Why This Recipe Works

This salad screams summer, but to ensure that the fruity flavors didn’t get drowned out, we had to devise a way to tame the juiciness of both fruits before combining them in a dressed salad. To do this, we tossed the cubes of watermelon with sugar and let them drain. We tossed the cherry tomatoes with a little salt and set them aside while the watermelon drained before tossing both together. To gently balance the melon’s sweetness, we added thinly sliced shallot for delicate onion flavor. Fresh basil lent brightness, torn bits of fresh mozzarella added substance, and a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, cider vinegar, and lemon brought everything together.

Before You Begin

This salad benefits from a liberal sprinkling of salt and pepper, so don’t be shy when seasoning the mozzarella.

Instructions

Gently combine watermelon and sugar in large bowl. Transfer watermelon to colander and set colander in now-empty bowl. Cover colander with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Toss tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in small bowl; set aside.

Whisk oil, vinegar, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Add shallot, basil, drained watermelon, and tomatoes and toss gently to combine. Transfer to platter and evenly scatter mozzarella over top. Drizzle with extra oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.