Watermelon & Goat Cheese Salad Recipe

Prepare watermelon

Cut the watermelon into 1-inch cubes. Drain briefly in a colander for 5 minutes to remove excess liquid, then pat dry gently with paper towels to prevent the dressing from becoming watery.

Crumble goat cheese

Crumble the soft goat cheese into small bite-sized pieces. If preferred, roll into small quenelles with a spoon for a more elegant presentation.

Prepare herbs and greens

Stack and chiffonade the mint leaves (roll leaves tightly and slice thin) to yield roughly 1 cup. If using arugula, rinse and spin dry, then place in a large salad bowl.

Make dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil (3 tbsp), fresh lime or lemon juice (2 tsp), kosher salt (1 tsp) and freshly ground black pepper (1 tsp) until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning — salt lightly if watermelon is very sweet, or add another 1/4 tsp salt if needed.

Assemble salad

Add the drained watermelon cubes to the bowl with arugula (or directly to a serving platter if not using greens). Scatter the crumbled goat cheese over the watermelon, then sprinkle the chiffonaded mint leaves on top.

Dress and toss

Drizzle the dressing evenly over the assembled salad. Gently toss once or twice to coat the watermelon and greens without breaking up the goat cheese too much. Use a gentle folding motion.

Finish and serve

Adjust seasoning with a final pinch of kosher salt and a crack of black pepper to taste. Garnish with microgreens or toasted pistachios if using (2 tbsp). Serve immediately so the watermelon stays crisp.