Watermelon Fruit Salad
Tired of the usual fruit salad? This refreshing and delicious watermelon fruit salad with the help of a few Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ingredients will change your mind! Packed with summer fruits like juicy watermelon, fresh strawberries and raspberries, then it's taken up a notch with a sweet and tangy dressing, topped with creamy and salty feta, and finally dusted with a mystery spice!
Video Tutorial
What’s the mystery spice?
Its Sumac! A coarse, ruby red powder ground from the dried berries of the sumac bush, it is a staple seasoning in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. Sumac has a uniquely tart flavor that’s comparable to lemon’s bright tang, but is slightly more nuanced and well rounded. Nothing against fresh lemon juice and zest, in fact the two ingredients can actually be great pals like in this salad!
Why Sumac?
Sumac shines beautifully in desserts. Although we see it in savory dishes like grilled meat and roasted vegetable, I do think it was also destined for the sweet life. Think of the flavor profile it brings — brightness and tang, these are all the flavors needed to balance out a fresh dessert.
Feta Cheese and Fruit pairing?
Pairing feta with sweet fruits like melons and strawberries, as well as stone fruits like apricots and nectarines adds a saltiness to complement the sweet and fresh flavors. Salt also activates your salivary glands, so a bit of salty cheese like feta is enough to make the fruits seem juicier.
Also did you know in many Balkan countries like Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, and Macedonia watermelon is normally served with salty cheese like feta and halloumi? Don’t believe me? Google “Karpuz and Peynir”. That’s right! It’s a classic combo.
Is it a dessert?
It is whatever you want it to be! You could have it as a post-dinner snack/dessert. You can have a bowl full for lunch. You can start your morning with a fruit salad for breakfast. You are only limited by your own imagination my friend!
Helpful Notes
You may add any fruits of your choice, whatever is in season and available in your local area.
You can adjust the amount of honey in your dressing depending on how sweet or tart the fruits are.
I wanted to keep it all red fruits. If you want to keep it monochrome like me, you can also add pomegranates and cherries.
There are also different versions and combinations of this salad I love
Tropical — watermelon, mango, pineapple
Melon — watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, cucumber (yes, it’s a melon)
Very Berry — strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, kiwi (yes, its a berry)
Recipe —Watermelon Fruit Salad
Serving Size: 3-4
This salad is best made just prior to serving. You can prepare all the ingredients ahead of time including making the dressing. If you mix the salad too early, the fruits will lose their freshness, turn mushy and release a lot of moisture.
Ingredients
— Dressing
Extra Virgin Olive Oil — 2 tbsp
Honey — 1 tbsp
Fresh Lemon Juice — 1 tsp
Pink Himalayan Salt — 1/4 tsp
— Salad
Watermelon — 2 cups, cubed
Strawberries — 1.5 cups, cut in half or quarters
Raspberries — 1 cup
Dressing
Fresh Lemon Zest — 1 tsbp
Fresh Mint Leaves — 1/4 cup, chopped
Feta — 1/4 cup
Sumac — 1 tsp
Directions
Make the salad dressing — whisk together evoo, honey, fresh lemon juice and salt.
Note: You may substitute the honey for agave and pink salt with regular table salt or kosher salt. I personally like the flavor of Himalayan Pink Salt in fruit salads because its soft and gentle, with a touch of sweetness.
Prepare watermelon, strawberries and raspberries. Add them to a large serving bowl.
Add chopped mint leaves and fresh lemon zest.
Pour salad dressing and toss gently to coat.
Garnish it with crumbled feta and dust some sumac on top.
Right before serving, stir gently to integrate the feta and sumac with the rest of the salad. Enjoy!
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