Create a cool and comforting oasis on a warm summer day with our 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 probably only five minutes total from start to finish. Come on, let’s get cutting!
We’re glad you asked! Not only is this crisp and colorful melon delicious to dive into, but it’s also super full of vitamins and minerals. How can you resist such a glorious globe of fresh fruit?
If you guessed fruit, you’re absolutely right. The definition of a fruit, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “a product of plant growth (such as grain, vegetables, or cotton).” What this really means is that 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.
Similar to the ruby red watermelon, cucumbers are low in calories, high in water content (96% compared to watermelon’s 92%), and high in vitamins C and K. They also have a good amount of fiber (2 grams with skin), protein (2 grams), and also rich in potassium, manganese, and magnesium.
Peel on or peel off? It’s actually 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 pretty way, use a vegetable peeler to slice off ½” 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.
Salad is such a fast and flexible meal to make, which is especially helpful on a warm summer day. This 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:
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. Both watermelon and cucumber contain high percentages of water, so they tend to get sad and soggy quickly.
It’s not the best recipe for a 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.
Not recommended for freezing.
Fresh Cucumber Watermelon Salad recipe by Michelle Cehn and photos by JJ Steele. Article written by Gina House and edited by Amanda Meth. Please note that this article may contain affiliate links which supports our work at World of Vegan.
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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 🙂