Watermelon Apple and Mint Salad

A quick 4-ingredient salad that is super vibrant for those warm summer days with sweet watermelon, crispy apple, refreshing mint and buttery pine nuts. The savoury tamari lime dressing adds depth and amplifies the sweetness of the salad, making it deliciously perfect for easy entertaining.

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love Our Watermelon Apple And Mint Salad
• Why You Should Add Salt On Fruit
• What Is The Difference Between Tamari And Soy Sauce?
• Best Way To Cut Watermelon 
• Recipe Overview
• Ingredients
• Variations and Substitutions
• Instructions
• How to Make This Salad Perfectly (Expert Tips)
• Great Mains for This Salad
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recipe
• Watermelon Apple and Mint Salad

Why You’ll Love Our Watermelon Apple And Mint Salad

I love the surprise and delight my guests show when they try a salad that has an unusual combination. 

My Watermelon, Apple and Mint Salad is one of those. 

At first glance, they expect sweetness from this bright watermelon salad. However, when they get hit by the savoury tamari lime dressing, there is a delicious surprise. 

The umami notes of tamari lime dressing are such a delicious counterpoint against the sweet juicy watermelon, tart green apple and aromatic mint. 

As much as this is a “fruit salad”, in my opinion, the salad dressing makes it a savoury dish. A perfect side dish to go with shrimp, fish, vegetarian tart, barbecue chicken and grilled meats.  

This is one of my go-to summer salad recipes. It is super to easy to make, only need 20 minutes and can easily transport to potluck gatherings, barbecues and looks amazing on Australian Christmas tables or 4th July celebrations. 

And for those looking for a watermelon salad recipe without feta, this is perfect!

Why You Should Add Salt On Fruit

Salt and fresh fruit. 

Hmm sounds odd to add salt to sweet fruit but for some reason, salt amplifies the natural sweetness in ripe fruit and creates a sweet tang in unripened/sour tasting fruit. 

Growing up, my mum would love to cut sour mangoes and dip them in a salt & chilli mixture. Whilst hubby likes to sprinkle salt on fresh pineapple. A sprinkling of salt on watermelon also works fantastically. 

Don’t add too much, just a pinch or sprinkling works a treat. 

What Is The Difference Between Tamari And Soy Sauce?

Made from fermented soybeans, tamari and soy sauce are dark, salty liquids popular in flavouring Asian dishes. They pretty much look identical on the supermarket shelf.  So what is the difference between tamari and soy sauce? Is there any difference?

Yes, there is. There are some subtle differences between flavour, consistency and usage. However,  the main difference is the presence of wheat. Tamari, also sometimes known as gluten free soy sauce, does not contain wheat. 

Naturally brewed Chinese soy sauce is pressed from a fermented concoction of soybeans, water, wheat, salt and sugar. Whilst Japanese tamari is liquid extracted from fermented miso paste therefore generally should not contain wheat. 

However, it is best to double check the labels for gluten free products to ensure that no wheat was used in the fermentation process. 

Generally, you can use tamari and soy sauce as substitutes for each other (unless you are serving a gluten free dish) but do check for taste before adding too much or too little depending on the recipe. 

For this watermelon salad dressing, I decided to use tamari as I wanted a bolder flavour and not necessarily just more salt. The lime juice and rice malt syrup balance tamari very well. Plus, it works great for my friends who prefer a gluten free soy sauce.

Best Way To Cut Watermelon 

Depending on how you would like to serve your watermelon recipe, there are different ways to cut this deliciously sweet fruit to best showcase it.  

The easiest way to cut watermelon would naturally be watermelon cubes. They work marvellously well in chopped salads like our watermelon panzanella recipe. The sweet juicy watermelon cubes mingle perfectly with the toasted bread cubes.

For a fruit salad, watermelon balls are a great way to add contrast. Our melon salad with mint mixes different types of melon balls as well as watermelon cubes for differentiation and appeal.

And for something a little different, use cookie cutters to create different watermelon shapes in your own fresh fruit platter. Flower or star shapes are our favourites! 

As this is a simple watermelon salad recipe with only a few ingredients, I really wanted to highlight them all and not hide them in a large bowl. So I decided to cut watermelon wedges and layer them on a large plate. I love the triangle shapes against the apple matchsticks for interesting appeal.

Recipe Overview

Flavour/Texture: It’s juicy, refreshing and light in texture. I never get bored of this watermelon apple salad every time I make it in summer. And it is a lot!

