Sweet and refreshing summer produce combine with a honey lemon vinaigrette to make this BBQ-approved watermelon cucumber salad!
This bright and flavorful watermelon cucumber salad is a great way to celebrate summer produce. It’s also an easy way to bring a little bit of fanciness to your next BBQ or dinner party.
I came up with this salad early last spring when I was dreaming of summer. Specifically salted watermelon, which is such a delicious treat and one you get to enjoy in this recipe!
The combination of sweet watermelon with bright, crisp cucumber yields a refreshing, satisfying summer salad. This the kind of salad you want to eat on your front porch, fan blowing and crickets chirping.
This recipe takes about 15 minutes to prepare, most of which is spent slicing and prepping ingredients.
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How to assemble
You could simply throw all of the ingredients together and end up with a delicious salad, but layering the salad is the way to go. This makes for a great presentation and makes it so that you have a taste of each ingredient in every bite.
Layer your ingredients on a flat dish (I use a bread platter!) for easy serving:
- Arugula
- Watermelon
- Cucumber
- Sprinkle of salt
- Avocado
- Feta
- Vinaigrette
- Garnish
Customization ideas and tips
Arugula: This is more a spring green, so if you aren’t able to find any in the summer then you can swap with regular lettuce or even spinach leaves.
Make it vegan: Omit the feta and swap honey with agave to make a similarly delicious 100% plant based salad.
Save time: Slicing your own watermelon is more affordable but takes more time and makes for a lot of extra watermelon. Buy presliced for quicker prep. If you do slice your own watermelon you can freeze leftover slices for a cool treat!
Can I prepare this salad ahead?
Most components of this salad can be made up 24 hours in advance. To do this, assemble everything except for the avocado. Wait to add the avocado until last minute because it will turn brown when exposed to air (it’s still edible but not as attractive!).
You can make the vinaigrette ahead but wait to pour it onto the salad until just before serving.
Leftovers
This salad is best served immediately but can be kept as leftovers. Leftovers will keep covered and refrigerated 2-3 days.
Avocado will brown when exposed to air so it is really best served immediately. I recommend leaving off the dressing if you plan to keep as leftovers because the dressing will wilt the greens when kept as leftovers.
Looking for more BBQ approved sides? You might want to bring this Fresh Fruit Salad with Coconut Dressing or Tahini Broccoli Salad to your next summer gathering.
If you like this recipe you might like these too:
Enjoy!
Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice from 1-2 lemons
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt divided in half
- 2 handfuls arugula about 2 cups
- 1 pound cubed watermelon
- 1/2 large cucumber half moons
- 1 large avocado cubed
- 2 tablespoons feta
- red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- fresh dill for garnish
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette in a small bowl by whisking together: olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, honey and 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt. Set aside.
- Assemble the salad in a shallow serving dish. Make a bed of arugula. Sprinkle layers in the following order: cubed watermelon, sliced cucumber, sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, cubed avocado, feta.
- Just before serving, drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste. Garnish with fresh dill. Enjoy!
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