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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Watermelon Salad With Pecorino Cheese & Honey Balsamic Dressing

    Published: Sep 8, 2020 · Modified: Dec 21, 2021 by Laura Reigel · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump To Recipe Comments
    Savory Watermelon Salad pinterest image by foodology geek
    Sweet and Savory Watermelon Salad. Watermelon, fresh tomatoes, greens, avocado and percorino romano cheese.
    Fresh Tomato and Watermelon Salad Recipe witn ricotta salata cheese by foodology geek
    Watermelon Salad Recipe. pinterest image by foodology geek.com
    watermelon and tomato sald
    watermelon and tomato sald


    A little different than your typical watermelon and feta salad. Fresh greens, juicy ripe watermelon, fresh tomatoes, avocado, and salty pecorino cheese come together for a savory-sweet watermelon tomato salad that's irresistibly delicious.

    savory watermelon salad recipe with fresh tomatoes, herbs, and pecorino romano
    When tomatoes are ripe, there's nothing tastier than a fresh tomato salad!

    I grow fresh tomatoes in my garden during the summer months, so I'm always looking for ways to use them the best I can.

    This watermelon and arugula salad recipe is taken to the next level with pecorino romano cheese. Yum!

    Pecorino romano is a salty, nutty hard cheese that pairs so well with the sweet watermelon and the bite of spicy arugula.

    When I told my mom about this salad, she said, "That just doesn't look right." It might not look right, but it's absolutely beautiful, and it tastes as good as it looks. I hope my mom, and you, will give it a try!

    Surprise! A yellow watermelon!

    I had planned on using yellow pear tomatoes and a traditional red watermelon for this salad. Thankfully, I still had some red heirloom cherry tomatoes that my neighbor had given me. The colors turned out great!

    What you'll love about this watermelon salad recipe

    • Beautiful: First of all, this salad is gorgeous. Whether you're looking for a special side dish for Independence Day or an easy addition to your weekly rotation, this recipe fits the bill. 
    • Healthy: This salad is brimming with healthy phytonutrients. Plus, avocado adds a hint of healthy Omega-3s!
    • Simple: This salad is dressed with a white balsamic vinaigrette— just enough to bring out the beauty of the fresh flavors that this dish has to offer. I chose to kick things up a notch by using a honey white balsamic and a lemon flake finishing salt. The lemon salt is next level, so definitely pick it up if you can get your hands on some online or in your grocery store.

    Recipe Notes

    If I haven't sold you on this recipe already, just wait until you see how easy it is to assemble!

    Ingredients you need to make a savory watermelon salad

    • Watermelon: See advice below in the FAQs for more tips to use when picking out a watermelon!
    • Tomatoes: As you've seen, any kind of tomatoes will do. I like using small cherry or pear tomatoes because they are usually sweet, and all you have to do is slice them in half.
    • Cheese: The pecorino cheese finishes everything with a salty, savory flavor that brings everything together beautifully.
    • Red onion: Onions make the perfect addition in this salad, adding a little bit of sweet spiciness.
    • Fresh mint leaves: Fresh mint gives this salad a herbacious summery spin.

    How to Make a Watermelon Salad

    You will want to make this salad close to the time that you will serve it. However, if you do need to make it ahead, store the watermelon, tomatoes, and red onions in a separate container. Add these to the greens right before serving.

    Pro-tip: I like to serve this salad in a flat bowl or on a platter. The presentation is gorgeous!

    1. Slice the fruit and veggies. Slice the tomatoes, red onion, and watermelon. Add these to a large salad bowl. You can use a melon baller if you want to be extra fancy.
    2. Add the greens. Add the arugula and baby kale to the bowl.
    3. Add the oil and vinegar. This salad is simply dressed with a splash of oil and vinegar.
    4. Top the salad with shaved cheese. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the pecorino onto the top of the salad.
    5. Finish: Finish with diced avocado and a sprinkle of lemon craft salt and some fresh ground pepper.
    fresh and savory watermelon salad recipe

    FAQs and Pro Tips

    How do you pick the perfect watermelon?

