Cucumber Watermelon Salad

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This cucumber watermelon salad is crisp, juicy, and refreshing, combining sweet watermelon, crunchy cucumber, and salty feta in a light, flavorful summer side dish!

Watermelon in the summertime is honestly one of my very favorite snacks. Cool, crunchy, sweet, juicy, thirst-quenching, and so delicious. I get a big one almost every week, even when it means hauling it home on foot from the farmer’s market. It is so worth it.

If you’re anything like me and my family, cubed or sliced watermelon usually disappears in less than 24 hours, so if I want to do something fun with it, I need to do it immediately. I love a good watermelon agua fresca, or this Mexican-inspired watermelon salad. But lately I was craving a more traditional and versatile watermelon salad I could serve alongside any BBQ recipe.

This cucumber watermelon salad is exactly that recipe, and is ALWAYS welcome on the table or at a cookout! What I love about it most is that it takes less than twenty minutes to assemble, requires zero cooking skills, and looks gorgeous in the most mouth-watering way.

Why You’ll Love This Cucumber Watermelon Salad

I love the pairing of watermelon and cucumber. Watermelon is sweet and refreshing. The English cucumber firm, and brings that much needed crunch. When you combine them in a single spoonful with a sprinkle of salty cheese and fresh herbs, you get an incredible contrast of textures and flavors that keeps your palate completely engaged. (BTW if this flavor profile appeals to you, but you prefer something on the more savory side, try this tomato, cucumber and feta salad!)

It’s also incredibly low-lift. Just simple chunks of watermelon and cucumber, a little red onion to spice it up, fresh herbs to elevate the bites and top it with feta. It’s the simplest salad that you will make over and over again. 

Ingredient Notes

Here’s what I use to make this salad.

Seedless Watermelon 

The champion of this recipe, but you have to pick the right one! When I pick out my watermelon from the grocery or local farmers market, I look for one that feels very heavy for its size (that means it’ll be extra juicy), and I look for a large creamy yellow spot on the bottom. What that yellow spot means is that it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun before being picked (that means it’ll be extra sweet). 

English (Hothouse) Cucumber 

The English cucumber is usually found wrapped in a tight sleeve of plastic wrap. This specific type of cucumber is thin, with delicate skins and very tiny seeds. Which is all great news for you and I because it means we can skip the time consuming step of peeling or seeding entirely! 

Thinly Sliced or Shaved Red Onion

Red onion gives us a flavorful bite that in a way spices things up. Slicing it incredibly thin, or using a mandoline to shave it down is what I do, because you don’t want to be chomping on big pieces of raw onion. You can use shallots instead if you want to keep the onion flavor even milder.

Crumbled Feta Cheese

Feta is the salty, creamy portion to this salad. It’s tangy and is your contrast to the sweetness of the watermelon. As it sits in the bowl, the feta softens slightly, mingling with the natural juices of the fruit. This makes almost a type of dressing that coats the crisp cucumbers and onions.

Fresh Mint & Fresh Basil

These two herbs are what elevates this salad from simple to excellent. Fresh mint brings a cooling flavor and the fresh basil introduces a sweet, slightly peppery profile that rounds out the savory side of the dish. 

The dressing

For the dressing I create a quick and basic vinaigrette using five simple pantry staples: extra virgin olive oil: forms the base of our dressing, the fresh lime juice is the citrusy note that wakes up all the flavors and keeps the watermelon tasting great! Honey balances the acidity of the lime juice perfectly. And of course, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper are essential seasonings to tie it all together.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how it’s done:

1. Combine the watermelon, cucumbers, red onion, feta, mint, and basil in a large serving bowl.

1. Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, honey, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or measuring cup until it’s emulsified.

1. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until evenly coated.

1. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Garnish with additional mint and/or basil if desired.

Helpful Tips

• When you are mixing your dressing into the salad, treat it with absolute tenderness! Watermelon cubes can be delicate, and if you mix too vigorously, you risk breaking them down or turning your beautiful feta into a cloudy paste. Use a pair of large spoons or silicone spatulas to gently fold the ingredients over each other from the bottom of the bowl until everything is glistening and evenly coated.
• It can be incredibly tempting to dive straight into the bowl the second you finish tossing it, and nobody would blame you! But letting the salad rest in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes is the way to go. This chill time allows the salt to draw out just enough juice from the watermelon and cucumber.
• Try to dice your English cucumber to a size that compliments the 1-inch watermelon cubes. Having your fruit and veggies cut to a harmonious scale means you can easily get a little bit of everything: watermelon, cucumber, onion, feta, and herbs, onto a single forkful for the ultimate bite.
• This salad is at its absolute peak of crispness and flavor the day it is made. Because watermelon and cucumber are both packed with water, they will naturally continue to release their juices the longer they sit in the dressing. For the absolute best, ultra-crispy texture, assemble it right before you plan to eat or head out to your backyard gathering!

Storage Tips

Because this salad is the absolute embodiment of fresh, raw summer produce, handling your leftovers correctly will ensure you get every last drop of enjoyment out of it.

• If you happen to have any remaining salad after your cookout, transfer it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 1–2 days. As it sits, you will notice that more delicious, sweet-and-savory juice will collect at the bottom of the container.
• Before enjoying (I can’t believe you have any!) leftovers, give the container a very gentle stir. The cucumber might lose a tiny bit crunch, but the flavors are still there!

Serving Suggestions

This salad is a chameleon when it comes to summer meal pairings. It goes with just about any and everything. Try it with chicken kabobs or, smoky ribs, or juicy burgers, grilled fish, shrimp skewers. You name it, you can probably pair it with this salad. Some ideas:

• Grilled balsamic chicken
• Sheet Pan BBQ chicken
• BBQ Chicken flatbreads
• Grilled chicken sandwich
• Fish tacos
• Grilled Chimichurri Pork Tenderloin
• Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri
• Chimichurri Chicken Thighs