If your watermelon isn’t very sweet, force it to be savory. That’s what I’ve done by adding the peppery bite of radishes and onion and a three-ingredient vinaigrette. With mint strewn all over the juicy fruit, this whole salad ends up being super-refreshing.

Recipe information

Yield
8 servings

Ingredients

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch red radishes, cut into ⅛-inch slices

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ red onion, cut into thin slivers

4½ pounds watermelon (1/4 of a large melon), rind removed, flesh cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons torn mint leaves

Preparation

Step 1
Dissolve a spoonful of salt in a large bowl of ice and water. Add the radishes and let sit for a few minutes to crisp.
Step 2
Whisk the vinegar, oil, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Drain the radishes and add to the bowl, along with the onion and watermelon.
Step 3
Gently toss with your hands to coat evenly.
Step 4
Spread on a serving platter, grind pepper all over, and top with the mint.

Cover of the cookbook featuring the author in her kitchen.

From Carla Hall's Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration © 2018 by Carla Hall. Reprinted with permission by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.