Watermelon Radish Salad

A striking watermelon radish salad with cucumber, watercress, parmesan, and toasted pine nuts. Crisp, peppery, and refreshing — a show-stopping salad that tastes as good as it looks.

Course Salad

Cuisine International

Diet Gluten Free, Low Fat, Vegetarian

Dietary Egg Free

Prep Time 13

Cook Time 2

Total Time 15

Servings people

Calories 180kcal

Author Amy Chung

Ingredients

1 watermelon radish small, peeled and thinly sliced
1 green radish small, peeled and thinly sliced
1 purple radish small, peeled and thinly sliced
4 red radish thinly sliced
1 mini cucumber thinly sliced
1 cucumber continental, shaved
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup watercress leaves
salt to taste
pepper to taste
½ lemon
½ cup parmesan cheese shaved
1 tbsp pine nuts toasted

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Salad

Using a mandoline, thinly slice all the radish and mini cucumber.
For the long cucumber, peel it and shave it lengthways using a mandoline to create long strips.

Assembly

Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil onto a large serving platter in a zigzag motion.
Place ½ watercress leaves down the centre.
Place long shaved cucumber on top.
For the first layer, place ½ the watermelon radish, ½ green radish, ½ mini cucumber, ½ purple radish and ½ red radish.
Place ¼ of the watercress leaves down the centre.
Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on top, salt and pepper to taste, squeeze lemon juice and add ¾ shaved parmesan.
Repeat for the second layer with ½ the watermelon radish, ½ green radish, ½ mini cucumber, ½ purple radish and ½ red radish.
Place the rest of the parmesan cheese.
Place the rest of the watercress leaves down the centre.
Sprinkle toasted pine nuts on top.
Serve.

Video

Notes

If you love fruit in your savoury salads like we do, you can add orange or grapefruit segments for a juicy, tangy twist. Or sprinkle some pomegranate seeds for added colour and a burst of sweetness. This will make this watermelon radish salad pop!
There are plenty of other greens to substitute for this recipe. Substitute watercress with arugula for a peppery flavour, or use baby spinach for a milder, more tender green. Thinly sliced kale can also add a hearty and nutrient-rich option.
Add chopped fresh mint for a refreshing herbal note, or basil leaves for an aromatic and slightly sweet touch.
For softer cheeses, substitute shaved parmesan with crumbled feta for a tangy and creamy texture or soft goat cheese for a rich and creamy alternative.
Nuts and seeds are great additions; there are quite a few different things you can do here. For a different crunch, swap pine nuts with sliced almonds, chopped macadamias, or pecans. For a nut-free option, use toasted sunflower seeds or pepitas.
If you can’t get a hold of radish but like the recipe combination, use thinly sliced daikon radish and raw turnips for a similar crunch.
Substitute parmesan with Pecorino Romano for a sharper flavour.
For a dairy free option, use nutritional yeast flakes.

Nutrition