Incredible Tomato & Watermelon Thai Salad

This refreshing Thai-inspired salad is a true summer delight! Juicy tomatoes, sweet watermelon, and a zesty Thai dressing come together for a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavours. Every bite is light, hydrating, and packed with freshness.

Ready in 25 minutes, this salad is vibrant, aromatic, and bursting with nutrients. It’s the ultimate way to enjoy seasonal summer produce, making it perfect for warm days, BBQs, or a quick, nourishing meal.

Enjoy this colourful, flavour-packed creation and let it transport you to sunny, tropical bliss!

Thai Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

  • 4-6 Tomatoes

  • 2-3 cups of Watermelon

  • 1 Cucumber

  • 1 bunch of Thai Basil leaves

  • 1/2 a Shallot or 1/4 red Onion

  • 1/2 cup of roast Cashews

  • 1 Tbsp of Sesame Seeds

  • 1 Lime Zest

Dressing:

  • 2 Tbsp of Tamari or Soy Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp of freshly squeezed Lime 

  • 1 big clove of Garlic grated

  • 1 thumb size fresh Ginger grated

  • 1 red Chilli (see notes in the bottom)

  • 1 tsp of Date syrup

About this recipe

I’ve always loved salads, but nothing beats fresh, sun-ripened tomatoes at their peak. Whether it’s a sweet cherry tomato, a juicy beefsteak, or a vibrant heirloom variety, each bite feels like a burst of sunshine.

Watermelon, on the other hand, is pure summer nostalgia for me. It takes me back to carefree childhood days—sticky fingers, juice dripping down my chin, and the simple joy of savoring its refreshing sweetness on a hot afternoon.

Since Thai flavours are another favorite of mine, I decided to bring them all together in this zesty, aromatic salad. The result? A perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy goodness that’s as refreshing as it is flavorful.

We love this salad so much that I just had to share it—I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Instructions step by step

Step 1 – Start by preparing the dressing. Grate the Ginger and Garlic. Cut the chilli in half lengthwise then deseed and remove membranes for a milder heat. Chop the Chilli and stir with the remaining ingredients: Soy sauce, Date syrup and Lime juice. Stir to combine. Give it a try and adjust the flavours by adding Date syrup if is too tart or Lime juice for extra zing.

Step 2 – Roast the raw Cashews in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 12 mins or until lightly golden.

Step 3 – Slice the Watermelon by cutting off the skin and white edge then cut into bite size bits and deseed. I’m cutting in little triangles but you can be creative and do cubes, spheres or any shape you fancy.

Step 4 – Cut the Cucumber also in bite sized pieces and slice all the Tomatoes in wedges. Thinly slice the Shallot or red Onion and roughly cut the big Thai Basil leaves, keeping the small leaves whole.

Step 5 – Assemble your salad in layers by colour. I start with the Cucumber, red Tomatoes, yellow Tomatoes, then topping with the Watermelon.

Step 6 – Finish it by layering the green Tomatoes and Thai Basil. Spread the dressing evenly throughout the top of the Salad and sprinkle with Sesame seeds and chopped roasted Cashews.

About the Ingredients:

Cucumber: if you don’t have it you can omit but it adds a lovely texture and hearty flavour to this Salad. Cucumbers are low in calories and contain a good amount of water and soluble fibre making them ideal for promoting hydration and help in weight loss. To maximize their nutrient content cucumbers should be eaten unpeeled. Peeling them reduces the amount of fibre as well as certain vitamins and minerals.

Watermelon: Watermelon consists of 91% water and 7.5% carbs. Originally from southern Africa, it provides almost no protein or fat and is very low in calories. It’s related to cantaloupe, zucchini, pumpkin, and cucumber. Watermelon is a good dietary source of both citrulline and lycopene, which are two powerful plant compounds. This juicy melon has several health benefits including lower blood pressure, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced muscle soreness.

Roasted Cashews: You can substitute with other nuts or seeds. Make sure to roast in the oven or toast them in a dry frying pan over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes. This will bring out their natural nutty flavours and oils, which add even more dimension to the salad. I think roasted Cashews work the best as they add a crunchy texture but also a creamy, buttery flavour that compliments the warm, spicy Thai dressing.

