Southern Tomato Watermelon Salad
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A tomato watermelon salad isn’t just a salad. It’s a harmonized moment of sweet, salty, tangy, juicy flavors that come together for a culinary masterpiece! It’s summertime church fan flutterin’, sweet tea sippin’, front porch swingin’ kind of goodness on a plate!
It’s what happens when Southern charm meets the garden-fresh glory of sweet ruby-red chunks of watermelon with sunset-hued heirloom tomatoes, and the result is so pleasing. Then comes the zing! A drizzle of wine vinaigrette for the pickled peppers to wake up the sweetness. Add a crumble of tangy feta cheese, and toss in some thinly sliced red onions, and fresh herbs like cilantro… if you’re fancy!
Feta tomato watermelon salad
The Southern roots of a tomato watermelon salad didn’t just fall from the sky looking pretty. It was cultivated from the land, the legacy, and the love of Southern soil. This salad is resistance and resilience in a bowl. It’s a celebration of land and labor, especially Black and Brown hands who worked the fields and fed the families.
It’s food that honors the past and nourishes the present. So, when you serve this tomato watermelon salad at your table, know that you’re not just serving a trend, you’re serving heritage. A beautiful, colorful reminder that the South has always known how to do flavor with feeling.
What you need
When it all comes together, it’s a flavor dance of sweet and salty, tangy and cool, crisp and juicy. Southern tomato watermelon salad is picnic-perfect. It’s porch-approved. And it tastes like summer dressed up for a Sunday dinner.
For the pickled red onions and peppers, I’ll show you how to make them quickly in just 4 minutes using the Instant Pot. No Instant Pot? No problem! You can easily find them at the grocery store.
- Tomatoes bring the depth. Juicy, complex, and sun-kissed. I suggest a medley of ripe tomatoes in red, yellow, purple, and green, as this salad has both personality and visual appeal. It shows up and shines!
- Watermelon is the juicy heart of the salad, bringing that unmistakable Southern sweetness and a refreshing crunch.
- Feta is salty and crumbly with a creamy bite. You could substitute goat cheese for feta, but I prefer the firmer texture of feta that cuts through the sweetness and adds a savory punch.
- Pickled red onions are sharp, tangy, and slightly spicy. They bring a little snap and a whole lotta character, mellowed out just enough by the pickling brine.
- Sweet pickled peppers are the wild card. The unexpected guest that stole the show, adding a touch of Southern pantry magic that’s playful, punchy, and a nod to Grandma’s canning shelf.
- Cilantro might be a little controversial… Folks either love her or leave her. But when invited to the right gathering (like this one), cilantro brings a zesty, herbaceous brightness that wakes up the whole dish!
How to serve this salad
Tomato watermelon salad is a cold and refreshing dish that pairs well with chicken and chilled pasta dishes.
It can be enhanced with salad toppings like watercress. Raspberries are a great addition as they provide color and an extra burst of flavor when mixed with the tomatoes and watermelon. Chopped cucumber adds a delightful zest to the salad. Some people also enjoy sprinkling a dash of salt and red pepper for a spicier kick.
Equipment
- Instant Pot electric pressure cooker Optional for quickly pickling the onions and peppers
Ingredients
Ingredients for Southern soul food tomato watermelon salad
- 1 pound seedless watermelon chopped into approx. 1″ size bites (1 mini watermelon works well)
- 6 oz grape tomatoes halved, and if in season, choose the gourmet medley of colors (red, yellow, and purple variety pack)
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup cilantro fresh and chopped
Ingredients for quick pickled onions and pickled peppers
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 5 sweet yellow peppers deveined, seeded, and sliced lengthwise
- ¼ cup red onion sliced into strips
Instructions
Instructions for the pickled onions and pickled peppers
- (Use the Instant Pot to pickle the onions and sweet peppers quickly, or buy them at the store.)
- Pour the red wine vinegar into the Instant Pot stainless steel inner pot.
- Add the sliced yellow peppers and red onion to the pot.
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is in the sealing position – up) and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes.
- When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural release of pressure for at least 4 minutes.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
- Use a colander to drain the vinegar from the pickled vegetables.
- Set aside the pickled red onions and peppers.
Instructions for assembling the salad
- Add the chopped watermelon, sliced grape tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, and chopped cilantro in a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the pickled yellow peppers and red onions to the fruit mixture.
- Use a small rubber spatula to gently toss and mix the ingredients.
- Serve at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for an hour. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Wow! I’m drooling.. LOL!
This is one of my favorite salads – always makes me excited for watermelon season!