Watermelon, Feta & Spinach Salad
I’d have to name watermelon at the top of my “Favorite Fruits” list. It definitely beats bananas and pineapple and comes close to mangos and figs.
Over the past year or so, I’ve come across several people who have mentioned eating watermelon salads. At first, I thought they were referring to a melon salad. But my mom quickly enlightened me to the various ingredients that show up in these watermelon salads.
Watermelon and tomatoes?
I have to admit, I was a bit disgusted at first. The thought of combining watermelon and tomatoes together seemed a bit repulsive but I wrote the recipe down and over the next few months thought about it off and on.
When watermelons hit the market this summer, we bought a few. One in particular was dedicated to testing out this salad. The result was exceptional. It was amazing how well the flavors blended together. The salt in the recipe brings out the sweetness in a unique way.
I did tweak the recipe a bit, decreasing the amount of tomatoes and using spinach instead of arugula. I also added one kind of fresh herb instead of several and used herbed feta. Small tweaks for our own preferences.
WATERMELON SALAD WITH TOMATO, FETA & SPINACH
*Inspired by this recipe
5 c watermelon, cubed
1 large tomato, cubed
1/2 tsp salt, coarse
2 T olive oil
3/4 T red wine vinegar
2-3 T fresh mint
3 c fresh spinach
1/2 c herbed feta (optional, can use regular feta if desired)
1/4 c almonds, toasted
Combine watermelon and tomatoes in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Add 1 T olive oil, vinegar, fresh herbs and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine spinach with remaining oil. Add to watermelon and mix well. Top salad with feta and almonds.
