Some of us are blessed with the ability to open the fridge, pull out a few ingredients and whip up something decently (or sometimes surprisingly!) tasty. Growing up with a chef for a father, I’d like to think that I inherited a bit of this ability.

And it seems – judging by requests on instagram when I post these type of meals – that there is always room for more simple recipes. So… from here on out I’m sharing these dishes straight from my fridge to you, starting with this Summer Watermelon Salad!

summer watermelon salad recipe // coco+kelley

When temps start to seriously spike in the summer, my appetite totally dwindles. That’s when I get a craving for a good watermelon salad! Despite eating half a watermelon while I make this dish (what? it’s hydrating!) it never fills me up too much, and is completely refreshing.

summer watermelon salad recipe // coco+kelley

Ingredients // serves 2

  • half a small watermelon
  • 1- 2 cups blackberries
  • 1 avocado
  • 1/2 cucumber
  • 1/3 cup feta
  • 1-2 tbsp mint – roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp cilantro (optional!)
summer watermelon salad recipe // coco+kelley

Truth: everyone makes watermelon salad. It’s not like I’m reinventing the wheel here, but I do think that we can reinvent the way the wheel looks! I like to get creative with the way I slice and dice my ingredients – it changes the way you taste a dish (yes, seriously).

Mixing up the way you chop and serve is a whole other level of cooking. I prefer the melon in thin strips and the cucumber shaved using a peeler. The cucumber in those ribbons makes it extra light, which is exactly what we want with this kind of salad!

summer watermelon salad recipe // coco+kelley

love mint on this dish, so I tend to put in quite a bit and chop it up very roughly. The mix of sweet watermelon, tart berries, savory feta and refreshing mint together is so divine. If the ingredients are ripe, you don’t even need a drizzle of anything on top, but if you’d like feel free to experiment with citrus fruits, balsamic or a very light olive oil. I prefer it bare though!

summer watermelon salad recipe // coco+kelley summer watermelon salad recipe // coco+kelley

The best part of this dish is that is not only easy to whip up as a quick meal for two, but super simple for larger crowds! The best time of year for berries is now, so make it while you can!

Enjoy!

photography by meghan klein for coco+kelley

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