Fresh Cucumber Watermelon Salad
Create a cool and comforting oasis on a warm summer day with this refreshing cucumber watermelon salad. When your hair is sticky on the back of your neck and all you want is a big blast of air conditioning, you can count on this sweet and slightly zesty recipe to come to the rescue.
The melodious mix of two fresh fruits such as these replenishes your body with much-needed water and energizing electrolytes. Each bright, beautiful bite brings you closer to Chillville, Population: You!
You won’t believe how simple and easy it is to make. Five ingredients and only five minutes to make. It doesn’t get any better than that! And, if you find that you absolutely love this combination of fruits, you’ll love this watermelon cucumber cooler! When you have a next cucumber craving, don’t forget to try this toasted sesame cucumber salad—delish!
Come on, let’s get chopping!
Why Is This Fresh Fruit Salad So Awesome?
We’re glad you asked! Not only is this crisp and colorful melon delicious to dive into, but it’s also really healthy. How can you resist such a glorious globe of fresh fruit?
- Refreshing and Hydrating. Watermelon and cucumber are both high in water content, making this salad super refreshing and perfect for hot days.
- Quick and Easy. This salad comes together in just a few minutes with simple ingredients you probably already have at home.
- Low in Calories. Both watermelon and cucumber are low in calories, making this a guilt-free addition to any meal. Also, it’s a great snack to grab any time of day.
- Versatile and Customizable. You can easily add other ingredients like vegan feta cheese, fresh mint, or a splash of lime juice to make it your own.
- Great for Gatherings. This colorful and tasty salad is sure to be a hit at picnics, barbecues, and family gatherings.
Key Ingredients
Choosing the right ingredients is key to making a great watermelon and cucumber salad. This section covers the essentials and offers some easy substitutions. Here are the best options for a fresh and tasty salad:
- Watermelon: High in water content, making the salad refreshing and hydrating. This fruit adds a natural sweetness that balances the other flavors. For a different kind of sweetness and similar hydrating quality, use cantaloupe. Or, for a mild, sweet flavor and high water content, use honeydew melon.
- Cucumber: Adds a crisp texture that contrasts nicely with the juicy watermelon. Cucumber also brings a fresh, mild flavor that enhances the salad’s overall taste. For a similar crunch and mild flavor, use zucchini. Another option is to use celery, which gives a different kind of crunch and a slightly peppery taste.
- Lime Juice: Lends a tangy, zesty flavor that brightens up the salad. Lime also balances the sweetness of the watermelon and the freshness of the cucumber. Feel free to swap for lemon juice, if you’re looking for a similar tangy flavor with a slightly different citrus note. To add a slightly savory note, vinegar works well (such as apple cider vinegar).
- Fresh Mint: You can’t beat that fragrant, cooling aroma of mint. It introduces a refreshing herbal note that elevates the salad’s taste. Both peppermint and spearmint are a good choice, but you can also venture out and choose chocolate or orange mint! Substitutions for mint include basil or cilantro.
- Agave Nectar: Agave adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing. Maple syrup also works well if agave is not available.
How To Make This Hydrating Fruit Salad
Making watermelon salad with cucumbers is quick and easy. With just a few fresh ingredients and simple steps, you’ll have a delicious and refreshing dish. Follow this guide to whip up the perfect summer salad in no time.
Step 1: Prep the Watermelon – Cut the watermelon into bite-sized cubes and place them in a serving bowl.
Step 2: Add the Cucumber and Mint – Slice the cucumber into half-moons and add them to the bowl. Add the mint leaves whole or chop them up first.
Finally, Step 3: Make the Dressing and Mix – Mix lime juice and agave nectar in a small bowl. Pour over the salad and mix everything together. Enjoy!
Serve Up Your Cucumber Watermelon Salad with Style
Salads are such a fast and flexible meal to make, which is especially helpful on a warm summer day. This vegan summer recipe is so quick and easily served up in any way that you like. Here are a few suggestions for creating a little variation and extra pizazz:
- Pump Up the Portions – If you feel like you can eat this entire salad on your own and worried about whether or not you’ll have enough to share, no problem. Just double (or triple) the amounts in the recipe so that you can have one big bowl for you and extra for everyone else. Be as greedy as you want with the watermelon salad!
