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Fresh Thai Watermelon Salad Recipe with Easy Zesty Chili Lime Dressing

Fresh Thai Watermelon Salad - featured image
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A refreshing and vibrant watermelon salad with a zesty chili lime dressing, combining sweet, salty, spicy, and tangy flavors perfect for summer gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups seedless watermelon, cut into bite-sized cubes
  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced or diced
  • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced (soaked in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow, optional)
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (or fresh basil as a substitute)
  • ¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (preferably unsalted)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian option)
  • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon chili flakes (adjust to taste)
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cut approximately 1.5 pounds (about 700 grams) of seedless watermelon into bite-sized cubes. Peel and dice one medium cucumber (about 200 grams). Place both in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Thinly slice half a small red onion (about 50 grams). Soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes if you want to mellow the sharpness, then drain well.
  3. Roughly chop ¼ cup each of fresh mint and cilantro leaves.
  4. Toast ¼ cup (about 35 grams) of peanuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Let cool, then roughly chop.
  5. In a small bowl or jar, combine 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, ½ teaspoon chili flakes, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional). Whisk or shake well until honey dissolves and ingredients are combined. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  6. Pour the dressing over the watermelon, cucumber, and onion mixture. Add the chopped herbs and toasted peanuts. Gently toss everything together using a wooden spoon or spatula, being careful not to crush the watermelon cubes.
  7. Taste and adjust salt, lime, or chili flakes if needed for a balanced sweet, salty, tangy, and spicy flavor.
  8. Serve immediately or chill for up to 1 hour before serving to let flavors meld. Avoid longer refrigeration to prevent watermelon from getting soggy.

Notes

Soak red onion slices in cold water to mellow sharpness if desired. Toast peanuts carefully to avoid burning. Adjust chili flakes and honey/maple syrup to balance heat and sweetness. Serve fresh or chilled up to 1 hour to maintain texture. Keep dressing separate if storing leftovers to prevent sogginess.

Nutrition

Keywords: watermelon salad, Thai salad, chili lime dressing, summer salad, refreshing salad, easy salad recipe, healthy salad

Find it online: https://elaraeats.com/fresh-thai-watermelon-salad-recipe-with-easy-zesty-chili-lime-dressing/