Heirloom Tomato Summer Watermelon Salad
As the hot days come to a close, I’m treasuring ever last warm moment with this heirloom tomato summer watermelon salad, complete with fresh herbs, spicy peppers, and crunchy cucumbers. The juicy red tomatoes and watermelon are savory and sweet, filled with juice, and complemented beautifully with a simple soy sauce, lime, and vinegar sauce. It’s a succulent, plump, bursting with flavor low-calorie side dish to top a decadent, produce-laden table.
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August- Saying Goodbye to Summer
If I were to make a date for Thanksgiving, it would be in August. As the last of the really hot days pass by, and school starts up again, feasting on the bounties of the growing season is really in order. Think how different Thanksgiving food would be if it were made up of fresh juicy tomatoes, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, peaches, plums, summer squash, greens, peppers, herbs and more- I’m salivating just thinking about it. The long, bright August evenings are the perfect backdrop to say goodbye to summer, until one day you notice a crispness to the air, and see a blush start to creep into the tree’s leaves. This summer watermelon salad was my way of recognizing that the end of summer is quickly approaching, and soon we’ll be surrounded by the pumpkins and apples of Autumn. The super ripe and juicy watermelon and tomatoes really do taste like summers last hurrah- just bursting with flavor on your plate.
Looking for Summery Recipes? Try one of these!
- Roasted Vegan Summer Squash Side Dish
- 10+ Summer Low-Cook or No-Cook Vegan Meals
- Summer Tomato Vegan Caprese Salad
- Quick and Crispy Zucchini Fritters
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) in Cherry Tomato Sauce
Making this Summer Tomato Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes
The great thing about salads is that they’re easy- and this one is no exception. The fruit and vegetables are chopped, a dressing is mixed, and it’s all tossed together and left for a couple minutes to marinate. That’s it! The one element of this vegan watermelon salad that needs a little thought on your part- the spice level. Choosing the right chili is important for that- if you’re not a spicy fan, choose a more mild pepper like an Anaheim pepper (or even leave out the chili), if you like spice you can choose something stronger. You can also boost your spice a little with some added chili powder, if the pepper you choose isn’t living up to your spice needs.
Heirloom Tomato Summer Watermelon Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ medium-large watermelon
- 3 medium heirloom tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 1-2 scallions
- 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil, chopped
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint, chopped
- 1 chili pepper (optional)
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 1 lime, juiced and zested
- 1 tsp. white sugar
- Salt, to taste
- Pinch of chili powder (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the rind of the watermelon, and chop into cubes (about 1 inch each direction). Place in a large bowl. Chop the tomatoes into similarly sized pieces and add into the bowl. Peel the cucumber (if desired), and quarter length-wise. Chop into small pieces and add to the salad. Finely chop the scallions and add to the bowl along with the chopped basil and mint. Seed and finely chop your chili pepper, making sure you’re not using a pepper than is spicier than you want.
- Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, sugar, salt and chili powder in a small jar and mix. Pour over the salad, and toss gently, to coat all the watermelon and tomatoes. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, tossing a few times, before serving.
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