- Sensitive To Certain Fruits? – Sometimes, people can be sensitive to fruits and get a funny feeling in their mouths (or bellies) from either cucumber or watermelon. Don’t worry because we have a solution for you. Switch out the watermelon for cantaloupe or honeydew and jicama or green papaya for the cucumber. Also, if citrus isn’t something you can have, use a little bit of fruit-flavored vinegar instead or omit this addition altogether.
- Give a Little Sass to Your Seltzer – Wondering what to do with the leftover juice at the bottom of your salad? Keep it! Pour some sizzle-y seltzer into a frosty glass and add a tablespoon or two to your drink. Adds just the right amount of fresh fruit flavor! If you love sparkly beverages, make sure to check out this strawberry peach spritzer recipe!
Watermelon Salad FAQs
This cool and slightly crunchy salad is best eaten fresh, but if there are any leftovers, it’s easy to store. Just pop the remaining salad into the fridge in a covered container and it should be okay until the next day. Keep in mind that both watermelon and cucumber contain high percentages of water, so they tend to get soggy quickly. Not recommended for freezing.
It’s not the best recipe for future food prep, but you can still save yourself a little time and effort with these two tips. One, rinse and dry your fruits and mint (did you know that cucumber is actually a fruit?) a couple of days before you want to eat your salad. The day (or night) before, you can cube your watermelon and slice up your cucumbers. Keep them in separate containers in the refrigerator until ready to mix together.
It’s totally up to you. For maximum nutritional benefits, we suggest that you keep it on. Most of the fiber and minerals are found in the peel itself. If possible, buy an organic cucumber, since this fruit is usually on the Dirty Dozen list.
You can always compromise and take off only half of the peel. To do this in a pretty way, use a vegetable peeler to slice off ½-inch strips lengthwise from the top to the bottom of the cucumber before cutting into half moon shapes. This way, you get half of the fiber/nutrients and it will also have a lovely, striped design when eating.
If you guessed fruit, you’re absolutely right. A fruit has at least one seed and grows from the flower of a plant. Cucumbers have many seeds and do indeed grow from a cucumber flower. They’re actually very pretty, too.
More Summer Salads to Try
If you make this cucumber watermelon salad recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know what you think in the comments below! I love reading your comments!
Cucumber Watermelon Salad (5 Ingredients)
Ingredients
- ½ mini personal watermelon
- ½ english cucumber
- ¼ cup fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, about 1 small lime
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
Instructions
- Using a large cutting board, cut the watermelon into bite-sized cubes, discarding the rind. Place in a serving bowl.
- On the same cutting board, slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and then sliced into little half-moons. Add the sliced cucumber to the serving bowl.
- Gently remove the mint leaves and either add them to the serving bowl whole, or roughly chop them into smaller slices before adding to the bowl.
- In a small ramekin, add the lime juice and agave nectar and stir vigorously until fully combined. Pour over the fruit salad and mix everything together to coat.
Video
Notes
- This recipe can easily be doubled and the ratios are quite flexible, so don’t worry about the exact size fo your watermelon.
- There will be some sweet juice at the bottom of the serving bowl—that’s okay! In fact, it’s the best part. You can take a spoon to it after the fruit salad is eaten, or add it to a drink (it’s delicious in LaCroix and various mixed drinks).
Nutrition
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Leave a Comment
So refreshing! I’ve made this twice now!
Another watermelon recipe fave!
This is so fresh! Can’t wait to try 🙂
Yummmm! I need to make this ASAP!
This looks so refreshing and delicious!
This is such a fresh and delicious looking salad!
This salad is so easy and delicious! Very refreshing and a wonderful summer dessert!
The perfect amount of sweetness! A really lovely, refreshing salad that is perfect for a warm day. I’ve already made it twice and it’s SO good!
I love melons so much and would love to eat this as a dessert every night! Great recipe 🙂