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[1] A refreshing watermelon and strawberry salad with feta, goat cheese, or bocconcini/mozzarella balls (photo © Good Eggs).
[2] Yellow watermelon is a special treat (photo © DP Seeds).
[3] Greek feta is the best: no overly salty like others (photo courtesy Murray’s Cheese).
[4] There are more than 19 types of basil you can grow. Here’s more about them (photo © Epic Gardening).
[5] You can stack your salad, like this Watermelon Caprese. Here’s the recipe (photo © Mozzarella Company).
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Watermelon is the juiciest of melons, with a very appropriate name given that the fruit contains about 92% water by weight. Mankind has been enjoying watermelon for a long time.
Originally, in Africa, the melons were carried as canteens, a providing watermelon water to the thirsty. The melons have been cultivated in the Nile Delta since the second millennium B.C.E.
Watermelon is a good source of vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene (the latter in the red-fleshed variety only). But first and foremost, it’s delicious.
Beyond mixed fruit salads, Martinis, smoothies, sorbet, on the grill, and much more, today we suggest a great summer recipe: watermelon salad with feta, goat, or mozzarella, plus its perfect herb partner, basil.
You can eat it as a fruit-and-cheese salad, or add greens of choice.
Below:
> Watermelon salad ingredients.
> More watermelon salad recipes.
> Summer basil types.
More watermelon salad recipes.
Elsewhere on The Nibble:
> 20 more watermelon recipes: drinks, breakfast, lunch, sides, dessert.
> The history of watermelon.
> The history of feta cheese.
> The history of salad.
> The year’s 40 salad holidays.
Watermelon is wonderfully refreshing in this Watermelon Salad with Thai Basil & Feta. Just because it’s called a “salad” doesn’t mean it has lettuce—or even a recognizable vegetable. Other greens, such as parsley or basil can turn mixtures of ingredients into salads.
RECIPE: Watermelon & Feta Salad With Basil
Ingredients: Mix & Match
Watermelon: For fun, mix red and yellow varieties.
Basil: Look for a special basil at the farmers market.
Cheese: Crumble feta or goat cheese.
Dressing: lime vinaigrette*
Optional: berries, especially strawberries
Optional: something sharp—baby arugula, radish, red onion
Optional: some heat—thin-sliced jalapeños or a sprinkle of chile flakes in the vinaigrette
Optional: something crunchy—apple, celery, cucumber, daikon or watermelon radish, jicama, romaine, sliced almonds, toasted pumpkin seeds
Preparation
1. SELECT ingredients, place in a bowl and toss lightly.
[4] Watermelon salad with bocconcini, mozzarella balls (photo courtesy Murray’s Cheese).
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*Substitute fresh lime juice for the vinegar, or use a citrus-infused vinegar or olive oil (blood orange, lemon, lime, etc.) If you have chile-infused oil, you can use that too, ideally half-and-half with non-flavored oil.
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MORE WATERMELON SALAD RECIPES
Checkerboard Melon Salad
Star-Shaped Watermelon Caprese Salad
Watermelon, Feta & Kalamata Olive Salad
Watermelon, Feta & Red Onion Salad With Basil & Mint
Watermelon & Feta Stacked Caprese Salad
Watermelon, Tomato & Burrata Salad
Watermelon & Yellow Tomato Salad With Feta, Goat Cheese, Or Mozzarella
SUMMER BASIL TYPES
Beyond what you find in the supermarket—the herb called sweet basil—there are many different basil varieties, each with distinct aromas and flavors. We love the conventional basil, but in the summer months, we head to the nearest farmers market to pick up some special varieties.
If you live in a temperate climate, you may only see these in the summer months. If you have a garden, plant your own!
Christmas basil, with glossy green leaves and purple flowers, has a fruity flavor.
Cinnamon basil has cinnamon flavor and aroma.
Dark opal basil is deep purple in color and spicier than sweet basil.
Lemon basil adds its flavor and aroma to salads, as well as iced or hot tea and fish dishes.
Lime basil: ditto.
Spicy bush basil has the smallest leaves but intense flavor.
Sweet Thai basil, different from Thai lemon basil, with anise-clove flavors.
There are many more basil cultivars.
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