Ultimate Summer Salad (Print version)

Fresh seasonal greens, crisp vegetables, and sweet watermelon tossed with tangy feta, toasted nuts, and zesty lemon dressing.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables & Fruits

01 - 2 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, baby spinach, romaine)
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, sliced
04 - 1 cup watermelon, cubed
05 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1/4 cup radishes, thinly sliced

→ Cheese & Nuts

08 - 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 1/4 cup toasted almonds or pistachios, chopped

→ Fresh Herbs

10 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn

→ Vinaigrette

12 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - In a large salad bowl, gently combine the salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, avocado, red onion, and radishes.
02 - Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese and toasted nuts evenly over the salad.
03 - Add the chopped mint and torn basil for a burst of fresh flavor.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
05 - Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to combine and serve immediately.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The sweet and salty combo will make you wonder why you ever ate salads any other way
  • It comes together in under 20 minutes but tastes like you spent forever planning it
02 -
  • This salad does not sit well dressed, so wait until everyone is literally sitting at the table before adding the vinaigrette
  • Room temperature watermelon loses its magic, so keep those cubes chilled until the very last second
03 -
  • Dry your salad greens completely or the dressing will slide right off
  • Taste the watermelon first—if it is not sweet, add a pinch more honey to balance the vinaigrette

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