliced radishes to the bowl with the watermelon.
3. Combine with arugula and feta: Add the baby arugula and crumbled feta cheese to the bowl. Gently toss all the ingredients together to distribute them evenly. You want to avoid crushing the arugula or watermelon, so use a light hand.
4. Prepare the dressing: In a small separate bowl or a jar with a lid, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, sea salt, and black pepper until well combined. The lime juice adds a bright, zesty kick that perfectly complements the sweetness of the watermelon.
5. Dress the salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the watermelon, radish, arugula, and feta mixture.
6. Gentle final toss: Gently toss the salad one last time to ensure all the ingredients are lightly coated with the dressing. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor. The goal is to coat everything without making the arugula soggy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: salad
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
Keywords: watermelon, arugula, feta, radish, salad, summer, light, refreshing, easy, quick
What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
This watermelon arugula salad is a standout for many reasons, making it a fantastic addition to your recipe collection. First and foremost, it’s incredibly refreshing, which makes it perfect for hot summer days or as a light counterpoint to heavier main courses. The combination of sweet, savory, and peppery flavors is surprisingly harmonious and keeps every bite interesting. It’s also remarkably quick to prepare, requiring minimal cooking and mostly simple chopping, which is a huge bonus for busy families or anyone looking for a stress-free meal component.
This recipe is ideal for anyone seeking a healthy, flavorful side dish that doesn’t compromise on taste. It’s beginner-friendly, requiring no special skills or equipment beyond a good knife and a cutting board. Serve it as a vibrant side dish at your next barbecue, a light lunch, or even as a refreshing appetizer before a larger meal. It’s also a fantastic option for potlucks and picnics, as it travels well and stands out from typical pasta or potato salads.
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Gathering your ingredients for this salad is straightforward, and most items are readily available at any grocery store. The beauty of this dish lies in the quality and freshness of its components, so choose ripe, vibrant produce for the best results.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 cups seedless watermelon, cubed (about 1-inch pieces)
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 4-5 small radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
When selecting your watermelon, look for one that feels heavy for its size and has a dull spot on the underside, which indicates where it rested on the ground and ripened in the sun. For the feta, while crumbled is convenient, you can also buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself for a fresher taste. If you’re not a fan of feta, goat cheese is a wonderful alternative that offers a similar tangy, creamy texture. For the radishes, any variety will work, but smaller, crisper ones tend to have the best flavor and texture for salads.
Time Needed From Start To Finish
This salad is designed for speed and convenience, making it perfect for those times when you need a delicious dish without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 0 minutes
- Total time: 15 minutes
The majority of the time spent on this recipe involves simple chopping and combining. There’s no cooking required, allowing you to get this vibrant salad on the table in a flash.
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Creating this refreshing watermelon arugula salad is incredibly simple. Follow these steps for a perfect result every time.
- Prepare the watermelon: Start by cutting your seedless watermelon into bite-sized cubes, roughly 1-inch in size. Aim for consistent pieces so each bite is balanced. Place the cubed watermelon into a large mixing bowl.
- Slice the radishes: Wash and trim the radishes, then slice them very thinly. A mandoline slicer can help achieve uniform, delicate slices, but a sharp knife works perfectly well. Add the sliced radishes to the bowl with the watermelon.
- Combine with arugula and feta: Add the baby arugula and crumbled feta cheese to the bowl. Gently toss all the ingredients together to distribute them evenly. You want to avoid crushing the arugula or watermelon, so use a light hand.
- Prepare the dressing: In a small separate bowl or a jar with a lid, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, sea salt, and black pepper until well combined. The lime juice adds a bright, zesty kick that perfectly complements the sweetness of the watermelon.
- Dress the salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the watermelon, radish, arugula, and feta mixture.
- Gentle final toss: Gently toss the salad one last time to ensure all the ingredients are lightly coated with the dressing. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor. The goal is to coat everything without making the arugula soggy.
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
This watermelon arugula salad is wonderfully versatile and can be adapted to suit different tastes and occasions. For a kid-friendly twist, you might consider adding small cubes of mild cheddar cheese instead of feta, or even a handful of blueberries for extra sweetness and color. If the peppery taste of arugula is too strong for younger palates, a mix of spinach and arugula can mellow it out.
For a heartier meal, grill some chicken or shrimp and slice it over the top of the salad. It also pairs beautifully with grilled fish or a simple steak. If you’re serving it at a party or buffet, consider arranging the ingredients on a large platter rather than tossing them all together. Start with a bed of arugula, then artfully arrange the watermelon cubes, radish slices, and feta crumbles on top. Drizzle the dressing just before serving. Optional toppings that elevate this salad include toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds for crunch, fresh mint leaves for an extra burst of freshness, or a light balsamic glaze for a touch of tangy sweetness.
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
Even simple recipes can have common pitfalls. Being aware of these can help you achieve the best possible watermelon arugula salad.
One frequent mistake is over-dressing the salad. Arugula is delicate and can wilt quickly when drenched in dressing. To avoid this, always add the dressing just before serving and use a light hand when tossing. You want the ingredients to be lightly coated, not swimming in liquid.
Another common issue is using under-ripe or over-ripe watermelon. Under-ripe watermelon lacks sweetness and can be bland, while over-ripe watermelon can be mushy. Look for a watermelon that feels heavy, has a dull spot on one side, and sounds hollow when tapped.
Finally, don’t pre-cut your radishes too far in advance. While they hold up better than some other vegetables, they can lose their crispness if sliced and left exposed to air for too long. Slice them just before assembling the salad for maximum crunch.
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
This watermelon arugula salad is definitely best enjoyed fresh, right after it’s assembled. The arugula is crisp, the watermelon is juicy, and the radishes have their perfect crunch. However, if you need to prepare components ahead of time, there are ways to do it without compromising the final texture.
You can cube the watermelon and slice the radishes up to a day in advance. Store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Prepare the dressing and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge as well. When you’re ready to serve, simply combine the watermelon, radishes, arugula, and feta in a bowl, then drizzle with the dressing and toss gently. This method ensures that the arugula remains fresh and doesn’t wilt prematurely.
If you have any leftovers of the fully dressed salad, they will still be edible for a few hours, but the arugula will likely become soft, and the watermelon might release more liquid. It’s generally not recommended to store the fully assembled and dressed salad overnight, as the textures will significantly degrade.
Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe
Can I use a different type of cheese? Absolutely! While feta provides a wonderful salty tang, goat cheese is a fantastic alternative that offers a creamy texture and mild flavor. Fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved, would also work well for a milder, creamier option.
What if I don’t like arugula? If arugula’s peppery flavor isn’t to your liking, you can substitute it with baby spinach, a spring mix, or even finely chopped romaine lettuce for a milder base.
Can I add other fruits? Yes, this salad is quite adaptable. Blueberries, sliced strawberries, or even a few segments of orange or grapefruit can add another layer of sweetness and acidity.
How do I choose a good watermelon? Look for a watermelon that feels heavy for its size, has a dull spot (not white or green) where it rested on the ground, and sounds hollow when you tap it.
Is there a way to make this salad spicier? For a touch of heat, you could add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the dressing or finely dice a small jalapeño and sprinkle it over the salad.
Can I use bottled lime juice? While fresh lime juice offers the best flavor, bottled lime juice can be used in a pinch. Just be aware that the flavor might not be as bright or vibrant.
How long does this salad last? This
FAQs
- Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
- How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
- Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
- Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.
