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Prep time
15 minutes
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Serves
6
Author Notes
I hate to be that person, but I must mention that tomatoes are, in fact, a fruit, so allow me to refer to this dish as a fruit salad. Ha! Jokes aside, this salad is a perfect mix of tangy heirloom tomatoes and juicy watermelon, all coated in a bright mint dressing. Serve this on a hot summer afternoon, with some crisp white wine and freshly baked bread. Did I mention the leftover tomato-watermelon juices are the best part of this salad? They are! I initially wanted to use the most predictable herb, basil, for this recipe, but I changed my mind after setting up a poll on my Instagram, where a surprising majority of my audience voted for this limey, zesty mint dressing. It would also be great on chicken thighs or steak, or as a dip for freshly baked bread.
—Carolina Gelen
Test Kitchen Notes
This recipe is part of our August Tomato-thon, where we’re encouraging our community to try our favorite tomatoey recipes. Tell us what you loved and what you tweaked on Instagram or TikTok—tag us at @food52 and include the hashtag #f52tomatothon. —The Editors
Ingredients
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1 bunch
fresh mint
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1/4 cup
extra-virgin olive oil
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1 tablespoon
(or more) honey, agave syrup, or maple syrup
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2 teaspoons
finely grated lime zest
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2 teaspoons
(or more) fresh lime juice
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1/2 teaspoon
red pepper flakes
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Flaky sea salt
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1 pound
heirloom tomatoes (about 2 large)
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1 pound
chopped or sliced watermelon
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1 handful
of cherry tomatoes, halved
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Warm bread, for serving
Directions
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Reserve a small handful of mint leaves for garnishing, then finely chop the remaining mint leaves.
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In a small bowl, mix the chopped mint, oil, honey, lime zest and juice, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust the honey, lime juice, and salt as needed.
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Slice the heirloom tomatoes.
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Arrange the watermelon and heirloom and cherry tomatoes on a platter. Season with salt, then drizzle with the mint dressing. Garnish with the reserved mint leaves. Serve with bread for sopping up the juices.
Carolina is a resident at Food52. She's also one of the hosts of Choose Your Own Recipe Adventure, our YouTube show where our Food52 readers pick the ingredients and techniques for a brand new recipe. Carolina recently immigrated to the U.S. from Transylvania, a place she spent most of her life. She continues to get inspired by the classic Romanian and Hungarian foods she was raised on, creating approachable, colorful, and fun recipes. For more cooking ideas and candid moments, check out her Instagram @carolinagelen.
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