Watermelon Pineapple Salad: A Refreshing Summer Delight Recipe
This Watermelon Pineapple Salad is a vibrant and refreshing summer dish that combines juicy watermelon, sweet pineapple, crisp cucumber, and zesty lime dressing. Enhanced with fresh mint leaves and optional crumbled feta cheese, this salad offers a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors. Light, hydrating, and easy to prepare, it’s an ideal side dish or light snack for warm weather gatherings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits and Vegetables
- 4 cups of fresh watermelon, cubed
- 2 cups of fresh pineapple, cubed
- 1 cup of cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup of red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves, chopped
Dressing and Garnish
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon of honey (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional
- 1/4 cup of feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Prepare Watermelon: Cut the watermelon in half, then into quarters. Cube the flesh, removing any seeds, to yield about 4 cups of watermelon cubes.
- Prepare Pineapple: Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple, slice off the skin, and cut it into quarters. Remove the core and cube the flesh to get about 2 cups of pineapple cubes.
- Prepare Cucumber: Wash the cucumber thoroughly. Peel if desired, cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and dice into small pieces.
- Chop Red Onion: Finely chop about 1/4 cup of red onion. To mellow the flavor, soak the chopped onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.
- Chop Mint: Stack the mint leaves, roll them up, and slice thinly to yield about 1/4 cup of chopped mint.
- Prepare Feta Cheese: Crumble feta cheese into small pieces, if using.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the watermelon, pineapple, cucumber, and red onion. Gently toss to mix evenly.
- Add Mint and Feta: Sprinkle the chopped mint and crumbled feta over the fruit and vegetable mixture.
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice and honey, if using, until combined.
- Toss with Dressing: Pour the lime dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Season: Add salt and pepper to taste, adjusting seasoning based on preference.
- Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld well.
- Serve: Toss the salad gently before serving either in a large serving bowl or individual cups.
- Garnish: Garnish the salad with whole mint leaves or additional feta cheese if desired.
- Enjoy: Dig in and enjoy this vibrant, refreshing watermelon pineapple salad!
Notes
- Soaking the red onion in cold water reduces its pungency and makes the salad mellower.
- Feta cheese is optional; it adds a salty tang but can be omitted for a dairy-free or vegan option.
- Adjust the honey based on your sweetness preference or omit it for a more tart dressing.
- For a crunchier texture, add toasted nuts like pecans or almonds as garnish.
- This salad is best served chilled and fresh on the day of preparation.
Keywords: watermelon salad, pineapple salad, fruit salad, summer salad, refreshing salad, healthy salad, mint salad, lime dressing
