This easy summer watermelon salad is perfect to make and enjoy on sunny days. It is loaded with sweet and juicy watermelon, strawberries and tomatoes. Throw in some mint, basil, olive, plant based feta and toss it all with a simple vinaigrette and you’ve got the best light and refreshing summer salad.
More easy plant-based recipes for every day in my ebook!
Easy and refreshing Watermelon salad
Ah Summer! Hot days, long evenings, sunbathes and delicious sweet and juicy fruits and veggies. Tomatoes, cucumbers, cherries, melon, strawberries, peaches, apricots … Summer has so many amazing products to offer to create colorful and vibrante dishes! These inspired me this easy and refreshing watermelon salad. A subtle combination of juicy fruits, fresh herbs, olive, feta and a minty vinaigrette. Simple but SO delicious and satisfying that I literally made it every day for the past few weeks!
The best seasonal products
Watermelon + tomato is one of the most refreshing combos all time. These two products are known for their very high content of water, what makes them perfect to stay hydrated during hot summer days. I’m obsessed with the incredible texture of watermelon, both crispy and soft and juicy once we bite into it.
Fresh mint and basil are a must during summer. They are an amazing addition to all your salads and summer recipes to bring plenty of refreshing flavors. I basically use it everywhere, on top of salads, fresh fruits, tabouleh, pasta dishes … Make sure to always have a bunch in your fridge, or even better to grow your own at home!
On the other hand, black olives and vegan feta add a touch of saltiness that perfectly balance the sweetness of watermelon, strawberries and tomatoes. Kalamata is one of my favorite olive to use in summer dishes. It’s a large, dark brown/purple olive from Greece, with a a smooth and meaty texture. They are usually preserved in wine vinegar or olive oil, and have a fruity and salty flavor. But if you can’t find Kalamata olives, you can use any other variety of black olives.
Simple vinaigrette dressing
The key for a delicious salad is a good dressing. The dressing or seasoning is often the most important element in evert dish, that can make all the difference. That said, it doesn’t mean you have to go crazy with the flavors and make something very sophisticated! A simple vinaigrette with only a few good quality ingredients goes a long way. The secret is to add the right amount of the different ingredients to get a well balanced dressing.
To make this simple minty vinaigrette, whisk in a small bowl olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic or red wine vinegar, maple syrup, yogurt, chopped fresh mint, salt and black pepper. You might be surprised to add maple syrup in a savory dressing. The sweetness of maple counterbalance the acidity of lemon juice and vinegar. While plain yogurt is for the texture and to soften the flavors.
Vegan feta cheese
A Greek salad would not be a Greek salad without a little crumbled feta on it. It’s soft, slightly salty, crumbly and has this unique flavor. In this recipe, I used this Violife Greek White Block, a plant based feta style cheese that perfectly mimics the texture and flavor of the real thing. All the Violife products are dairy, gluten, lactose and nuts free. So they are suitable for vegan and people with food allergies.
If you can’t find vegan feta or if you’re not a fan of this flavor, you can replace it with cubes of tofu marinated in olive oil and herbs, or make your own almond ricotta.
You might also like these refreshing and easy meals for Summer days
- 1-Bowl Tofu Thai Rice paper Rolls
- Ultimate Bali Buddha Bowl
- Summer Tomato and Peach Galette with Almond Ricotta
- Cheesy Broccoli Salad with Rice Bacon
- Simple Carrot Noodles with spicy Almond dressing
- Wild Garlic Pesto Pasta
For even more delicious and easy everyday plant-based meals, check out my ebook with 16 exclusive recipes!
I love to see your creations! Don’t forget to tag me @alicepages on your photos on Instagram and give your feedback in the comments below if you make this recipe at home! Your opinion is my best reward.
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Greek-style Summer Watermelon Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This easy Greek watermelon salad with tomatoes, strawberries, mint, olives and vegan feta is the perfect light and refreshing meal to enjoy under the warm sun.
Ingredients
Watermelon salad
- 200 g watermelon
- 80 g strawberries
- 80 g tomatoes
- 1/4 red onion
- 2 sprigs of fresh mint
- 2 sprigs of fresh basil
- 1 handful of arugula
- 5 Kalamata or black olives
- 30 g vegan feta, I used the Violife Greek White Block
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- 1 tbsp toasted almonds, chopped
Dressing
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp plain plant based yogurt
- 4 leaves of fresh mint, chopped
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside.
- Remove the skin and cut the watermelon into medium cubes. Rinse and chop the strawberries and tomatoes. Thinly slice the onion. Finely chop the mint and basil. Core and halve the olives.
- In a large serving bowl, combine watermelon, strawberries, tomatoes, red onion, olives, arugula, basil and mint. Pour over dressing, and toss gently to combine.
- Serve the salad in a plate or a large bowl and garnish with crumbled vegan feta, pine nuts, chopped almonds, more salt and pepper. Enjoy fresh.
Notes
- You can replace the vegan feta by cubed tofu or tempeh marinated in olive oil, salt and herbs.
Recette version française
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Salade Grecque à la pastèque
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 personne 1x
- Category: Salade
- Cuisine: Grecque
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Cette salade végétale de pastèque, tomates, fraises, menthe, olive et feta est parfaite pour un repas léger et rafraichissant.
Ingredients
Salade
- 200 g de pastèque
- 80 g de fraises
- 80 g de tomate
- 1/4 d’oignon rouge
- 2 brins de menthe fraiche
- 2 brins de basilic frais
- 1 grosse poignée de roquette
- 5 olives de Calamata ou olives noires
- 30 g de Bloc Blanc Grec façon feta Violife
- 1 cuillère à s. de pignons de pin
- 1 cuillère à s. d’amandes grillées
Vinaigrette
- 1 cuillère à s. de jus de citron
- 1 cuillère à s. d’huile d’olive
- 1 cuillère à s. de vinaigre balsamique
- 1 cuillère à c. de sirop d’érable
- 1 cuillère à s. de yaourt végétal nature
- 4 feuilles de menthe fraiche finement hachées
- Sel et poivre
Instructions
- Préparer la vinaigrette en mélangeant tous les ingrédients dans un petit bol. Goûter et ajuster l’assaisonnement si besoin.
- Oter la peau de la pastèque puis couper la chair en gros cubes. Couper les fraises et les tomates en petits dés. Eplucher et couper l’oignon en fines tranches. Emincer la menthe et le basilic. Couper les olives en deux et retirer le noyau.
- Placer les cubes de pastèque, les fraises, les tomates, l’oignon rouge, les olives, la roquette, le basilic et la menthe dans un saladier. Verser la vinaigrette et mélanger délicatement.
- Servir la salade grecque dans un bol et garnir de feta végétale émiettée, de pignons de pins, d’amandes grillées, d’un tour de moulin à poivre et d’une pincée de sel. Déguster bien frais.
Notes
- La feta végétale peut être remplacée par des cubes de tofu ou de tempeh marinés dans un mélange d’huile d’olive, de sel et d’herbes de Provence .
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