Description
This Watermelon Shiso Salad is a refreshing and vibrant summer dish with a unique Asian-inspired twist. The combination of sweet watermelon, fresh shiso leaves, and crisp cucumber, dressed in a light sesame vinaigrette, creates a perfect balance of flavors. It’s a simple, no-cook salad that is sure to impress at any summer gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Watermelon Salad:
- 4 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
- 6–8 fresh shiso leaves, thinly sliced
- ½ small cucumber, thinly sliced
Dressing:
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon honey or agave syrup
- Pinch of salt
Optional Garnish:
- Toasted sesame seeds or crumbled feta
Instructions
- Prepare the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the watermelon cubes, cucumber slices, and shiso.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, and salt.
- Toss and Chill: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Chill in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with sesame seeds or feta if desired, and serve cold.
Notes
- Shiso leaves offer a refreshing, minty-basil flavor, perfect for summer salads.
- If shiso is unavailable, fresh mint or basil can be used as substitutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 60
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
