Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Ricotta Salad

There are some things during the summer that you get all giddy about.

Watermelon salad is one of them. And really…all summer produce. I can’t remember a summer that I was so thrilled and goofy-giddy about gorgeous ripe summer fruits and veggies. Joe and I went to a new farmers market (well new to use) and we were like kids in a candy store! Even the butcher knew this was our first time there. Nerdy, much?

Plums are soft and vibrant, corn is sweet enough to eat it raw and my favorite thing we found was squash blossoms! Those little flowers that peak at the tips of squash…amazing!

And I know, watermelon salads have been played a few time this summer, but how can they not? Sweet and refreshing and mostly seedless fruit. It is the perfect canvas to add some sass. Which prompts me for my secret ingredient in this summery watermelon salad…..chili-lime salt! Well, it’s not that secret really. Apparently I was the only one in the world that has never put chili-salt on my fruit before. I first discovered this a few months ago in my last semester of school. One of the group presentations brought in fruit for the class and had a bottle of chili salt. My friends said…”yes, put it on the fruit”. “What?? Really, salt on fruit…well..ok”.

And…OMG…a revelation transformed! How come no one told me to put…salt…on my sweet fruit!

So in other words, do it. Do it now and never look back. And PS…save the extra chili lime salt for your next margarita!

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Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Ricotta Salad

Author: Samantha Ferraro

Ingredients

• 1 cup of watermelon cut into medium sized pieces
• 1/2 cup strawberries hulled and cut in half
• 3 Tb Fresh ricotta cheese
• Sprinkle of chili-lime salt
• Balsamic vinegar for drizzling
• Fresh basil for garnish (optional)

Chili-Lime Salt

• 1/4 c kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 lime zested

Instructions

• Arrange cut watermelon and strawberries on your plate.
• Dollop fresh ricotta cheese along the salad. For homemade ricotta, please click here.
• Sprinkle chili-lime salt over your salad (you will have extra, save it for a margarita).
• Drizzle balsamic and top with basil if desired.