Watermelon, Green Apple and Mint Salad with Lime
This Watermelon, Green Apple, and Mint Salad with Lime is my go-to summer side or served by itself for a light lunch. If you love hosting a fresh, summer picnic, this is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! I love the combination of sweet watermelon, tangy green apples, and the joyous freshness and zestiness of mint and lime. Combining the mint and lime with the watermelon and apple, you essentially get a soothing, bright, almost “floral” fragrance that is not only delicious but also perfumes the air with summer. It is bright, exuberant, and healthy.
Completely optional, I also like to add little “clumps” of pomegranate seeds to the salad for extra texture and pops of tanginess. I think it looks beautiful too.
To season the salad, I love to sprinkle over some Sumac – a popular Middle Eastern, crimson-red spice made from ground berries that brings a savory-sour note. You can find Sumac at your local importer’s shop or any good supermarket these days.
Make-ahead notes:
Mix the salad right before serving. The watermelon and apples may be prepared up to 2 hours in advance, however, if you’re preparing the apples in advance, be sure to store them in a cold place, covered in lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Keep the watermelon cold at all times.
Watermelon, Green Apple and Mint Salad with Lime
Ingredients
- ½ medium (1.2 kg) watermelon rind and most of the seeds removed
- 2 green apples such as Granny Smith, cored
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lime zested, then juiced
- 10 g fresh mint roughly torn
- 70 g pomegranate seeds optional
- ¼ tsp sumac
Instructions
- Zest and then juice the limes. Add to a mason jar with the olive oil and quarter of the mint. Shake to combine and allow to cool in the fridge.
- Cut the watermelon into sticks, measuring 7 cm long, ½ cm thick, and ½ cm wide. Do the same with the cored apples. Note: If you're not serving the salad immediately, cover the apples with lemon juice and store them in a cold place until service. To prevent the apples from browning, do not cut them more than 2 hours in advance.
- When ready to serve, in a large mixing bowl, gently mix the watermelon, apples, remaining mint, and dressing together. Use your hands as a sieve to transfer the salad to a serving platter. Discard any juices and water that remains in the mixing bowl.
- Arrange "clumps" of pomegranate seeds over the salad. Keep the salad cool and serve within 20 minutes of mixing.
