Tomato Watermelon Salad with Prosciutto is a delicious sweet and savory summer salad. It has a Mediterranean twist that is sure to please everyone you serve it to. I like the crunch of the cucumbers and the sweet burst of tomato all dancing on my tongue at the same time. This salad is also quite colorful and looks beautiful on a dinner table. Be sure and use the best in-season tomatoes available – better yet use your own home-grown tomatoes if you can.
Tomato Watermelon Salad with Prosciutto Recipe is by Chef David Burke, executive chef at David Burke and Donatella in New York City. Photo by Nancy Stohs/MCT.
Learn about watermelons and the Egyptian-style of roasting watermelon seeds.
- 2 tomatoes, cut into bite-size wedges
- 1 wedge each, red and yellow watermelon, cut into about 36 balls of each color (with melon baller)*
- 3/4 cup olive oil, extra-virgin
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
- Zest of one (1) orange
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Basil, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lettuce leaves
- 6 thin slices Prosciutto di Parma
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In a large bowl, toss tomatoes and watermelon together with olive oil, onion, cucumber, orange juice, orange zest, wine vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Let marinate for one (1) hour at room temperature.
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Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Place prosciutto slices on a baking sheet and place in oven until crisp, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from oven and break into wedges; set aside.
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When ready to serve, line serving platter with lettuce leaves.
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Place marinated tomato/melon mixture on top of the lettuce. Place prepared prosciutto wedges on top for a garnish.
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Makes 4 to 6 servings.
* Be sure and remove any watermelon seeds.