Watermelon Checkerboard Salad

I know, your parents always told you: "don't play with your food". But we're willing to break the rules for this watermelon checkerboard salad with feta, cucumber, basil, olive oil and balsamic glaze! It's such a fun and unique way to serve a refreshing summer salad at your next summer dinner party.

This post is sponsored by Zwilling. All opinions are our own.

We eat with our eyes first...

...as the old adage goes. And it's totally true! I'd most certainly still love all of these ingredients together in a salad if they weren't arranged in a neat little checkerboard, but it's extra fun this way, right?

This is such a showstopping summer salad that really couldn't be more refreshing. I know some people don't love the idea of fruit and cheese, but I'm telling you, watermelon and feta is SO good. (Same goes for this melon and burrata salad!) The saltiness gives the fruit a serious lift and a more savory feel that makes it ideal for an appetizer.

The key to making perfect little squares: a good knife! (Well, that's kind of an important key for any kind of food prep.)

Our knives of choice are from the Zwilling Pro line. We've used them for years (pretty much our entire career at this point!) and they've never failed us. In particular, I almost always reach for my 8-inch chef's knife, because it can do just about anything.

I love that they're super durable (made with high carbon steel) and have an ergonomic design that makes them very easy to grip. That's especially important if you're doing a lot of knife prep work, like for this salad or this thinly sliced carrot salad!

Of course, it's always important to get your knives sharpened from time to time, but I will say, we don't have to sharpen these ones very often!

Key Ingredients Needed for Watermelon Checkerboard Salad

• Watermelon. To pick out a ripe watermelon, look for one with a large yellow patch, and one that feels heavy for its size. If you knock on the bottom, it should have a deep, hollow sound.
• Cantaloupe (or honeydew – we just like cantaloupe for the color contrast! You can also just use watermelon.)
• Tomato – a large, ripe heirloom tomato is beautiful in this salad. You can also use cherry tomatoes sliced in half.
• Cucumber
• Feta (in a block, not crumbled!)
• For topping: olive oil, balsamic glaze, flaky salt, pepper and fresh basil (and/or mint)

How to Assemble this Watermelon Checkerboard Salad

1. To dice watermelon into perfect cubes, cut the watermelon in half widthwise. Set on a cutting board flat side down. Slice the entire watermelon into strips about 1 inch wide. Rotate and slice the other way so you end up with 1 inch strips.
2. Cut each strip of watermelon into 1 inch cubes. 

1. To cut the cucumbers into squares, trim the peel on 4 sides to square it off, then slice into 1 inch pieces. For the tomato, we cut off the bottom and top, then cut into 1 inch squares. 
2. Arrange all of the cubed ingredients in a square or rectangle. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic glaze, salt, pepper and fresh basil to taste. Enjoy! 

More Summer Fruit Salads You'll Love

We can't wait for you to make this watermelon checkerboard salad in your own home! If you do, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram. We can't wait to see what you're cooking!

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