Watermelon & Avocado Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
I think I’ve told you this before, but growing up, sprinkling a little salt on watermelon was automatic. Expected. It’s just the way watermelon was eaten in our household. Without the salt, even the best watermelon tastes bland and flat to me.
It’s just the way my taste buds have been trained. So to me, watermelon has always leaned toward the savory end of the spectrum vs. being served as a sweet, dessert-like fruit, if that makes sense.
This Watermelon & Avocado Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing exemplifies how watermelon can be used as a slightly sweet counterpoint in savory-leaning dishes.
There’s no added salt in this dish; instead, the warm bacon dressing acts as the “salt” that seasons the fruit.
After the stage was set with the butter lettuce, I topped this salad with juicy cubes of watermelon, rich slices of ripe avocado, and a sprinkle of peanuts for crunch and flavor.
The warm bacon dressing is a simple but flavorful mixture of bacon, lime juice, shallot and sriracha, and it comes together in just 10 minutes.
Give this salad a try this summer, and tell me what you think about savory watermelon!
Watermelon & Avocado Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
An irresistible sweet and savory summer salad! Butter lettuce, watermelon, avocado and peanuts are topped with an easy warm bacon dressing.
Ingredients
For the Warm Bacon Dressing:
- 8 slices smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips
- 1/4 cup minced shallot
- 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
For the Watermelon & Avocado Salad:
- 1 package (5 ounces) butter lettuce
- 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
- 2 cups diced watermelon
- 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Make the Warm Bacon Dressing: In large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp, stirring frequently. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel to drain. Keep bacon drippings in skillet; reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add shallot, lime juice and sriracha to skillet; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove skillet from heat; stir in bacon.
- Make the Watermelon & Avocado Salad: Divide lettuce between 4 salad plates. Top with avocado, watermelon and peanuts; serve with Warm Bacon Dressing.
MORE GREAT HEARTY SALAD RECIPES:
- Chopped Broccoli Salad with Cheese Tortellini – this one is a crowd pleaser!
- Great Green Salad with Miso Sesame Dressing – simple and perfect.
- Lentil & Roasted Beet Salad – with an easy tahini dressing.
- Turkey Burger Salad – like a deluxe turkey burger, without the bun.
