Name: Tomato and Watermelon Salad
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients: 3 or 4 small to medium heirloom tomatoes, in assorted colors, cored and cut into 3/4-inch chunks; 1 small English or regular cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes; 1 cup 3/4-inch-cubed yellow or red seedless watermelon flesh; 1 Hass avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes; 1 tablespoon chopped mixed fresh herbs, in any combination: basil, tarragon, chives, and cilantro; 1/4 teaspoon coriander seed; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 freshly ground black pepper

Perfectly even cubes of watermelon tomato and avocado arranged in a grid topped with dressing and herbs.

Photo by Maren Caruso

If the idea of tomatoes and watermelon together sounds odd to you, this dish will be a revelation. There is a saying that what grows together goes together, and in this case it is true. If you think of tomatoes as a fruit, which they are botanically, this combination makes more sense. Seasonality, however, is the key. I make this salad only in the summer, when tomatoes, watermelon, and cucumbers are at their peak of flavor. Rich, creamy Hass avocadoes are included to lend a nice contrast of flavor and texture. I always toss this salad together before serving, but for the photo opposite I was inspired to create a painstaking mosaic of the ingredients. If you're so inclined, feel free, but don't say I didn't warn you—it takes a lot of time.

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

3 or 4 small to medium heirloom tomatoes, in assorted colors, cored and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

1 small English or regular cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 cup 3/4-inch-cubed yellow or red seedless watermelon flesh

1 Hass avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 tablespoon chopped mixed fresh herbs, in any combination: basil, tarragon, chives, and cilantro

1/4 teaspoon coriander seed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1
In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, avocado, and herbs. In a spice grinder, grind the coriander seeds to a fine powder. Add the ground coriander to the tomato mixture and toss gently.
Step 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the tomato mixture and toss to coat evenly. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

To Drink

If you asked a group of sommeliers which white-wine variety they most often recommend to guests in their restaurants, the majority would answer Riesling, one of the world's greatest wine grapes. Rieslings can vary in style, but all are delicate, acidic, and fruity (often tasting of apricot and peach). Look for a California German-style Riesling that is dry, light, and slightly sweet for serving with this salad, such as the Navarro from Anderson Valley or an Esterlina from Mendocino.

Reprinted with permission from Pintxos: Small Plates in the Basque Tradition by Gerald Hirigoyen with Lisa Weiss, copyright © 2009. Photography copyright © 2009 by Maren Caruso. Published by Ten Speed Press.

Leave a Review

Reviews (47)

Making sure you use good ingredients makes this an outstanding dish. This can be made with a variety of fresh and dried herbs, but don't overdo it - the herbs should support the other flavors, not overpower them. White balsamic vinegar enhances the flavors better than the red, in my opinion. I de-seed my tomatoes so the juice doesn't muddy the other flavors and make this soupy. Everyone I have introduced this to has been pleasantly surprised. It's always been a hit.
- Suncat2000
- Akron, OH
- 7/19/2018
This was great! I made it twice last week as I had all of that leftover watermelon to use. The first time I made it as written, the second I substituted cubed feta cheese for the avocado. Both were great. I even had a 4 year old kiddo ask for more. Will be my go-to summer salad.
- kcsfbay
- Oakland, CA
- 6/15/2016
I expected to love this salad, but it was just so-so. My guests didn't say a word about it either, which I took to mean that they felt the same way. If you do make it, don't bother storing the leftovers¿they're slimy the next day.
- mstarkey
- Falmouth, ME
- 7/20/2015
Great summer salad! Fresh, ripe vegetables and herbs make this taste like summer. I can't believe how good the watermelon and tomato are together.
- cathymacdonald
- Toronto, Canada
- 7/14/2015
More like 2.5 forks. It's okay, but was expecting more flavor given the reviews. Nothing special, maybe it was too early for the tomatoes.
- gwynnek
- DC
- 7/14/2014
I'm making this for a bridal shower next week so I used my husband as a guinea pig. He like everything except the cucumbers...ha, ha! I loved the flavours. Very light and summery. Next time I will cut amount of olive oil and white balsamic to 2 T instead of 3. Too much liquid is what is making if seem soupy as some others have mentioned. Also, I wasn't able to find tarragon and so I used Anise instead.
- Fitzy
- Southwestern, Ontario
- 7/2/2014
Perfect side dish. I skipped the avocado...overkill! Use tarragon, chives and basil. The tarragon makes the dish! Resplendent with color and a hit with everyone who tries it!
- karuza
- Buffalo
- 6/8/2014
Excellent!! Used CSA watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro, and will definitely be making this again soon.
- max919
- Cambridge, MA
- 9/7/2013
This was very good. We used champagne vinegar so as not to discolor the veggies and also added 1/2 lemon juice. Added sun gold cherry tomatoes halved and small yellow pepper chopped. Herbs were parsley, chives and basil. This is a keeper. Everyone enjoyed it.
- Anonymous
- Springfield MA
- 8/26/2013
WOW!!! That's all I can say.
- Holl_doll
- Cocoa Beach FL
- 5/16/2013
looks cute!
- whocha
- Japan
- 10/31/2012
Delicious and easy. Great potluck salad.
- cleop3
- seattle, wa
- 7/31/2012
This is such a bad ass surprise...perfect potluck summer salad. DO NOT substitute the freshly ground coriander, it is the key to this recipe's uniqueness. I did not have a ripe avocado the second time I made this salad, found that cubed mozzarella worked nicely. Cheers.
- BooneDog
- Encinitas, CA
- 7/22/2012
I found this salad to be a great match with light bodied white wines. I elected to leave the cilantro out and added mint instead. The acidity of the tomatoes and the tang of the watermelon really complement each other. The balsamic finishes it off nicely and beckons for something off the grill. Separately, I got a thumbs-ups from my vegetarian/ vegan friends.
- fannino
- Seattle, WA
- 7/8/2012
Really terrific. I served this salad with fish tacos, so our herb of choice was cilantro. I used some fresh lettuce right out of the garden on a large platter then heaped this salad in the middle and dressed the whole thing. No leftovers tonight!
- Karents
- Burlington VT
- 6/22/2012