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For a patriotic twist on your Summer salads, try this easy 4th July Salad. It features a variety of fruit paired with fresh mozzarella arranged in the shape of the American flag.

A patriotic platter inspired by food recipes, arranged like the American flag with blueberries and blackberries topped with white star-shaped fruit, rows of mozzarella balls, watermelon hearts, and strawberry slices—perfect for festive bites.
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It’s the perfect 4th of July and Memorial Day salad. All you need is watermelon, sweet strawberries, and those adorable mini mozzarella balls.

What makes this colorful salad even more spectacular is the heart-shaped fruit. Top it all with a simple dressing, and enjoy it as a refreshing side dish at your next outdoor gathering.

A plate arranged to resemble the American flag using blueberries, star-shaped cheese, mozzarella balls, heart-shaped watermelon, and strawberries. A hand holds the edge of the plate.

4th July Salad Ingredients

  • Watermelon: Look for a firm melon with a field spot. You want it to sound hollow when you tap it.
  • Strawberries: Use similar sized berries. You can remove the leaves or keep them on (they are edible).
  • Bocconcini: Also known as mini mozzarella balls. Available at larger supermarkets.
  • Blueberries: Choose firm, sweet berries.
  • Blackberries: Make sure they are intact and unbruised for the best taste.
  • Dressing: You’ll need olive oil, balsamic glaze, sea salt, and black pepper.

How to Make 4th July Salad

  1. Slice the watermelon, halve the strawberries, and cut out the hearts.
  2. Arrange the heart cut outs in three sections on your platter. Add a few halved strawberries. Leave a space free in the top left corner.
  3. Top the platter with rows of bocconcini. Cut out the cheese stars.
  4. Place the blueberries and blackberries in the left corner. Top with cheese stars and dress the salad. Serve.
Hands cut out hearts from from a halved piece of watermelon.
Watermelon hearts are placed in a straight line at the top of a platter.
Preparing a 4th of July salad with strips of strawberry and watermelon, as well as bocconcini strips.
A 4th of July salad featuring blueberries and blackberries in the top left corner topped with mozzarella stars, strips of strawberries and watermelon, as well as strips of mozzarella balls arranged in the shape of an American flag.

Possible Variations

  • Watermelon or strawberries: Go for pomegranate arils, red grapes, cherries, cherry tomatoes, or radishes.
  • Bocconcini: Try feta.
  • Blueberries and blackberries: Use figs or plums.
  • Balsamic glaze: Balsamic vinegar.
  • Add herbs: Feel free to top with fresh basil or mint for a fresh, vibrant taste.
  • Add more flavor: Try lemon or lime zest or finely chopped red onions.
  • Add crunch: Sprinkle with chopped roasted hazelnuts, almonds, or pistachios for crunch!

Make a Fruit Platter

Swap the cheese for honeydew, banana, white chocolate squares, or marshmallows to make this a sweet platter (and in that case, skip the dressing).

Best Served with

  • Burgers, hotdogs, pasta salad, roast chicken, spare ribs, corn on the cob, etc.

How to Store Leftovers

Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within one day.

FAQs

Can I assemble the platter in advance?

Yes, you can make it a few hours ahead and store it in the fridge. But wait to dress the salad until right before serving.

I don’t have cookie cutters. What can I do?

Skip the heart shapes and dice or chop the watermelon in similar pieces.

Does fruit and mozzarella taste good together?

Absolutely! Especially in salad with a savory dressing. However, if the combination doesn’t speak to you, try feta instead.

Can I make this salad even though I don’t celebrate the 4th of July?

Absolutely. Arrange the fruit and bocconcini randomly instead of in strips, and skip the stars.

More Patriotic Recipes

If you make this recipe or any other recipe on Foodbites, then I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment and rating below.

A patriotic plate arranged like the American flag with blueberries, blackberries, mozzarella balls, star-shaped cheese, sliced strawberries, and heart-shaped watermelon bites—perfect for festive food recipes or healthy party dishes.
Servings: 6 people

4th July Salad

Patriotic watermelon, strawberry, blueberry, and mozzarella salad.
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
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Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 4 slices watermelon
  • 8 blackberries
  • 50 grams blueberries
  • 10 strawberries
  • 21 mozzarella balls
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
  • sea salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste

Instructions 

  • Slice the watermelon.
  • Use the small and medium heart cutters to make the watermelon hearts.
  • Repeat with the strawberries (mine were small, so I only made small heart cutouts).
  • Arrange the strawberry and watermelon hearts on a round platter in three separate sections. Leave a corner at the top left for the blue section.
  • Top the red stripes with a few halved strawberries.
  • Place the bocconcini in the gap between each section.
  • Fill the corner with blackberries and blueberries.
  • Slice 2 boccincini and cut out a few stars with the cutter. Place these on top of the blackberries and blueberries.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
  • Serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Sodium: 72mg, Potassium: 255mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 1097IU, Vitamin C: 29mg, Calcium: 368mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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