Harissa Watermelon-Tomato Salad

Erin Gleeson designed this beautiful watermelon salad after tasting one that was so good, she decided to go home and put her own twist on it. We love the addition of harissa (a red chili paste often used in Middle Eastern cuisine). If you have any Middle Eastern family members, they’ll enjoy the extra kick in this dish–it’s also a nice way to introduce flavors to your family from a culture with which you’re less familiar. (Find another Middle Eastern-influenced dish here.)

When shopping for ingredients at a great local market (read more from Erin’s original post here), she took home one of those yellow Brandywine tomatoes from the store and had to include it! This salad pairs nicely with a simple summer Shabbat meal made on the grill. Here’s an idea for Halloumi Grill Wraps to keep it vegetarian.

watermelon tomato salad

Harissa Watermelon-Tomato Salad

Inspired by a recipe found at New Seasons Market’s deli

Erin holding a tomatoIngredients:

  • 1 large yellow tomato (look for an Heirloom or Brandywine variety if possible)
  • 2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
  • 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced (I used a mandoline)
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped mint
  • 3 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese

For the dressing:

  • 1 Tbsp. harissa (mild or spicy…your choice. I went spicy!)
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. agave (or honey)
  • a pinch of cumin
  • salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice the tomato and watermelon into big chunks and lay them out on a platter.

2. Sprinkle the red onion, mint and feta on top.

3. Mix the ingredients for the dressing well with a fork in a cup.

4. Drizzle the dressing over the platter.

Finished salad

This recipe and photos were originally developed in partnership with New Seasons Market. Find the original post on The Forest Feast blog, here.


Erin Gleeson

After several years of working as a food photographer in New York City, Erin Gleeson moved to a cabin in the woods in California where she created The Forest Feast food blog and cookbook series which fuse her love of cooking with her own photography and watercolor paintings. Inspired by local ingredients she creates simple, mostly-vegetarian recipes that are full of fruits and vegetables. Her recipes are presented as visual diagrams that are simple to follow and are easy enough for a weeknight, yet impressive enough for a party. Erin also has a line of Forest Feast stationery and gift items which feature her artwork. She has just returned from 3 months in Europe where she did research for her 4th cookbook which will be focused on Mediterranean small plates (Abrams, Fall 2019). Follow along @theforestfeast.

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Author: Erin Gleeson