Omg. It’s the salad of summer. Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Wonderful Pistachios is about to be your new favorite refreshing side dish ever!
My birthday month is going strong and there’s no end in sight. We’ve got some BBQ’s coming up to celebrate and there will be cake and plenty of summer eats. Front and center this coming weekend is this Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Wonderful Pistachios. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted in life and more. Never tried adding Wonderful Pistachios to your salad – LET’S REMEDY THAT IMMEDIATELY! Pistachios really take any dish from basic to gourmet in minutes. They add an extra crunch to this salad, lend a pop of green, and round out all the flavors to make this recipe one for the record books!
Let’s get into this one! First we need to lightly marinate the watermelon. I know what you’re thinking… marinate watermelon… whaaaaat? I know. Trust me though, have I ever steered you wrong? Watermelon doesn’t need much, but adding the shallots and mint and a touch of oil REALLY brings out the flavors and give it so much more depth. I mean, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong about chowing down on a plain piece of summer’s best fruit, but the marinading of this really ups the ante!
Once the watermelon has had a minute to do its thing, that’s when the magic happens.
Feta, cukes, red onions and Wonderful Pistachios No Shells. These additions are a dream. You’ve got a little salty bite from the feta, some brightness from the cukes, a little zip from the onions and a crunch and richness from the pistachios. Wonderful Pistachios are the name of the game always when it comes to this recipe or just snacking in general. Their new No Shells (which have the same rich taste and crunchy texture as pistachios in the shell) cut your prep time by a LOT! And also makes for even easier snacking – I’m looking at you husband!! For those of you who don’t live under our roof, aka everyone except me and Thomas, you now know that Thomas goes through handfuls of these Wonderful Pistachios on a weekly basis. And not having to find random shells across the kitchen floor is probably the most incredible gift I could get!
So let’s all go make a shopping list and put this on the to-do list over the weekend. Wonderful Pistachios No Shells are now available in Roasted & Salted and Lightly Salted so feel free to use whichever you want for this recipe! Both will be delicious!
Watermelon Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 small seedless watermelon, cut into 1 inch cubes or melon balls
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons torn mint, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 sheet feta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 3 Persian cucumbers, sliced into ½ inch thick rounds
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup Wonderful Pistachios No Shells, toasted ?
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste?
For the Vinaigrette
Instructions
- Combine the watermelon, shallots, and mint in a large bowl with the olive oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Transfer to a fridge and let marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 3 hours.
- Remove from the fridge and add the cubed feta, cucumbers, red onion and pistachios. Toss to combine. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with extra pistachios and more mint on top.
- In a small bowl whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients and season to taste.
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Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe by What’s Gaby Cooking
