Watermelon panzanella is the perfect summer bite! Fresh cold watermelon, cucumbers, mint, feta cheese, red onion and crusty bread all tossed together in a bright lime vinaigrette. House-made croutons soak up the vinaigrette and watermelon juices, turning the crust croutons into these delightful chewy, yet still crunchy bites. Colorful and light, nothing beats serving this watermelon panzanella as a refreshing side dish for any summer-time meal.
This dish is best served cold, and within a few hours of stirring all of the ingredients together. Let’s be honest though, anyone would happily eat the leftovers the next day! I love how colorful and light this side dish is, and personally think it pairs perfectly with anything you grill out this summer season.
Let’s whip this beauty up!
Here is what you’ll need …
House-made Croutons
- 1/2 Loaf of Sourdough bread, cut into 1” cubes
- 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Pinch of Kosher Salt
- Pinch of Black Pepper
Lime Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Lime, zest + juice
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Components
- 2 Watermelon Wedges, cut into 1” cubes (roughly 5 pounds each)
- 7oz Mt. Vikos Traditional Feta (in block form)
- 1 Cucumber, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 Red Onion, sliced thin
- 4 Tbsp Mint Leaves, chopped
For the croutons …
- Pre heat the oven to 425*
- Toss sourdough cubes with olive oil, salt and pepper
- Bake on baking sheet for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through
- Remove when golden brown
For the Lime Vinaigrette…
Whisk together the olive oil, lime zest and juice, honey, salt and pepper. Keep in fridge until you are ready to put the watermelon panzanella together
How it all comes together …
- In a large bowl, add the watermelon cubes, cucumber, red onion, mint leaves and croutons. Toss together with the lime vinaigrette. Gently crumble the feta cheese over the panzanella, and fold in gently.
- Keep in the fridge and serve within 3-4 hours
