Balsamic Watermelon Cucumber Salad
🥗🍉🥒 An EASY, healthy, and light salad with watermelon, cucumber, arugula, goat cheese, candied nuts, and drizzled with a homemade balsamic glaze! A PERFECT summer salad for those days when it's too hot to cook!
Servings: 2
Calories: 893cal
Ingredients
Balsamic Glaze
- 500 milliliters balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
Salad
- 3 cups watermelon seeded and cubed (I recommend seedless, firm watermelon)
- 1 large cucumber or English cucumber peeled and cubed
- 1 cup arugula 1 heaping handful
- ⅓ cup goat cheese crumbled or as desired
- ⅓ cup candied nuts (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
- To a high-sided medium/large kettle (use one bigger than you think you need), add the vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, and heat over medium to medium-high until mixture boils and can sustain a fast rolling boil.
- Boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until reduced by about 80% and has thickened and is syrupy; stir intermittently and keep an eye on it so it doesn't bubble over.
- When the sauce looks like it's about halfway done, taste the sauce, and if it's too vinegary and bitter for you, add part of or all of the remaining sugar. I personally use almost 1 cup. Sauce will thicken up more as it cools.
- To a medium bowl, add all the remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and drizzle as much of the balsamic reduction as desired.
- Salad is best consumed fresh, although extra glaze will keep for many weeks airtight in the fridge.
Notes
Glaze: Alternatively, you can use store-bought balsamic glaze.
Extra Glaze: You will have lots of balsamic reduction leftover, but it will keep for weeks in a sealed container in the fridge. As long as you're going to the trouble to make it, you may as well have extra for future recipes, because it's great drizzled over chicken, salmon, etc.
Nutritional Stats: The stats for this recipe take into account ALL of the balsamic glaze, of which you'll only be using a tablespoon or two. The caloric count for cucumbers and watermelon is extremely low, probably 25 calories for a serving. Adding a bit of cheese and nuts will increase the values, but again, it's all coming from the balsamic glaze, which you can of course either omit, or save and use in the coming weeks.
Nutrition
Serving: 1salad | Calories: 893cal | Carbohydrates: 171g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 788mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 160g | Vitamin A: 2033IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 4mg
