This easy six ingredient spicy watermelon spinach salad recipe is fresh and clean with just a bit of a kick! Jump to recipe →
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 takes 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 are sure to enjoy!
Spicy Watermelon Spinach Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups baby spinach about 3 large handfuls
- 1/2 medium red onion
- 8 cups seedless watermelon chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
- juice from 1 lime
- 1 tsp. maple syrup
- 1/4 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.
Note: I do not include nutrition information with my recipes because 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.
Margaret made this and I had it as a brunch, snack or a side for several days until I finished all she’d made. Refreshing on a hot day after working outside. I enjoyed that it had a little kick to it.