Watermelon Salad Bruschetta

I may be going a little overboard on watermelon this season & summer hasn’t even officially started yet. I just can’t seem to get enough. One recipe I do time & time again is this Watermelon Salad Bruschetta. It’s the perfect blend of a light, refreshing salad but with a hearty, crunchy bread. Serve it as an appetizer, lunch or dinner. Simple, tasty & incredibly easy!

One of my favorite ways to make this is to grill the baguette. Usually I serve this as an appetizer or side to other summer grilling staples so it is really easy to just toss a few slices of a baguette on the grill as well. Outdoor grilling is not always an option, so you have a few other ways to do this. You can grill the baguette slices on an indoor grill or grill pan if you want to get those cute little grill marks. You can place it under the broiler for a few minutes until it just starts to char around the edges. You could also just simply toast the bread slices until they are crispy & crunchy. However you decide to prepare it, the star is the watermelon.

If you are all about watermelon too, here are some more ideas…

Vegan Poke Bowl

Watermelon Mojito

Print Recipe

Watermelon Salad Bruschetta

A summer staple, this Watermelon Salad Bruschetta is a refreshing addition to your summer menus, whether salad or bruschetta it's delicious!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch

Keyword: bruschetta, salad, vegan, vegetarian, watermelon

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups watermelon, cubed
• 1 cup arugula sub: favorite greens
• 1/2 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/8 cup red onion, thinly sliced sub: shallot
• 1/2 cup vegan feta cheese(crumbled or cubed)
• 1 handful fresh herbs such as basil, mint or dill
• 1 baguette
• olive oil

Basic Vinaigrette

• 1 clove garlic, minced about 1 tsp
• 1 tsp minced red onion or shallot
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp tahini
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Prep the vinaigrette first. Mince the garlic & onion. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients, whisking well & set aside.
• Cube the watermelon & slice the cucumber, onion & feta, placing in a large bowl. Add half the vinaigrette to the salad & toss to coat, set aside.
• Prepare the bread. Slice into desired serving size. If grilling drizzle with a bit of olive oil & place on indoor or outdoor grill for a few minutes to get desired grill marks & crunch.

  Optional: You can also place the bread under the broiler for a few minutes or simply toast if grilling is not available.
• Add the arugula & fresh herbs to the salad bowl & toss to combine all ingredients. Add more vinaigrette if needed.
• Lay baguette slices flat & top with some of the watermelon salad mixture if serving immediately or serve separately for assembling when ready to consume.

Notes

To grill or not to grill?  Prepare the bread as you see fit.  I tend to serve this dish alongside some other outdoor grilling so it is easy to add the baguette to the grill.  You can also grill indoors on an indoor grill or grill pan to get those beautiful grill marks without the outdoor hassle.  If neither of these are an option you could place under the broiler for a few minutes, just watch closely so it does not burn.  Still too much…simply toast the bread until it reaches your desired level of crunch.

Assembly:  Dependent upon how soon you will serve this dish is how you should plate it.  If serving immediately you can assemble the salad on top & enjoy.  If not, serve separately & assemble when ready to eat.  If not you can end up with a soggy baguette.

Leftovers:  Store any remaining salad ingredients in the refrigerator for 1-2 days adding in more fresh greens prior to serving again.

Enjoy!!!!