Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad with watermelon, heirloom tomato, cucumber, quinoa, mint, and roasted sunflower seeds. Perfect for summer lunch!

Guys, I really can’t believe it’s July.

Summer always leaves me scratching my head wondering where all of the sunny days went.

I’m hurrying to get my favorite summer recipes in before we blink and turn into fall pumpkins.

This Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad might have the power to make summer last forever.

Or at least as long as you like within your kitchen.

You’re going to love this easy summery mix of sweet watermelon, hearty kale, nutty quinoa, bright mint, and toasted sunflower seeds.

The Inspiration for this Salad

Confession: I’ve recently relapsed on my Sweetgreen addiction.

Have you been?

I used to have one within walking distance, which was simultaneously amazing and awful.

Amazing because I could get fresh salad whenever, and, awful because, well, I was buying salad around the clock.

I was pretty much on a first name basis with all the staff.

For those of you who haven’t had it or don’t have one near you, Sweetgreen is my favorite salad place.

I like to tell people it’s a salad place that makes SO much more than salad.

What You Need to Make Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad

A few years back there was a seasonal salad on the menu a few years back with watermelon, mint, and shredded kale.

Does anyone remember that?

I used to walk up to the shop in my swimsuit coverup and flip flops, order a Watermelon Mint Kale Salad, then walk it back to the pool.

I picnicked on my turquoise pool towel, enjoying cool mint, crunchy veggies, and sweet watermelon over the chorus of kids and chirping of the ice-cream truck.

Life was GOOD.

How to Make Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad

Well, life is better now, because I can whip up the same thing out of the comfort of my own home.

What’s in this summer salad?

Curly kale, watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, sunflower seeds, and mint.

Refreshing, hydrating, nourishing, and delicious.

The only problem with making a salad like this at home is that it’s really hard not to down a whole watermelon while prepping the ingredients.

One cube for the salad, one for me….right?

Notes on Dressing

This salad doesn’t have a clear “dressing”, but that’s because there’s so much juiciness going on in the salad, it kind of feels unnecessary.

I wanted to keep the salad light and summery without anything too heavy or creamy weighing it down.

Massaging the kale with lemon juice and avocado oil softens up the kale so it’s tender and mild.

Then we top it with juicy watermelon, and tomatoes that add sweetness and moisture to the mix, too!

If you’d like to add a dressing, I recommend a champagne vinaigrette– something light and slightly sweet.

Bob’s Red Mill Quinoa

For protein, I added Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quinoa!

I love this quinoa because it’s pre-washed and ready for cooking– which really saves time when building this salad.

This whole grain cooked quickly in under 12 minutes on the stovetop!

I like to cook my quinoa in advance to have on hand for salads throughout the week.

It adds a great slightly nutty flavor that compliments the sweet brightness of the rest of the flavors in the salad.

How to Serve Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad

Enjoy this Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad for a light summer lunch, dinner, or side.

The Sweetgreen version included a crumbled cheese so I left the option to add an additional herbed nut cheese for creaminess!

You can easily make this salad for meal prep for workweek lunches.

If you know you’re not a mint person, you can omit entirely and the salad will still be great (I used to do this at Sweetgreen sometimes if I wasn’t feeling herb-y).

New to fresh mint in salad?

Try chopping a leaf or two very fine and adding that way to see what you think!

More Summer Salads

I Want to Hear From You

If you make this Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad recipe, let me know!

Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.

Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.

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XO Lauren