| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Cook: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 (5-pound) seedless watermelon
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt (specialty salt is great here, if on hand)
- 2 cups fresh baby arugula, washed and dried
- 1 cup goat cheese, crumbled, preferably a French Chevre
- Fresh finely cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Stand the watermelon half cut side down on a cutting board and slice away the rind, leaving a solid block of melon. Turn the block on its side and cut it into 8 squares, roughly 3 by 3 inches and 1-inch thick.
- Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to a thick syrup consistency. Set aside.
- Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle just enough olive oil over watermelon slices to thinly coat and place on hot grill pan. Grill each side about 2 minutes until grill marks appear; transfer to a plate and season with salt.
- To assemble the salads, put about 1/4 cup of baby arugula on a serving plate, followed by a grilled slice of watermelon in the center, and top with a tablespoon of crumbled cheese and another 1/4 cup arugula. Add another watermelon slice and another tablespoon of cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Finish each salad with a very light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic syrup. Dust with black pepper and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 158 calorie |
| Total Fat | 10 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 5 grams |
| Cholesterol | 17 milligrams |
| Sodium | 237 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 12 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 grams |
| Protein | 6 grams |
| Sugar | 10 grams |
Reviews
Good flavors but I think grilling the watermelon detracts from the dish, it would be better if left as is. The balsamic syrup was delicious drizzled over the fruit and arugula. Used feta.
This was really good. I added a boneless grilled chicken breast and it made a great dinner.
It’s a good start but needed a bit of tweaking for more flavor. Add a bit of grilled radicchio for some bitterness. Also change the Feta to Gorgonzola and add toasted pine nuts and a squirt of lemon. Absolutely SUBLIME
FABULOUS! I made extra balsamic reduction – yum! I also had different feta cheese available but most people preferred the goat cheese. Even the men loved it. 🙂
This recipe is fantastic! I followed the recipe exactly except that I did exchange feta for goat cheese. I kinda wish that I would have stuck with the goat cheese, but the feta was excellent on the salad. Watch that balsamic closely and make sure your kitchen is well ventilated as the smell is potent and causes a little eye burning. I started my balsamic on medium heat and gradually lowered the heat until it was at the right consistency. Once the balsamic was reduced enough I lowered the heat to 1 in order to keep it warm (it will stiffen up and become glue like if you let it get cold. The reduction process was quick. Don’t forget that light dusting/sprinkle of good quality salt (large crystals in the sea or kosher variety and pepper at the end. That step is crucial to bringing the salad together and really takes the taste to the next level!
Followed this recipe exactly except I sliced the cubes a bit thinner. OUTSTANDING. The slightly bitter, pepper arugula perfectly offsets the sweetness of the melon. I do recommend using a grill skillet or disposable foil grilling pan for the watermelon. It can be slippery and difficult to work with on the larger grates of a grill. Otherwise, didn’t change a thing. Great recipe.
I opted to grill the individual size seedless watermelons as they are a bit more firm than the larger melons.
Use good Balsamic Vinegar and Reduce it SLOWLY or it will turn to a hard candy stage quickly.
I could not find enough Arugula in my local stores so I added some baby Kale leaves
I used Feta too.
I let the watermelon sit out for about 15 minutes after I rubbed on the olive oil to set up a skin making it easier to flip.
Everyone Loved it.
The watermelon with just the slightest hint of salt and the vinegar was the most unusual and yet amazing taste I have come across this summer so far.
Use good Balsamic Vinegar and Reduce it SLOWLY or it will turn to a hard candy stage quickly.
I could not find enough Arugula in my local stores so I added some baby Kale leaves
I used Feta too.
I let the watermelon sit out for about 15 minutes after I rubbed on the olive oil to set up a skin making it easier to flip.
Everyone Loved it.
The watermelon with just the slightest hint of salt and the vinegar was the most unusual and yet amazing taste I have come across this summer so far.
Personal:
The individual size was perfect
Bite size pieces would be better.
I liked the flavor of the feta vs. the goat cheese; the tang of the goat cheese with the vinegar was too overwhelming.
The Arugula & Kale added an earthly taste and the dressing clung to it perfectly.
Next time I will lightly coat the greens in a bowl before I plate the salad.
One of the best salads we make. Rave reviews from everyone who eats it. Reducing the balsamic will make your house smell, so do it outside or open a window if you can.
This recipe was not my fav. It does start the ideas flowing for watermelon in a salad with the balsamic reduction, however my daughter and I quickly realized we are not fans of arugula or goat cheese..lol…maybe we will give it another try with a different leaf and cheese.
I hate to write that I didn’t like a recipe buuuuuut….I found this one almost un-edible for myself and my family (and no, we are not picky eaters!. The grilled watermelon did not have a good flavor (and, yes, I did use a wonderful Hermiston watermelon and it had to be removed from the salad in order for me to continue eating it. I did like the balsamic reduction, however. I also did make some slight changes to the recipe only because that was what was available to me. Like others, I used feta instead of goat cheese. I also used field greens from our garden. And, it just so happened I had some candied walnuts that needed to be used…so I tossed those in for good measure. I think you should be a definite fan of grilled watermelon in order to enjoy this one!