This Refreshing Watermelon Cucumber Salad features juicy watermelon, crisp cucumbers, and tangy feta cheese, all topped with a zesty dressing and fresh mint for the perfect summery dish.
This colorful salad just might be the ultimate warm-weather crowd-pleaser. Just the thought of it takes me straight to backyard barbecues, pool parties, and beach getaways. Amid the heat there’s nothing quite like this salad to reinvigorate you. This salad combines juicy watermelon, cucumbers, and red onion for the perfect combination of flavors. Add crumbled feta and a bright lemon-honey dressing, and you’ve got a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy. Topped with fresh mint, it’s a refreshing treat that’s hard to beat.
You’ll love this recipe because:
- It’s so easy to make and great for picnics and cookouts.
- Have I mentioned how refreshing this is? It’s watermelon, after all, which is pretty much the perfect fruit for hydration.
- Kids seem to universally love it.
- This recipe is for two generous servings, but you can easily scale it up to feed a larger group.
Is This Watermelon Cucumber Salad Healthy?
Watermelon has a high water content and a source of potassium, which is great for keeping us hydrated in hot weather. It also contains vitamins A and C and along with the antioxidants lycopene (the source of its bright red color) and beta-carotene. This salad gives you lots of great melon, plus a bit of feta cheese for protein. It gets a lot of flavor from a dressing of lemon and olive oil, but with 1 tablespoon of oil per serving the salad does contain a fair amount of fat. Make any adjustments you see fit to tailor this salad to your own dietary preferences.
Variations for Refreshing Watermelon Cucumber Salad
- Looking to make this salad more substantial? Add avocado cubes for creaminess, flavor and a dose of healthy fats.
- You can experiment with cheeses other than feta: goat cheese, ricotta salata, queso fresco, or a blue cheese would all add excellent flavor.
- Not a fan of mint? You can replace it with another fresh herb like basil or cilantro (coriander) instead.
- Add some sliced almonds or pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) to give the salad more crunch.
- The fruit doesn’t have to be limited to just watermelon; add some sliced strawberries or a sliced peach.
- You can substitute lime juice for the lemon juice in the dressing. Lime brings tangy, zesty flavor that will harmonize well with the watermelon and cucumber.
How to Make Ahead and Store this Salad
If you want to prep the salad a day ahead, store the cubed watermelon, diced cucumbers, and sliced onion separately in airtight containers to prevent them from losing their distinct textures. Mix and store the dressing separately as well. Combine everything with the mint as close to serving as possible. If you have leftovers you can refrigerate them for up to 3 days – they’ll get a bit watery but will still taste good.
Serving Suggestions
Want to add protein to make this watermelon salad a light main course? You can double the amount of cheese to make it heartier, or try adding a very mild protein that will harmonize rather than clash with the flavors. Boiled chilled shrimp or scallops, diced poached chicken, or extra-firm tofu are good choices.
Looking for more refreshing warm-weather salads? Give these a try.
Simple Mexican Coleslaw: This bright red-cabbage slaw is so easy to put together you can spend more time in the sun and less time in the kitchen prepping.
Low-Carb Mock Cauliflower Potato Salad: Cauliflower can be such a hero: Here it totally plays potato for a salad with absolutely no spuds in it (and a lot less carbs!).
Healthy Mediterranean Couscous Salad: This couscous looks great on your plate and also packs a lot of amazing veggies. Perfect for picnics or cookouts.
Recipe
Ingredients
The Salad:
- 1 small cucumber diced
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 4 cups watermelon cubed (around 1/2 small melon)
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
- Sprig mint leaves for garnish
- Pinch sea salt and black pepper
The Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
Instructions
- Dice the cucumber and set aside.
- Thinly slice the red onion.
- Remove the seeds and skin from the watermelon. Cut the watermelon into stripes and the cubes. Set aside.
- Combine the cubed watermelon, diced cucumber, and sliced red onions in a bowl.
- In a small bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and whisk to combine. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Arrange the watermelon, cucumber, and red onions on a plate and drizzle with the dressing. Top with crumbled feta cheese and garnish with mint leaves. Season with salt and pepper and serve!
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
Love the recipes keep it up
Thanks so much Rupert 💙💙💙