Name: Spicy Watermelon Spinach Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 cups baby spinach (about 3 large handfuls); ½ medium red onion; 8 cups seedless watermelon (chopped into ½ inch chunks); 1 lime (juiced); 1 tsp. maple syrup; ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

This vegan, gluten-free, spicy watermelon spinach salad recipe is fresh and clean with a bit of a kick—perfect for summer BBQs!

overhead view of Spicy Watermelon Spinach Salad

Can you remember the first time you ate watermelon? Watermelon has long been a favored treat at backyard BBQs and summer picnics. I remember competing with my sisters to see who could spit the seeds the farthest.

Seedless watermelons remove some of the fun for kids, but they are a boon for salads. Why bother with salad when watermelon tastes great all by itself? Well, sometimes you want to fancy things up a bit. This spicy watermelon spinach salad does just that!

Spicy Watermelon Spinach Salad

This simple recipe combines the sweet taste of watermelon with:

Spinach for a touch of green and some added nutrients
Red onion for a sweet, spicy pop of purple-red
Simple lime-cayenne dressing for a citrus accent with a kick

Preparing the salad couldn’t be easier. Cutting the watermelon is the hardest step, and a sharp knife and a good technique take care of that. A food processor makes quick work of the spinach and onion. In less than 20 minutes, you have a delicious, fancy-looking dish your family and/or guests will surely enjoy!

What’s Needed

A sharp knife and a cutting board are the secrets to cutting a watermelon. Instead of spending money on something expensive, I recommend Pampered Chef’s Coated Chef’s Knife. The thin, sharp blade slices like a charm. And since it costs less than $25, you can easily replace it when it becomes too worn. (Although it does hold its edge for a long time.)

If you have good knife skills, you can mince the other ingredients by hand. But a food processor makes the job quicker and easier.

I also recommend using a lemon squeezer. It makes short work of juicing lemons and limes. I even have a larger one for oranges.

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Spicy Watermelon Spinach Salad

This easy vegan gluten-free six ingredient recipe is fresh and clean with just a bit of a kick.

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings

Author Veggie Primer

Ingredients

3 cups baby spinach about 3 large handfuls
½ medium red onion
8 cups seedless watermelon chopped into ½ inch chunks
1 lime juiced
1 tsp. maple syrup
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

Instructions

Add spinach to a food processor fitted with an S blade and pulse until finely minced. Scrape minced spinach into a large mixing bowl.
Add red onion to food processor and pulse until finely minced. Scrape minced onion into mixing bowl.
Add chopped watermelon to mixing bowl.
Combine lime juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper in a cup and whisk or cover and shake to mix.
Pour lime dressing over contents in mixing bowl and stir to mix.
Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve within 24 hours.

Notes

Note: Nutrition information is a rough estimate for special dietary needs. I subscribe to the theories presented in the book Whole and believe we should focus on eating a variety of whole foods instead of counting calories or keeping track of individual nutrients.