Make the most of peak-season watermelons with these cookout starters and sides, with recipes from Jacques Pépin, Tom Colicchio, and more. Juicy watermelon plays well with mint, feta, and more contrasting flavors and textures, including summer produce like cucumbers, radishes, and tomatoes. You can even add a bit of heat with cayenne pepper, chiles, or jalapeño. Dressed to crowd-pleasing perfection with drizzles of olive oil, quick dressings, and dip, these are our favorite watermelon salads to keep in rotation all summer.
01 of 10
Watermelon and Goat Cheese Salad
Istanbul-based chef Defne Koryürek adds a nutty, peppery flavor to her 30-minute salad, sprinkling crunchy nigella seeds over watermelon chunks and creamy fresh goat cheese.
02 of 10
Peanut and Watermelon Chaat
Mississippi chef Vishwesh Bhatt adds the crunchy, tangy, spicy elements of an Indian chaat to this peanut and watermelon salad, which also features cucumber, onion, radishes, and fresh herbs. The peanuts are pre-roasted with curry leaves and chaat masala, which along with cayenne and a serrano pepper lend a wonderful balance to all that juicy sweetness.
03 of 10
Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Sesame-Miso Dressing
The juicy crunch of watermelons and the nutty crunch of pepitas, sesame seeds, and puffed rice cereal are a heavenly match in this surprising take on the traditional watermelon-tomato salad. Miso paste, soy sauce, and sea salt bring a savory contrast, while togarashi flakes add a hint of heat.
04 of 10
Watermelon-Cucumber Salad
Nutty aged goat cheese and crunchy sunflower kernels enhance the textures in this 20-minute summer salad from 2022 F&W Best New Chef Damarr Brown.
05 of 10
Grilled Cobia Salad with Corn and Watermelon
Fish and watermelon might seem like a strange combination, but this salad by St. Louis–based chef Kevin Willmann will change your mind. Sweet, flaky cobia is seasoned simply and grilled with a poblano pepper and some corn, which lend a smoky, earthy sweetness to the watermelon.
06 of 10
Watermelon Salad with Mint and Lime
North Carolina chef Matt Neal incorporates fresh lime juice, cayenne pepper, and mint leaves in this simple salad — and recommends adding a splash of rum.
07 of 10
Watermelon Salad with Grilled Shrimp
If you’re planning on grilling shrimp this summer, 2002 F&W Best New Chef Grant Achatz’s watermelon salad was pretty much made to complement its briny, smoky flavor. A mix of red and yellow watermelon gives it a distinctive look, and cucumber water (not pieces) ensures there’s a delicious vegetal hint throughout the salad.
08 of 10
Thai-Style Radish and Watermelon Salad
Tom Colicchio adds texture, spice, and color to his salad with radishes, chiles, and a fish-sauce dressing.
09 of 10
Watermelon and Snap Pea Salad with Mint
The pea shoots in this watermelon salad recipe from F&W’s Justin Chapple bring a vegetal balance to the juicy fruit. But the real highlight is the dressing — a mix of rice vinegar, fish sauce, sesame seeds, and shallots. The result is savory, acidic, and slightly pungent.
10 of 10
Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Spicy Feta Sauce
Simply arrange watermelon and grape tomatoes with chopped basil and olive oil for this version. Chef Ana Sortun chars jalapeño to blend with feta and olive oil for a flavor-packed dipping sauce.
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