Healthy beet watermelon salad is simple to make and refreshing for these hot summer days. Combine watermelon and beets with feta, mint, balsamic, almonds and a pinch of salt. It’s the perfect mix between sweet and savory.
As the hot summer days continue to come, I tend to gravitate more toward salads like my Old Bay Macaroni Shrimp Salad. Watermelon is my favorite fruit this season. They’re so big, juicy, and sweet this time of year making them a great choice for a salad. If you love beets you'll definitely love this beet summer salad recipe which is extremely refreshing and totally guilt free.
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Why You’ll Love the Beet Watermelon Salad
- This isn’t your typical salad. There’s no lettuce just watermelon, beets, and a few more simple toppings.
- The salad is low calorie and extremely healthy. You will feel full longer. The salad is packed with vitamins and minerals.
- You only need 7 ingredients to make this. It’s a simple recipe that you can make in less than 30 minutes too! If you need a last minute party idea, this is it.
- There are elements of sweet from the balsamic glaze and savory from the feta and pinch of salt. The salad flavors are enhanced by these two ingredients.
What Makes This Salad Healthy?
So what makes this beet salad healthy? There’s no doubt that this salad has a lot of health benefits. Beets and watermelon are both whole food ingredients that taste so well together. Not to mention they’re both extremely healthy. The following list does not include all of the benefits, it’s only a start!
Beets
- full of fiber and low calorie
- contains a generous amount of vitamin A and C along with potassium, iron, and calcium
- rich in color from a phytochemical called betacyanin. Studies show Betacyanin has been shown to reduce tumor growth
- rich in folate which helps cells grow and function which helps reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke
- naturally high in nitrates which turn into nitric oxide in the body
Watermelon
- provides a considerable amount of vitamin C, B6, and A
- contains the antioxidant lycopene which is believed to be responsible for reducing the risk of cancer, protecting against cardiovascular disease, and protects against osteoporosis
- rich in water which helps keep you hydrated on these hot summer days
- may reduce inflammation and oxidative stress
Ingredients Used to Make The Salad
Beets - you’ll need 3 raw beets with the stems cut off. Using fresh beets in salad adds a flavor
Watermelon - I recommend seedless to save time. Make sure to cut watermelon into bite sized pieces.
Feta cheese - fresh crumbled feta is best, don't have feta? Try goat cheese instead
Fresh Mint - this adds a freshness that brings the salad to the next level
Balsamic Glaze - this is not balsamic vinegar, in fact it’s very different. Balsamic glaze is a dark concentrated version of balsamic vinegar that’s more sweetened. It’s so good and adds a tart but sweet flavor to the salad.
Sliced Almonds - to add a crunch and even more fiber
Pinch of Salt - brings out the flavor of the beet and watermelon don’t under estimate what a little salt can do
Make the Watermelon Beet Feta Salad in Two Easy Steps
Step 1: Place the beets in a pot and fill with water. About an inch or two above the beets. Place on the stove and bring to a boil. Boil for around 45 minutes or until the beets are tender and can be pierced with a fork. Once done, drain the water and remove the beets and let cool. Once cooled, slice the ends with a knife and remove the outer layer. It should peel off easily. Chop the beets into bite sized pieces.
Step 2: In a large bowl add the beets and watermelon. Top with feta, sliced mint, sliced almonds, pinch of salt, and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.
Storing the Beet Watermelon Mint Salad
Storing the watermelon beet salad is easy. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Waiting much longer may lead to break down of the fruit. For optimum storage, I recommend leaving the balsamic glaze off and only using it on individual portions unless you plan on finishing all of the salad. Since it contains vinegar it will break down the watermelon and cause it to become juicy and mushy over time.
You may also decide to leave off the feta until it’s served. This is because the beets will turn the feta pink. That’s about the only change that I’ve noticed. I didn’t see where leaving the feta on in the fridge changed the flavor or texture so if the color change doesn’t bother you, you can certainly keep it on.
Beet Watermelon Salad Variations
This beet watermelon salad is extremely versatile. Here are some of the ways I love to mix it up.
- Make this salad an entire meal by adding a tri-color quinoa. This would add protein, carbs, and make the salad complete. Chopped or whole spinach would also make a great addition adding even more nutritional value .
- Not a huge fan of the earthly flavor of beets? Try substituting strawberries instead. This would omit the cook time. All you’d need to do is slice and add to the bowl. They’re sweet like watermelon and would taste great in this salad.
- Can’t find the balsamic glaze? Try a different dressing instead like fresh lime juice from 1 lime and a drizzle of honey, maple syrup, or agave. This would add more sweetness and who doesn’t love the combination of watermelon and lime.
- Use pickled beets instead. Cut your prep time way down by using pickled beets which have already been seasoned and pickled. They pack a ton of flavor and go great with watermelon.
- Make the summer beet salad vegan. To do this, simply omit the feta cheese and that's it! You can substitute for a vegan feta or make your own.
Let me know if you try any of these variations.
What to Serve with Beet Watermelon Salad
Beet watermelon feta salad makes a great side to pretty much anything grilled. I don’t know about you but when the weather is this good, we try to stay outside as much as we can. Grilling also helps reduce the amount of dishes you have to do. Try this delicious herbs de provence grilled chicken recipe. It’s super easy, doesn’t require a lot of ingredients, and is packed with flavor. Or maybe you’re in the mood for a healthy grilled sriracha chicken wrap instead. Whatever you decide on, the beet watermelon salad is the perfect side.
Healthy Beet Watermelon Salad
Ingredients
- 3 beets with stems chopped off
- 2 cups chopped watermelon
- 1/4 cup feta
- handful of fresh mint sliced
- Balsamic glaze
- sliced almonds
- pinch of salt to taste
Instructions
- Place beets in a pot and fill with water. Add enough until there's about 1-2 inches of water above the beets. Place on the stove and bring to a boil. Boil for about 45 minutes or until your beets are soft and can be pierced with a fork. Once done, drain the water, set aside the beets and let cool. Once cooled remove the outer layer and chop into bite sized pieces.
- In a large bowl add watermelon, beets, and top with feta cheese, fresh sliced mint, sliced almonds, pinch of salt, and drizzle the balsamic glaze over top. Serve immediately.
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