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Fresh No-Cook Watermelon Salad Bar Setup Easy Ideas for Summer Parties

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A fresh, no-cook watermelon salad bar perfect for summer parties, featuring juicy watermelon, crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, cheeses, crunchy toppings, and a tangy dressing. Easy to prepare and customizable for all tastes.

Ingredients

  • Seedless watermelon, cut into bite-sized cubes (about 6 cups / 900g)
  • English cucumber, thinly sliced or diced (1 large or 2 small)
  • Fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped (about 1/4 cup / 10g)
  • Fresh basil leaves, torn (about 1/4 cup / 10g)
  • Feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup / 150g)
  • Optional: Fresh mozzarella balls (1 cup / 150g)
  • Toasted pepitas or pumpkin seeds (1/2 cup / 60g)
  • Thinly sliced red onion (1 small, soaked in cold water)
  • Avocado, diced (1 large, ripe)
  • Chopped toasted almonds or walnuts (1/3 cup / 40g)
  • Fresh lime juice (2 tablespoons / 30ml)
  • Extra virgin olive oil (3 tablespoons / 45ml)
  • Honey or agave syrup (1 teaspoon / 5ml)
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Wash and dry the watermelon thoroughly. Cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Transfer to a large bowl and chill in the fridge while prepping other ingredients (about 15 minutes).
  2. Wash and thinly slice or dice the English cucumber. Peel if preferred. Place in a separate bowl and keep refrigerated (5 minutes).
  3. Rinse mint and basil leaves, pat dry, then roughly chop or tear them (3 minutes).
  4. Thinly slice the red onion and soak slices in cold water for 10 minutes to reduce sharpness. Drain and pat dry before serving.
  5. Toast pepitas and chopped nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly. Let cool (5-7 minutes).
  6. In a small bowl, whisk together fresh lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed (3 minutes).
  7. Arrange the salad bar by spreading chilled watermelon cubes, cucumber, fresh herbs, cheeses, avocado, onion slices, and toasted toppings on serving platters or trays. Place the dressing in a small bowl with a spoon for guests to drizzle (10 minutes).
  8. Sprinkle freshly cracked black pepper and a few mint leaves on top for color. Keep the salad bar in the shade or refrigerator until ready to serve.

Notes

Keep all ingredients chilled to maintain freshness and crispness. Do not dress the salad ahead of time to avoid sogginess; keep dressing separate for guests to add. Toast seeds and nuts for added flavor and crunch. Uniform cutting of watermelon cubes improves presentation and ease of eating. Soak red onion slices to mellow sharpness.

Nutrition

Keywords: watermelon salad, no-cook salad, summer party recipe, salad bar, fresh salad, easy summer recipe, healthy salad, crowd-pleaser

Find it online: https://sagestirs.com/fresh-no-cook-watermelon-salad-bar-setup-easy-ideas-for-summer-parties/