    Making the best salad possible requires the best ingredients that you can get your hands on! When picking a watermelon, knock on it with your fist and listen for its hollow sound. If you hear a low thud, the melon is likely to be dry and mealy. You can also check for a yellow patch on your melon. That's always a good sign as well.

    How do you cut a watermelon?

    Cut the ends off of your watermelon, then set your melon on one of the newly flat sides and carve the rind off with a large knife. Then, easily slice your melon into cubes! This video is similar to how I cut a watermelon; check it out here.

    Mark Bitterman Salt and Honey White Balsamic Vinegar

    What to serve with watermelon salad

    • Simple Grilled Chicken Recipe
    • Lemon Chicken Piccata with Capers
    • Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe
    • Garlic Parmesan Wings (Baked and Super Crispy)

    More summer recipes that you might like:

    • Hawaiian Style Kalbi Short Ribs
    • Pineapple Salsa Recipe
    • Carne Asada Tacos
    • Red Sangria Recipe
    • Authentic Tzatziki Recipe
    • Greek Salad Dressing Recipe

    ➽ Did you make this recipe? I love to see what's going on in your kitchen. Please show me what you're cooking. 🍳 Tag me @foodologygeek on your favorite social channel! Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest. If you loved ❤︎ this recipe, please leave a five ★ review and a comment!

    savory watermelon salad recipe with fresh tomatoes, herbs, and pecorino romano
    Favorite Saved!

    Savory Watermelon Salad With Pecorino Cheese

    Laura Reigel
    This watermelon salad recipe is a beautiful tomato and watermelon salad with spicy arugula and salty pecorino cheese. A little bit different than the all-too-common watermelon and feta salad.
    PRINT PIN SAVE SAVED
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 135 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Salad Ingredients

    • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
    • 4 cups watermelon largely diced
    • 1 cup mixed baby greens kale and arugula
    • 1 tablespoon fresh mint julienned
    • ¼ red onion finely sliced
    • 1 avocado diced

    Vinaigrette

    • 2 tablespoon honey white balsamic
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    Top With

    • ½ oz pecorino romano cheese shaved
    • fresh ground pepper to finish
    • lemon flake salt to finish
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Make the salad. Add the halved tomatoes, cubed watermelon, mixed greens, sliced red onion, and avocado to a large glass or plastic (non reactive) bowl.
    • Add the vinaigrette. Dress the salad by adding the vinegar and olive oil direclty to the salad. Gently toss.
    • To Serve: Top the salad with freshly ground pepper, lemon flake salt, and shaved pecorino romano cheese. 

    Laura's Tips + Notes

    Substitutions
    You can substitute white balsamic, champagne vinegar, or another sweet, light-colored vinegar for the O brand vinegar. You may also use any good quality salt in place of the Mark Bitterman salt.

    YOUR OWN NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 43mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword arugula, pecorino, salad, tomato, watermelon
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Snap a 📸 and share it. Tag me @foodologygeek and don't forget to hashtag #foodologygeek!

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    About Laura Reigel

    Laura is the owner and CEO of Foodology Geek. She holds a degree in Physiology and Neuroscience as well as a Certification as a Nutrition Coach. Laura uses her love of cooking and science to create healthy real food recipes that you'll love eating.

    As a certified recipe hoarder, and meal prep maven Laura is passionate about sharing her love for cooking easy from-scratch recipes. She also shares the occasional family recipe and all of the technical details.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Paula

      August 07, 2019 at 7:24 am

      5 stars
      Hi Laura!
      So many awesome recipes and my favourite part is the prep time. I love watermelon salad, I eat them about 5 times a week but it’s very basic, I only add watermelon and avocados. I will definitely try your recipe, it will be much tastier.
      Picking a sweet watermelon one is the challenge. I recently picked out a white one by accident. 😊

      Reply
      • Laura

        August 14, 2019 at 5:12 pm

        Thanks so much, Paula. I hope you enjoy this recipe and I hope you picked up a super tasty watermelon!

        Reply
    2. Tiffany

      August 03, 2019 at 1:55 pm

      5 stars
      Such a fun recipe for the summertime! ❤️

      Reply

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