Watermelon basil salad with mint, creamy goat’s cheese and balsamic glaze. A quick summer salad that’s light, refreshing and ready in under 10 minutes.
Summer and watermelon go together perfectly. A bite of ripe watermelon is like drinking sweet, cooling fruit juice — ideal for hot days. This salad balances juicy watermelon with tangy creamy goat’s cheese, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, and fresh herbs such as basil and mint. With just a few ingredients and minimal prep, it comes together in minutes.
Here in Tuscany you’ll find watermelons of every size at markets and shops — from small personal melons to impressively large ones. Often the simplest way to enjoy them is to slice off a big wedge and eat it while it cools you down on a long, hot afternoon. It’s one of the simplest pleasures of summer.
Another favourite is scooping watermelon into melon balls and freezing them to use as fruity ice cubes in summer drinks and cocktails. They’re also great straight from the freezer when you want a quick cooling snack.
The combination of goat’s cheese and balsamic glaze works wonderfully with watermelon: sweet, tart and creamy notes play against the bright, herbaceous flavours of basil and mint. I finish the salad with a small drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper — it doesn’t need much, just good ingredients that deliver big flavor.
If you enjoy easy summer salads, here are a few other dishes to try:
- Tuna panzanella – Italian bread salad
- Farro salad with tomatoes, radish and herbs
- Cannellini bean and tuna salad
- Melon, prosciutto and courgette (zucchini) salad
- Green bean salad with mustard and garlic dressing
If you try this watermelon basil salad or any other recipe from the blog, please leave a comment to tell me how it turned out — I love hearing from readers!
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes include step-by-step photos, helpful tips and sometimes video to help you get it right first time.
Watermelon and goat’s cheese salad
By Emily
Ingredients
- 1.7 lbs (800g) watermelon
- 5.2 oz (150g) goat’s cheese
- 1 large handful of basil
- 1 large handful of mint
- 3-4 tsp balsamic glaze
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- olive oil, to drizzle
Instructions
-
Chop the watermelon into small triangular chunks and arrange them on serving plates. Break the goat’s cheese into pieces and scatter it over the watermelon.
-
Finely chop the basil and mint and sprinkle over the salad. Drizzle each portion with balsamic glaze, add a small drizzle of olive oil and finish with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Notes
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in recipes unless stated otherwise.
- When using canned or jarred tomatoes I recommend trusted brands for best flavour.
- Vegetables are assumed to be medium sized unless specified.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven where applicable.
- Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.