Name: Watermelon Tomato Basil Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 2 cups watermelon (cubed); 1 cup tomatoes ((halved or quartered if using cherry or grape tomatoes, roughly chopped if using larger tomatoes)); 1 Tablespoon olive oil ((optional)); 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar; salt (to taste ); 1/4 cup basil leaves (roughly torn)

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Watermelon Tomato Basil Salad is a delicious summertime treat! It’s easy to make with only a few ingredients. The secret ingredient that brings out the natural sweetness of the fruit is balsamic vinegar. This salad is vegan, gluten-free, and healthy.

Watermelon and tomatoes are some of my favorite seasonal ingredients.

It may seem odd to put them together, but they are actually both fruits, even though we often think of tomatoes as vegetables.

The magic ingredient in this Watermelon Tomato Basil Salad is the balsamic vinegar.

Balsamic vinegar is very dark in color and originates from Italy.

It’s intense in flavor since it’s made from the whole grape, including the skin and seeds.

It’s sweet rather than acidic and pairs well with fruit.

For this recipe, I used heirloom cherry tomatoes, but you can use whatever tomatoes that are available.

If you’re using larger tomatoes you can roughly cut them a little smaller than the watermelon cubes.

And if using cherry or grape tomatoes like I did, you can either cut them in halves or quarters.

And for the basil I prefer to keep it rustic and tear the leaves by hand.

I once saw on a cooking show that this is how they do it in Italy.

Do you like to chop or tear your basil?

When I do want to cut it for some recipes like raw tacos, I like using herb scissors to make it easier, especially when the basil is wet.

If you want to omit the oil in this recipe, you certainly can.

The most important ingredients in this salad are the watermelon, tomatoes, basil, and balsamic vinegar.

I bought a mini-watermelon, and half the watermelon was enough to make two servings of this Watermelon Tomato Basil Salad.

You can use the whole melon if you want to serve more people.

Impress your friends by bringing it to a summer picnic or potluck!

I enjoy eating this salad as a light meal, maybe with some crusty bread on the side.

It’s also a wonderful starter for a bowl of pasta such as Cherry Tomato Penne Pasta, Eggplant Bolognese Pasta, or Avocado Basil Pesto Pasta.

Now let’s make Watermelon Tomato Basil Salad!