Watermelon Cucumber Salad

I’ve always loved ice-cold watermelon in the summer, and constantly have watermelon water, watermelon popsicles or watermelon sorbet on hand as a sweet and tasty thirst-quencher.  

Watermelon is 92% water, after all – so it’s a great hydrator on those sauna-like days, and it contains potassium which is essential for regulating the body’s water balance.

Cucumbers are 96% water — yes — even more than watermelon, which makes them the perfect pairing in this feta watermelon salad with mint.  

Why this recipe works:

• Watermelon cucumber salad is a natural refresher.
• It only takes 15 minutes to make.
• Scale it up or down depending on how many people you’re serving.
• Great for picnics and backyard barbecues.
• Cucumber watermelon salad goes with everything from ribs to burgers to chicken.

Ingredients:

• Mini Seedless Watermelon – seedless watermelons are the easiest ones to work with for this salad, so you’re not having to cut around or pick through the black seeds.
• Mini Persian Cucumbers – These have very thin skins and are only about ¾-1″ in diameter, so cutting them into bite-sized chunks is easy. You can also use English cucumbers or regular cucumbers that have been peeled, seeded and chopped into bite-sized pieces.
• Block of Feta Cheese (in brine) – I prefer using whole blocks of feta cheese to cut into chunks roughly the same size as the watermelon and cucumber. You can also use crumbled feta, but it tends to speckle and smear in the salad when tossed and isn’t as visually impactful.
• Fresh Mint Leaves – to add a cool, herbal pop. It’s surprisingly tasty in this salad with watermelon and feta.
• Fresh Basil Leaves – Basil is another fresh herb that works well in the watermelon cucumber feta salad. You can use it in addition to mint or as a substitute for – based on what you have on hand.
• Honey Lime Dressing (recipe given) – I use this dressing for watermelon salad because the flavor complements the other ingredients. It’s not strong or overpowering and elevates the crisp summery flavors in the dish.

Directions:

1. Add the honey, lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. Slice the water melon into 1″ cubes and add to a large bowl.
3. Cut the cucumbers crosswise into bite-sized chunks and add to the watermelon.
4. Dress the salad with honey lime dressing and gently toss to combine.
5. Cube the feta cheese and sprinkle over the watermelon cucumber salad.
6. Garnish the watermelon and cucumber salad with fresh mint or basil leaves to serve.

Variations:

• You’ll find this watermelon cucumber salad very adaptable to other ingredients. Swap the feta cheese for queso fresco, or a salty blue cheese. Additionally, you can swap grilled or pan-fried halloumi cheese for a contrasty hot and cold watermelon salad.
• For a more savory bent, toss in halved cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes to the watermelon and cucumber salad.
• If you like things spicy, add a few drops of hot sauce to the dressing for watermelon salad or sprinkle on a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or Piment d’Esplette {affiliate link}.
• Add other fresh herbs like tarragon or dill to your cucumber melon salad.
• Instead of the honey lime dressing, try an extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing to give it a savory flavor, then augment the watermelon cucumber salad with thin slices of red onions for a spicy kick.
• Swap lime for lemon juice, for a brighter citrus flavor in this watermelon salad recipe.

Watermelon cucumber salad has been a popular summer side dish for years because it’s light and refreshing. If you’re new to this combination, I urge you to try it!

FAQ’s

How does it taste?

This salad is popping with fresh, juicy, crunchy, vibrant flavors and textures. The creamy, salty bite of feta cheese is a nice counterpoint to the crunchy cucumbers and mildly sweet watermelon.

We love the honey lime dressing because it doesn’t compete with the main components of the dish The fresh mint adds a cool herbal quality to the cucumber and watermelon and is a nice counterpoint to the salty, crumbly feta cheese.

We like to serve our grilling and barbecue favorites and anything spicy with a watermelon feta mint salad side dish. The flavors are so cooling and refreshing, providing a soothing contrast to the hot and spicy grilled dishes.

What goes with feta watermelon salad with mint:

• Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Glaze
• Grilled Corn on the Cob
• Grilled Herb-Crusted Lamb Kebabs
• Mahi Mahi Sandwich
• Cilantro Lime Grilled Fish Kebabs
• Smoked Pork Butt
• Bourbon Marinated Grilled Flank Steak
• Grilled Chicken
• Grilled Octopus