Fall at Aletia's tableCozy suppers, Thanksgiving favorites, and holiday recipes

Explore fall recipes

Holiday

Watermelon Salad with Honey Citrus Dressing

This fresh watermelon berry salad bursts with blueberries, pineapple, mint, and Gorgonzola, all tossed in a bright citrus-honey dressing. Perfect for summer!

Jump to recipeEmail recipe
watermelon-salad-honey-recipe-aletia-dupree-southern-cooking-02
From Aletia's Southern kitchen

From Aletia's kitchen

The story, tips, serving ideas, and step-by-step photographs behind this Southern favorite.

This fresh watermelon berry salad bursts with blueberries, pineapple, mint, and Gorgonzola, all tossed in a bright citrus-honey dressing. Perfect for summer!

watermelon-salad-honey-recipe-aletia-dupree-southern-cooking-02

Sweet juicy watermelon paired with Gorgonzola cheese, fresh mint, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple and refreshing Honey Citrus Dressing will be the perfect side dish for your Fourth of July Celebration!

Watermelon is one on my favorite fruits to eat in the summer, and I certainly couldn’t imagine not eating it on the Fourth of July. Watermelon and Independence Day just go together.

This salad is so beautiful! The red, white, and blue colors will make it the perfect festive center piece for your table!

watermelon-salad-honey-recipe-aletia-dupree-southern-cooking-04

Why You’ll Love This Salad

  • It’s vibrant, refreshing, and colorful, a showstopper on any summer table.
  • The sweetness of fruit balances perfectly with the tangy citrus dressing and the creamy, salty Gorgonzola.
  • It’s a no-cook recipe, perfect for hot days and easy entertaining.
  • Great for picnics, barbecues, holiday gatherings, or simply treating yourself.

I love the combination of the fruits and the touch of fresh mint, but the gorgonzola cheesed added to this really sends it over the top. I can’t say enough about the Gorgonzola cheese. This cheese compliments the melody of fruits so well and adds a nice savory flavor. If you are not familiar with Gorgonzola, it’s much like blue cheese with a milder sweeter taste. It’s one of my favorite cheeses to eat with fruit and to add to a salad. When you bite into it you will know what I mean about the sweet and savory combination. The sweet and tangy honey citrus dressing is totally amazing as it brings all the flavors together. Your guest will be impressed!

This salad is great to take to a potluck too. Just put the dressing in a separate container and drizzle it on right before serving. Everyone enjoys fresh fruit in the summertime. It’s both cool and refreshing.

What You’ll Need to Make This Watermelon Salad

(Be sure to see the full printable recipe below this post.)

  • Fresh watermelon, cut into bite-sized cubes
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Fresh pineapple, cut into cubes (reserve a few slices for decorative stars)
  • Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
  • Fresh mint sprigs
  • Orange juice
  • Lemon juice
  • Lime juice
  • Honey
  • Sugar
  • Cornstarch

How to make Watermelon Salad

  1. Combine watermelon, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, and Gorgonzola in a large serving bowl or platter. (to make pineapple stars, cut 1-inch rounds of peeled pineapple. Place star cookie cutter in center and press down firmly until pineapple is cut all the way through. Cut up remaining pineapple and add to salad.
  2. Drizzle Honey-Citrus Dressing over salad just before serving. Sprinkle fresh mint leaves over salad.

NOTES

Do ahead tip: Honey-Citrus Dressing can be made 2 to 3 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

aletia-dupree-recipe-watermelon-salad-01
watermelon-salad-honey-recipe-aletia-dupree-southern-cooking-03

I cut the watermelon into small chunks, and I used a star cookie cutter to make the pineapple star.

watermelon-salad-honey-recipe-aletia-dupree-southern-cooking-01

You can chop the left over pineapple into small bites and add it to the salad. Strawberries can be substituted for the raspberries as well.

To make the Honey Citrus Dressing, combine orange juice, fresh lemon and lime juice, honey, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Cook while stirring constantly until the dressing thickens and is a clear. Let the dressing cool completely. The dressing can be made up two or three days ahead and kept in the refrigerator. Drizzle the dressing over the watermelon salad just before serving.

This dressing is so delicious. It’s also great to serve over a tossed green salad or drizzle it over chicken salad.

Enjoy and Happy Fourth of July!

Aletia DuPree's recipe

Watermelon Salad with Honey Citrus Dressing

Prep20 minutesYield6 to 8

Gather

Ingredients

For the salad:

For the dressing:

Make

Instructions

  1. Combine watermelon, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, and Gorgonzola in a large serving bowl or platter. (to make pineapple stars, cut 1-inch rounds of peeled pineapple. Place star cookie cutter in center and press down firmly until pineapple is cut all the way through. Cut up remaining pineapple and add to salad.
  2. Drizzle Honey-Citrus Dressing over salad just before serving. Sprinkle fresh mint leaves over salad.

Keep in mind

Recipe notes

Recipe notes

Do ahead tip: Honey-Citrus Dressing can be made 2 to 3 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Nutrition information

Did you make this recipe?

Share a place at your table.

Tag @aletiadupree on Instagram and use #deliciouslysouthern.

Around the table

Cook's notes from readers

Be the first to rate it0 approved comments

Made Watermelon Salad with Honey Citrus Dressing? Share what worked, what you served with it, or the memory it brought back.

Jump to recipe