Watermelon adds juicy sweetness, green apples provide the balance of tartness, mint lifts the refreshing aromas, and the touches of toasted pine nuts deliver crunch and buttery flavours. 

Together with the savoury tamari lime dressing, it is an explosion of delicious sweet and savoury in one bite. 

Ease: There is real cooking involved, chopping up some fruit and toasting some pine nuts. Together with savoury tamari lime dressing, this watermelon and green apple salad is a super easy summer salad recipe. 

Time: 15 minutes is all you need to cut up all the ingredients and assemble together. 

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you need for Watermelon, Apple and Mint Salad: 

Watermelon: Seedless watermelon would be best in salad. Choose one that is heavy for its size and give to a good tap to see if it sounds hollow. If is has a good hollow sound then it is a good watermelon because the rind is not too thick and there is more flesh to eat. 

Apple: I prefer Granny smith apples as they add sweet tartness. You can use other varieties but be sure they are crisp and crunchy. 

Pine nuts: I love pine nuts in salads. Gives that extra crunchy texture with the juicy fruit. Best toasted to bring out the aromas. 

Mint: Watermelon and mint is a classic pairing. Mint compliments the freshness of watermelon. Cut mint finely so it doesn’t overpower the overall flavours. 

Tamari: For the salty component of this watermelon salad, I used tamari in the dressing. Not only does it add savoury flavours but a deeper umami taste that balances the watermelon so well. 

Lime: A good squeeze of lime juice in tamari dressing gives a burst of delicious citrus sour flavours. You can use lemon too if you don’t have lime on hand.

Variations and Substitutions

Watermelon variation: During the summer months, as well as red watermelon, we often see yellow doll watermelon (also known as Champagne watermelon) at the greengrocer which is vibrant yellow colour. 

It is very similar in taste and texture as the normal red watermelon but slightly sweeter. You can switch the red watermelon to yellow if you like or even have a mixture of both.

Green apple substitution: I love the tartness of Granny Smith apples in this recipe. The green apples balance well with the watermelon. However, you can use firm William Bartlett pears, Pink Lady apples or even switch for cucumbers in place of the green apples if you don’t have any on hand.

Tamari replacement: If you don’t have tamari, then light soy sauce will work too. However, it will not be a gluten free salad if you use soy sauce.

Rice malt syrup substitution: This can be replaced by honey. If you do not need a vegan salad and don’t have rice malt syrup, just omit it. It is just to help provide a little balance in the dressing. The watermelon itself should be sweet enough for the salad. 

Nut free option: Omit pine nuts for any nut allergy friends.

Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make Watermelon, Apple and Mint Salad:

How to Prepare the Salad

Cut watermelon into thin wedges and remove the rind.

Slice apple into thin matchstick strips and place into a bowl of cold salted water.  When ready to assemble, remove from water and pat dry with paper towels.

Over medium-low heat, toast pine nuts in a dry pan until golden brown. Stir and move frequently to avoid burning. Once they are ready, remove quickly from the pan. 

Wash mint leaves and shake dry. Tightly roll them together and then thinly slice into ribbons.

How to Make Tamari Lime Dressing

In a small bowl, add all the ingredients – tamari, lime juice, rice malt syrup and grapeseed oil together. Mix well. 

How to Assemble the Salad

On a large platter, scatter a layer of green apple matchsticks. 

Add watermelon wedges on top.

Finish with more apple matchsticks on top of the watermelon wedges. 

Scatter toasted pine nuts and mint leaves on top. 

Drizzle tamari lime dressing all over salad to serve.

How to Make This Salad Perfectly (Expert Tips)

Dress salad when ready to serve: As watermelon will release its juices as you let it sit, only dress the salad when ready to eat. 

Serve chilled: This is a summer watermelon apple salad recipe that is best when served cold. If you are eating outside, try to avoid putting the salad in direct sunlight.

Great Mains for This Salad

What to serve with watermelon, apple and mint salad? Try these delicious main dish recipes:

The best way to cut through strong flavoured dishes such as these delectable instant pot country style ribs or lemon garlic baked chicken thighs, is to serve it up with a refreshing and light side salad.

For our vegan friends, this beautifully charred air fryer roasted whole cauliflower would go so well with our salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

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I just adore how simple and fresh this watermelon salad recipe is. If you want to something easy when hosting a summer celebration that is not a leafy green garden salad, I would highly recommend you give this watermelon apple salad a go. 

The combination of sweet and savoury will definitely be a hit.

That’s all!

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