This elegant Leafy Greens & Watermelon Goat Cheese Salad balances crisp, peppery greens with thick, juicy watermelon rings and creamy, tangy goat cheese.

If you enjoy using goat cheese in both savory and sweet dishes, explore more ideas in Cooking With Goat Cheese: How to Choose, Crumble, Spread, and Pair It.

Cooking With Goat Cheese: How to Choose, Crumble, Spread, and Pair It

Cutting the watermelon into clean rounds with a pastry cutter gives the salad a striking presentation that goes beyond the usual tossed salad.

Crisp fennel adds a subtle herbal, licorice-like note, while a bright mint lime vinaigrette brings everything together. For another fresh way to use fennel in a salad, try my Peach & Shaved Fennel Salad.

Peach & Shaved Fennel Salad

Fresh, colorful, and surprisingly satisfying, this salad works beautifully as an appetizer, brunch salad, or refreshing side dish.

Leafy Greens and Watermelon Goat Cheese Salad

Fresh watermelon, peppery leafy greens, creamy goat cheese, and crisp fennel come together in this colorful summer salad, finished with a bright mint lime vinaigrette.

Recipe Details

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4 individual plates

Dietary Profile: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian

Ingredients

3/4 cup mint lime vinaigrette (find recipe Here)

4 watermelon rounds, each 5 inches wide and 2 inches thick

4 cups mixed leafy greens

1 fennel bulb, thinly shaved, white part only, set in ice water to crisp *See Cook’s Notes

1 small shallot, minced

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped, divided

4 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese, divided

4 fennel fronds, divided *See Cook’s Notes

1 cup radish sprouts or broccoli sprouts, divided (can opt to use both sprouts)

Keep Chopping – Mincing & Shaking – Because – This Is What Your Making

Cook’s Notes

The green part or stalk of a fennel is quite fibrous. To eat it directly, it must be cooked.

Save the fennel stalks to harness its flavor by adding it chopped when making a broth and soup. Discard the stalk after broth and soup is done cooking.

Fennel fronds grow from the stalks and have a delicate, feathery appearance similar to dill. Their mild fennel flavor makes them an excellent garnish for salads, soups, and other dishes.

Learn more about using the entire bulb, stalks, and fronds in my guide, Cooking With Fennel: How to Use the Bulb, Fronds, Seeds, and Pollen.

Preparing The Salad

Using a 5-inch wide and 2-inches deep pastry cutter, cut 4 chunks of watermelon and set aside.

In a large bowl add leafy greens, crisp fennel, shallots and 1/3 cup vinaigrette and gently toss to coat vegetables.

Plate the leafy greens mixture. Place a watermelon round over the salad mixture. Top with 1 tablespoon goat cheese, 1/8 cup chopped hazelnuts, radish sprouts, and fennel fronds. Finish by drizzling with the vinaigrette.

Citrus Fennel & Avocado Salad

For another fresh way to pair fennel with bright flavors, try my Citrus Fennel & Avocado Salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this salad ahead of time for a party?

You can prepare the individual components up to 24 hours in advance, but wait to assemble the salad until just before serving.

Cut the watermelon rounds and refrigerate them in an airtight container, draining away any juice that collects. Shave the fennel, dry it thoroughly, and refrigerate it separately with the prepared greens and shallots.

Add the vinaigrette and assemble the salad just before serving so the greens stay crisp and the goat cheese looks fresh.

What can I do with the leftover watermelon scraps?

Don’t throw away the watermelon left around the edges after cutting the rounds.

Cube the scraps for fruit salad, blend them with mint and lime for a refreshing watermelon drink, or freeze them for smoothies.

If you have plenty of rind left over, the white portion can also be used to make pickled watermelon rind.

What can I use if I don’t have a 5-inch pastry cutter?

You don’t need a pastry cutter to make this salad. Use a small bowl or similar round object as a guide and carefully cut around it with a sharp knife.

You can also skip the rounds entirely and cut the watermelon into thick squares or rectangles for a more geometric presentation.

Can I substitute the goat cheese?

Yes. Feta provides a saltier, slightly firmer alternative that still pairs beautifully with watermelon and mint.

Fresh mozzarella or burrata gives the salad a milder, creamy flavor, while Cotija adds a salty contrast that works especially well with the lime vinaigrette.

Why do I put the shaved fennel in ice water?

Soaking shaved fennel briefly in ice water helps make it especially crisp and refreshing.

It can also mellow some of fennel’s stronger raw anise or licorice-like flavor, keeping it from overpowering the leafy greens, watermelon, and mint lime vinaigrette.

Drain and dry the fennel thoroughly before adding it to the salad.

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Leafy Greens and Watermelon Goat Cheese Salad

Leafy Greens and Watermelon Goat Cheese Salad

Recipe Details