To me, this salad screams summertime. The only time of year to make it is now through August, when the watermelon is sweet, and the peaches are ripe and plentiful! When I was younger, my mom would host so many summer parties, and you all, her parties were not small. She’d host birthdays, Father’s Days, late-night Fourth of July parties, and every other event in between. She was a PRO, and with most of her parties reaching 30+ people on average, she knew how to serve a crowd. Her cheesy potatoes were always a staple. In the summer, there was grilled chicken, burgers, and ribs, and then, of course, her Special K-Bars (this was the second recipe I ever posted on the site!). No summer party was ever finished until Mom served her K-bars; they are legendary. The only other dish that always made an appearance at summer parties was fruit salad. If mom was making the fruit salad, it was mostly just a bunch of cubes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew. But more times than not, my Mom was smart, and usually let my Nonnie bring the fruit salad. When Nonnie brought the fruit salad, it was always from Edible Arrangements and it was my favorite dish of the night. I would eat all the watermelon, cantaloupe, and strawberries, not stopping until my stomach was so full. I LOVED the watermelon, and I swear, the cute arrangement made it taste even better. But the family party fruit salads often lacked cheese and herbs, and there was never a dressing. While I love the simplicity of a bowl of fruit, I thought we’d add some flavor to one of my favorite summer dishes. Nonnie would have LOVED this salad; I know it. Step 1: arrange the salad Find a giant salad bowl and arrange the watermelon and peaches together. Add the feta cheese. Then, I add lots of fresh basil leaves and pistachios. I love the salty crunch the pistachios provide, which makes the fruit even more addicting. If you wanted, you could certainly add strawberries to this as well. Step 2: make the vinaigrette We’re using my go-to balsamic fig, except I swapped the balsamic vinegar for champagne vinegar and added a bit of honey. It’s tangy and sweet, which I really enjoy on fruit-based salads. Step 3: toss it Now, take the dressing and pour it over the salad. At this point, it’s best to serve the salad. The longer the watermelon sits, the more water it releases. This is one of those recipes I always make because it’s fast, easy, healthy, and delicious. And it’s, of course, so pretty. That gives it major bonus points! I’m excited for you all to make this next week for the 4th. It’s crazy that we’re halfway through the year, and the 4th is just days away! Looking for other watermelon recipes, try these: Blueberry, Melon, Feta, Fruit Salad Stacks Frosted Watermelon Rosemary Frosé Salted Spicy Watermelon Margarita Popsicles Smoky Watermelon Lemon Margarita Pink Vodka Watermelon Lemonade Strawberry Watermelon Salad with Burrata Lastly, if you make this Watermelon Peach Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
