Watermelon, Strawberry and Avocado Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Summer salads rock!

Really, take any fruit you happen to have on hand, add them to a fresh veggie and green salad, and they are improved 200%!  Add grilled meat or fish, and you have the perfect easy dinner any day of the week.

This simple salad is no exception.  All through the summer there are at least two different melons in the fridge.  Whether it is to blend them for Agua Fresca, to snack on during the day, or to make a salad like the one I am going to show you today.  Watermelon is always a favourite.  And I’m totally smitten with cantaloupe and honeydew as well.  Which is your fave?

Basic Components

You can slice the watermelon into chunks, or go ahead and pull out that melon baller, to give the salad a more finished look.

Watermelon and strawberries really work well together.  Strawberries go so good with tomatoes, so have fresh strawberries around, you will always be able to put them to go use.

Avocado adds the creamy, smoother finish to the acidity of the berries, and the juicy nature of the melon. 

Feta adds the perfect salty tangy contrast!

You could add olives, the way I do in my Watermelon, Feta and Olive Salad, but this time around, I replaced them with the avocado.

Red onion, or shallots, along with frisée, round out this salad.  You can replace the frisée with little gems, romaine hearts, shredded lacinato kale, or even baby spinach.

Lime Vinaigrette Dressing

Save this recipe for this dressing! It is light, vibrant, and the perfect finish to the flavours in the salad.  This dressing will work on almost any salad you make all summer, so make a full batch, even if you are only making enough salad to feed two.

Finishing Thoughts

As with all my salads, and my personal salad philosophy, use the amounts stated below only as a guideline.  If you want more avocado, go for it.  If your family would rather have bocconcini over feta, go for it.  Want more greens, use them.  You get what I’m saying, right?!

Customize and play with this salad, and stay refreshed all summer long.

This salad will travel well, as long as it isn’t dressed till you are ready to serve it.  So bring it on picnics or to that next bbq you’re invited to, everyone will thank you for this addition to a great meal.

Love Jen

Other Salad options: Watermelon, Feta and Olive Salad, Honeydew and Cucumber Salad, Fava Bean, Mint and Manchego Salad, Melon and Feta Tetris Salad

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Watermelon, Strawberry and Avocado Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Summer in a bowl, truly! Fresh, juicy, bright, all the best of summer fruit and vegetables. A light lime vinaigrette compliments this salad. Add a side of grilled meat and you are set.

Course Salad

Cuisine North American

Keyword avocado, feta cheese, lime, strawberries, watermelon

Prep Time 30 minutes

resting 30 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

Lime Vinaigrette

• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup EV olive oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

Salad

• 1/3 cup thinly sliced shallot or red onion
• 4 cups seeded watermelon cut into bite-size cubes (I use a melon baller)
• 2 cups strawberries cleaned and sliced in half, or quartered if larger
• 1 avocado cut into small chunks
• 2 cups frisée or other tender greens washed and spun dry
• 3 tbsp mint chopped can also combine with chopped parsley
• 1 cup or so feta cheese cut into small cubes
• fresh black cracked pepper to finish

Instructions

Lime Vinaigrette

1. In a medium bowl or jar, combine all the dressing ingredients. Whisk or shake until dressing is combined. Taste and re-season as desired. Remember that the feta will also have some salt. You can always add salt at the end.
2. This makes approximately 3/4 cup, more than you will need. Store in the fridge for more salads during the week.
3. When getting ready to make the salad, place the shallots in a small bowl and just cover with some of the dressing, this will soften their bite when eating them raw. Start this 30 minutes before making the salad.

Salad

1. In a large bowl, combine the melon, strawberries, avocado, mint, and frisée. Add the soaking shallots with the dressing. Add more dressing as desired over the salad and toss gently.
2. Top with feta and serve. Finish with cracked black pepper
3. Do not overdress the salad. You can always add more dressing afterwards.

Recipe Notes

I state that this can feed 6 as a hearty side.  It really depends on whether you want the salad to be the main meal.  Then just add a bit more of each ingredient.

Feel free to use more of what you like, or substitute ingredients for what you have on hand. Adjust the amounts for the servings you want, truly, you can just eyeball this one.
Feel free to use micro greens, frisée or even a combo of all the greens, as well as the kale mentioned above.
Take the dressing out in advance before using, to help the olive oil soften.