This unforgettable Spicy Watermelon Arugula Salad is sweet and smoky with juicy watermelon, a spicy chipotle strawberry vinaigrette, creamy goat cheese, serrano peppers, cool cucumbers and peppery arugula. Not your average watermelon salad and ready in under 30 minutes!
It's bursting with summer flavor and perfect for Fourth of July. You'll have everyone asking for the recipe!
I make this salad as a side dish, light lunch or full meal with protein (see more about adding protein in the variations section).
This is peak summer eating; combining the freshest in-season produce. This summer salad is perfect for summer cookouts, BBQ's, baby showers or brunch.
Like this recipe, Strawberry Summer Salad takes advantage of berry season. Watermelon Basil Salad can use up more fresh melon!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Take advantage of fresh summer produce in new ways. Corn Salad is another summer go-to salad.
- It's perfect for meal prep and planning ahead! Mix up dressing a week ahead to always have it ready.
- Spicy Watermelon Arugula Salad is a no cook, gluten free and vegetarian recipe.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Arugula: This spicy, peppery green is a strong base to stand up to all the fun flavors going on. A great addition in Summer Peach Burrata Salad too!
- Fruit: Watermelon and strawberries add a fun pop of color against the greens.
- Spice: Fresh Serrano peppers plus adobo sauce bring the heat.
- Goat cheese: Balance the heat and acidity with creamy and refreshing goat cheese.
- Pepitas: The key to any salad is to layer on the textures. Pepitas add crunch and a light nutty flavor.
- Strawberries: In season, dark red, ripe strawberries will have the sweetest juiciest flavor for your homemade vinaigrette. The sweetness of the berries complement the smokiness of the chipotle peppers.
- Serrano Peppers: These peppers pack a nice heat to be paired with the cooling cucumbers and watermelon. Checkout the Scoville Heat Chart to see where they land in terms of heat and what peppers you can use to get more or less heat.
- Chipotle Peppers: I use chipotle peppers in adobe sauce. These are found in a can in the Hispanic aisle and add a touch of smoke and heat to this refreshing Watermelon Arugula Salad recipe.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not a fan of arugula? Baby spinach or mixed greens are the perfect base. Feel free to mix up your greens as well, you don't have to use just a single variety.
- Add protein to your spicy watermelon arugula salad recipe using sliced chicken breast or grilled shrimp to turn this salad into a one-dish meal.
- Add a bit of Tajin of kosher salt to the watermelon. Salt brings out the flavor and pairs perfectly with the subtle sweetness of the watermelon. Tajin is great in peach mango salsa too!
- Feta cheese is interchangeable with the goat cheese in this recipe. It's salty and pairs beautifully with the sweet watermelon.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
How To Make Spicy Watermelon Arugula Salad
Step 1: Puree dressing ingredients and chill to let flavors blend.
Step 2: Combine salad ingredients then dress and toss just before serving.
Expert Cooking Tips
- Mix up the dressing up to a week in advance.
- Since the watermelon and cucumber both release water, you won't want to put this salad together more than 20 minutes ahead of time. This will help avoid soggy salad.
- Cut the watermelon a day in advance and chill it in an airtight container. Watermelon tastes so much better and sweeter when fully chilled.
- You can chop and prep all ingredients ahead of time, early in the day or the day before, so you are ready to assemble quickly at dinner.
Recipe FAQs
Serrano peppers are about mid-range on the heat level, so they definitely pack a punch. You can play around with spice by removing the seeds and membranes. Also serve the peppers on the side so everyone can add to their bowl as desired! Green ones are generally milder than red, but you could also swap in jalapeño peppers for slightly less heat.
This salad really can't be kept. I recommend dressing and tossing only 5 minutes before serving - there are a lot of wet ingredients here and they will simply turn to a soggy mess when combined and dressed. You can store ingredients prepped and ready in individual containers, but not the salad as a whole.
I'm using a sweet and smoky strawberry vinaigrette with canned chipotle peppers instead of the traditional balsamic vinaigrette or lime juice.
This summer salad has two layers of heat with fresh serrano peppers as well as canned chipotle peppers giving depth of flavor.
This Watermelon Arugula Salad is a textural goddess. I use crunchy pepitas to contrast the creamy goat cheese along with juicy watermelon and the delicate feel of arugula.
The combo of strawberries with the watermelon for that extra sweetness and summer flavor!
Chicken breast and shrimp are my two favorite proteins to add to this salad. Add them warm or chilled and you've got a complete meal!
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📖Recipe
Spicy Watermelon Arugula Salad
Equipment
- 1 food processor or high powered blender
Ingredients
Chipotle Strawberry Vinaigrette
- ½ pt strawberries hulled
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 5 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoon fresh parsley stems off
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal Brand
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup olive oil
Salad Ingredients
- 4 oz arugula
- 16 oz watermelon ½ inch cubes
- ½ pt strawberries hulled and sliced
- 4 oz goat cheese crumbled
- 2 Persian cucumbers sliced thin
- 1 serrano pepper sliced thin
- 2 oz pepitas
- 1 pinch kosher salt Diamond Crystal brand
Instructions
Chipotle Strawberry Dressing
- Add all vinaigrette ingredients except oil to a food processor and blend until smooth or only a few small chunks. With the food processor on low speed, slowly drizzle oil in. Do not stop blender until all oil has been added
Watermelon Salad
- Build salad by starting with a base of arugula then adding watermelon, strawberries, goat cheese, cucumbers, serrano peppers and pepitas
- Sprinkle salad with salt then drizzle with strawberry dressing and serve immediately
Zach
You’re right, this is not your average watermelon salad. I love the sweet heat with the hint of smoky flavor. We are obsessed with the strawberry vinaigrette and will be serving this at all of our July birthdays!
Krista
This is not your average watermelon salad! The spicy strawberry vinaigrette adds the perfect flavor to the sweet watermelon and it’s a textural dream! I’ll be serving this all summer long!