Recipe: Lemon Basil Shrimp and Arugula Salad on Watermelon

This refreshing and satisfying salad will be a gorgeous addition to your table. The cool watermelon is a wonderful contrast to the warm lemon basil grilled shrimp. Great served for lunch, as an appetizer, or as a light dinner, this salad is rich in protein, fiber, calcium, and iron.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 round slice of watermelon (about ½" thick), cut into 4 equal wedges
• 5 ounces fresh arugula (one average container)
• 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced

For the lemon basil vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon country Dijon mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon dried cayenne pepper (optional)
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper

For the shrimp:

• 1 pound raw shrimp (16–20 count), peeled, deveined, rinsed, and patted very dry
• ½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

For serving:

• 2 tablespoons pine nuts

Instructions

Preheat grill to high heat. Clean and oil grates.

Place watermelon wedges on a large serving plate.

In a large mixing bowl combine arugula, red cabbage, and red onion.

Make the vinaigrette by whisking together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, basil, mustard, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

To toast pine nuts, heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and toast for 30–60 seconds, moving them with a wooden spoon constantly. Remove them from heat once they become lightly toasted. Do NOT leave them unattended: pine nuts burn very quickly.

Brush shrimp with olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Add shrimp to the grill. Reduce heat to medium. Grill shrimp until they are just opaque, a few minutes on each side. Remove shrimp from heat and place into a medium shallow bowl.

Pour vinaigrette over shrimp. Toss. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add shrimp with vinaigrette into the arugula salad. Toss to combine.

Pile ¼ of the arugula salad atop each watermelon slice, making sure shrimp is equally divided. Garnish with pine nuts.

Serve with warm whole grain rolls, if desired.

Recipe notes:

• If using frozen shrimp, thaw in the fridge overnight. Prior to grilling, pat very dry.
• You can use any count shrimp you have on hand, just adjust grilling time based on their size.
• For a time-saving shortcut, use a store-bought vinaigrette.
• To add another pop of color, crunch, nutrition, and flavor, try adding watermelon radish (slices or matchsticks) to the salad.

Nutrition facts per serving

Calories: 380 / Total Fat: 14g (18% DV) / Saturated Fat: 2g (10% DV) / Trans Fat: 0g / Cholesterol: 170mg (57% DV) / Sodium: 440mg (19% DV) / Total Carbohydrate: 34g (12% DV) / Dietary Fiber: 4g (14% DV) / Total Sugars: 25g / Added Sugar: 7g (14% DV) / Protein: 22g / Vitamin D: 0mcg (0% DV) / Calcium: 142mg (10% DV) / Iron: 2mg (10% DV) / Potassium: 419mg (8% DV)

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