Grated Garlic and Ginger: These 2 aromatics are the most important ingredient in our dressing. Their warmth and fire bring out the vibrant Thai smell and taste. Garlic and ginger contain powerful anti-inflammatory plant compounds that help protect against cellular damage.

Lime zest and Juice: Zest the Lime over the Salad and use the juice of half the lime in the dressing. Add the Lime juice a bit at the time because some Limes can be very feisty and make your dressing too zingy. You can substitute with Lemon but the flavour profile will be a bit different.

Tomatoes: I’m using a mix of Heirloom tomatoes: Green Zebra, Black Krim and Ida Gold. You can use any tomato you find around you or in your Garden if you are lucky to have one. I like to use different colours and varieties. Cherry tomatoes also work well in this recipe. Tomatoes are a fruit from the nightshade family native to South America. Despite botanically being a fruit it’s generally eaten and prepared like a vegetable. Tomatoes are a major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. They are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. Usually red when mature, tomatoes can also come in a variety of colours including yellow, orange, green, and purple. What’s more, many subspecies of tomatoes exist with different shapes and flavours.

Thai Tomato Salad

Thai Basil: I’m using Thai basil here but you can swap with sweet Basil, they both go very well in this Salad. Thai basil has a stronger, more distinct flavour with notes of anise and licorice so if using sweet basil you may want to increase the amount. protecting brain health.

Shallot or Red Onion: Shallots have a milder and sweeter flavour than red onions and they also contain more calories and nutrition per serving due to their density. On a per-calorie basis, however, their nutritional profiles are similar. Red Onions have a milder and sweeter taste than white or yellow onions but not as much as Shallots.

Red Chilli: I tried with Thai Chillies aka bird’s eye chillies and it was really spicy, even without the seeds and membranes. If you like it very spicy go ahead and use Thai Chillies to keep it more traditional. If, like me, you like spicy but still want to taste the other ingredients then this long red Chilli has the perfect balance. You can also deseed and cut out the interior membranes for a milder spice but don’t skip it. Alternatively you can use chilli flakes.

Incredible Tomato & Watermelon Thai Salad

Marisa Marques
This easy and flavourful salad is like a burst of joy in every bite! The combination of juicy tomatoes, sweet watermelon and the lively Thai dressing is a happy explosion of flavours that will make your taste buds dance with joy. This salad has the best of summer produce with the intensity and explosion of Thai aromatics and flavours.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 2 people
Calories 366 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4-6 Tomatoes
  • 2-3 cups Watermelon
  • 1 Cucumber
  • 1 bunch Thai Basil leaves
  • 1/2 Shallot or 1/4 red Onion
  • 1/2 cup roast Cashews
  • 1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
  • 1 Lime Zest

Dressing

  • 2 Tbsp Tamari or Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed Lime
  • 1 big clove Garlic grated
  • 1 thumb fresh Ginger grated
  • 1 red Chilli (see notes in the bottom)
  • 1 tsp Date syrup

Instructions
 

  • Start by preparing the dressing. Grate the Ginger and Garlic. Cut the chilli in half lengthwise then deseed and remove membranes for a milder heat. Chop the Chilli and stir with the remaining ingredients: Soy sauce, Date syrup and Lime juice. Stir to combine. Give it a try and adjust the flavours by adding Date syrup if is too tart or Lime juice for extra zing.
  • Roast the raw Cashews in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 12 mins or until lightly golden.
  • Slice the Watermelon by cutting off the skin and white edge then cut into bite size bits and deseed. I’m cutting in little triangles but you can be creative and do cubes, spheres or any shape you fancy.
  • Cut the Cucumber also in bite sized pieces and slice all the Tomatoes in wedges. Thinly slice the Shallot or red Onion and roughly cut the big Thai Basil leaves, keeping the small leaves whole.
  • Assemble your salad in layers by colour. I start with the Cucumber, red Tomatoes, yellow Tomatoes, then topping with the Watermelon.
  • Finish it by layering the green Tomatoes and Thai Basil. Spread the dressing evenly throughout the top of the Salad and sprinkle with Sesame seeds and chopped roasted Cashews.

Notes

You can deseed and cut out the interior membranes for a milder spice but don’t skip it. Alternatively you can use chilli flakes.

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