Watermelon Avocado Salad

It’s hard to say which summer fruit I love most, because this time of year just seems to boast all of my personal favorites – peaches, cherries, berries, melon, you name it. I simply haven’t met a fruit I didn’t like.

But I will say that there’s just something about a juicy, ripe watermelon that brings back all of the childhood nostalgia of summers past. And while it’s absolutely delicious on it’s own, this Watermelon Avocado Salad takes it up a notch with even more fresh and flavorful goodies.

Not only does watermelon simply taste like summer, but it can also help you rehydrate from a day spent in the sun. Plus, it contains a variety of nutrients such as vitamin C and A, potassium and magnesium as well as plant compounds such as lycopene and cucurbitacin E which help prevent cancer, reduce inflammation and more.

Another summertime favorite that pairs perfectly with watermelon is avocado. But let’s get real, what doesn’t avocado make better? It’s no secret that I have a slight addiction, as you can see through the wide variety of avocado-packed recipes in my repertoire these days. A few favs include:

• Vegan Avocado Key Lime Pie Bars
• Avocado Chocolate Truffles
• Salmon Tacos with Mango Salsa & Cilantro Avocado Sauce
• Spring Veggie & Shrimp Pasta with Creamy Avocado Sauce
• Green Apple Guacamole

Avocados are considered a superfood for a reason, as they’re packed with healthy monounsaturated fatty acids linked to a variety of health benefits including improvements in heart health, reduced inflammation and lower cancer rates.

Mission Avocados has been my favorite source lately, as they bring together a global network of growers to consistently improve crop quality and yields to deliver perfect avocados year-round. This ensures that their avocados are the highest quality and delicious despite the season.

In addition to these two all-stars, cucumber and red onion bring some extra crunch to this summery salad. Together all of these ingredients make for the perfect summer salad, especially once finished off with the simple vinaigrette. I even recommend letting it all marinate before serving for an even more flavorful result.

Plus, fresh herbs of any kind are always a must in my book, and mint is a great addition for extra freshness. Mint is likewise packed with nutrients and might even relieve indigestion and soothe digestive distress.

And lastly, what’s any good salad without a little cheese, right? I personally try to avoid dairy for a variety of reasons, which I break down in my Why I Ditched Dairy blog post, but dairy-free alternatives likewise work great in this recipe.

Top it all off with some real-deal or dairy free feta for a little bit of creaminess that rounds out the flavors of the fresh fruit and veggies perfectly. I use and love Violife Dairy-Free Feta, which you can find online or at most Whole Foods.

Not only does this Watermelon Avocado Salad just scream summer, but it’s also incredibly easy to throw together for dinner on the fly or a light side dish at your next get-together with friends.

As always, be sure to let me know if you give this recipe a try by tagging me on social media @goodness_with_g or commenting below!