Swap Your Basic Watermelon Salad For A 5-Star Appetizer That's Ready In 5 Minutes

Salsa is the unofficial condiment of the summer. Not only can you make it with any array of in-season produce — including tomatoes, fresh herbs, and seasonings — but you can also spread it on summer-adjacent dishes, including blackened fish tacos, burgers, and more. Salsa is versatile, and while tomato variations are popular, there is another tasty rendition that will put a sweet twist on this quasi-dip and condiment: watermelon. 

Michelle Bottalico's refreshing watermelon salad recipe has gotten high praise from folks who have made it themselves — and for good reason. It brings together juicy watermelon with other seasonal produce, including bell pepper, red onion, and cucumber. Lime juice, cilantro, and mint add to the refreshing profile, while salt balances and enhances the flavor of the watermelon. Chopped up and plopped it into a bowl, you'll have a delicious watermelon salsa appetizer in just five minutes. 

This watermelon salsa has the vibes of fresh pico de gallo — it's zesty and light, rather than spicy and heavy. As such, you'll want to add it to recipes that could use that light boost. Not only can you serve it with sturdy pita or tortilla chips, but you can also spread it on a tasty fried fish taco to lighten up a heavy or greasy breading. It's also excellent with grilled chicken or seafood; try pairing it with shrimp or grilled salmon and watch its sweetness pair with their innately briny, fresh-from-the-sea flavor. 

Another way to use this salad is on top of another salad. If your standard green salad needs a flavorful pop, try adding a scoop of watermelon salad to it (after all, it already contains some of the veggies you'd normally add to your salad anyway). You could also add it to a rice bowl, where it'll function similarly to a light pico: adding acidity, brightness, and freshness to every bite. Here, it'd pair just as well with grilled chicken as it would with fish or shrimp.