Refreshing and light, this Watermelon Cucumber Salad is perfect for hot summer days. Tangy feta and spicy red onion are the perfect compliment to crisp fruit seasoned lightly with salt, pepper, and sherry vinegar.
Serve this summer dish at your next barbecue with Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs with Apricot Honey Barbecue Sauce and Easy Rice Pilaf.
Make this recipe, because...
Summer and fruit salad go hand-in-hand. While this watermelon fruit salad looks a bit different than other fruit salads, it is definitely that. That’s right cucumber is a fruit and it goes so well with its cucurbit cousin watermelon.
Crisp cucumbers have a mild bitter flavor that balances out the sugary sweetness of ripe watermelon.
Adding some tangy feta cheese and thinly sliced red onion gives just the right combination of savory and sweet.
I don’t use any oil to dress this salad because it really doesn’t need fats for extra flavor.
A pinch of salt and pepper with a drizzle of sherry vinegar mix perfectly with the watermelon juice.
Ingredients
Watermelon - Ripe without being soft in the center. You need crunchy pieces of melon for the best texture.
Cucumber- English cucumbers are my preference for salad because they don’t need to be peeled or seeded. They are extra crisp and have a delicately bitter flavor. Other varieties work well also, however, they will need to be peeled and seeded to add the desired crunch and mild flavor.
Red Onion- This slightly spicy onion is crunchy and great for salads.
Feta- Feta crumbles nicely and adds a mild tangy flavor to anything it's served with.
Sherry Vinegar- Mild and slightly sweet vinegar that will not overpower other mild foods.
Instructions
Step 1
- There aren’t too many steps to making a watermelon cucumber salad, but there are a few important things to do to have the best possible results. First, Wash the watermelon and cucumber. This is a very important step because any germs on the outside of the fruit will be spread when the knife passes from the outside of the fruit to the inside.
- Next, try to cut the watermelon and cucumber into roughly the same size pieces. The watermelon will be in half inch cubes. I cut wedges that are about a half inch thick and then make a grid, cutting vertically and horizontally for nice even cubes.
- The cucumber needs to be cut in half along the length of the fruit and then cut into quarter inch half slices.
- Slice onions into thin pieces and then cut them in half. The onions have a strong flavor, so thick pieces will overpower the salad.
Step 2
- Next, place all of the cut produce into a mixing bowl. Crumble feta over the top. Add a pinch of salt and pepper as well as two tablespoons of sherry vinegar.
Step 3
- Mix the watermelon cucumber salad together, and chill before serving.
- Let this sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving so that the vinegar and watermelon juice can come together and flavor all of the other ingredients.
FAQs
If you don’t have sherry vinegar on hand, the next best thing will be a rice wine vinegar then white wine vinegar.
The long thin cucumbers referred to as English or seedless cucumbers have a thin mild flavored skin. They can be eaten with the skin on and are crunchy all the way to the center. No need to remove the centers.
A watermelon fruit salad will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if the watermelon is very crisp to start. Watermelon tends to soften quickly, once cut away from the rind.
If I am serving this to guests, I would make it no more than 24 hours ahead of time. Of course, I want anything served to guests to be absolutely perfect and as fresh as possible.
Tips for Success
Cut the watermelon and cucumber pieces roughly the same size so that each bite has equal flavors of each.
Cut red onions super thin so it doesn’t overwhelm the other flavors.
If you want to serve this salad right away, chill your fruit ahead of time and it will be cold and ready to eat right away.
Related Recipes
- Whipped Feta Dip
- Traditional Greek Salad with Homemade Greek Dressing
- Kale and Quinoa Salad
- Grilled Tomato Caprese Salad
- Shrimp Avocado Mango Corn Salad
Watermelon Cucumber Feta Salad
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Watermelong ½inch cubes
- 2 Cups Seedless Cucumber sliced halves
- ¼ Cup Red Onion thinly sliced
- ½ Cup Feta Cheese crumbled
- 2 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper to taste, just a pinch
Instructions
- Wash and cut watermelon and cucumbers and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Then slice onions and crumble feta over the top.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper as well as two tablespoons of sherry vinegar.
- Mix the watermelon cucumber salad together, and chill before serving.
- Let this sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving so that the vinegar and watermelon juice can come together and flavor all of the other ingredients.
Notes
- There aren’t too many steps to making a watermelon cucumber salad, but there are a few important things to do to have the best possible results. First, Wash the watermelon and cucumber. This is a very important step because any germs on the outside of the fruit will be spread when the knife passes from the outside of the fruit to the inside.
- Next, try to cut the watermelon and cucumber into roughly the same size pieces.
- The watermelon will be in half inch cubes. I cut wedges that are about a half inch thick and then make a grid, cutting vertically and horizontally for nice even cubes.
- The cucumber needs to be cut in half along the length of the fruit and then cut into quarter inch half slices.
- Slice onions into thin pieces and then cut them in half.
Nutrition
Never miss a new recipe from Delicious by Design! Sign-up below for weekly recipes directly in your inbox.
Natalie
I honestly never tried this combo. I hesitated. But you convinced me to give this salad a try. Looks really delicious. I'm excited to make this.
Denay DeGuzman
This is one of our favorite summer salads. We just enjoyed it over the Labor Day weekend. Healthy, colorful, and very tasty!
Julie
I love all the flavors going on in this refreshing salad. It's just a perfect pick me up for lunch or an afternoon snack.
Matt @ Plating Pixels
So vibrant and refreshing! Perfect summer salad.