Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Feta and Lemon Dressing
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Watermelon Cucumber Salad with feta and a bright lemon dressing is such a refreshing summer side dish! It has such a delicious blend of satisfying flavors and well balanced textures. Those cold juicy watermelon and cucumbers are just what you need on a hot summer day, and the salad dressing drizzle is the perfect summer flavor!
Watermelon Cucumber Salad
I’m loving every last thing in this simple salad, and did you know watermelon and feta were 100% most definitely made to go together? Because there’s no doubt they are the perfect pairing.
Sweet summer watermelon paired salty tangy feta is such a dreamy combo, especially made for greens like this arugula salad. Then add peppery baby arugula, cool crisp cucumbers, toasty crunchy walnuts, a few red onion slices for flair, and fresh mint for another layer of well rounded flavor, then finish it off with a bright citrusy honey-lemon dressing and ooooh la la pass me another plate please!
Another go-to summer salad to add to the list. Trust me, you’ve got to try this one!
Watermelon Cucumber Salad Ingredients
For this watermelon salad recipe, you’ll need:
- Watermelon
- Baby arugula
- English cucumber
- Red onion
- Mint leaves
- Feta
- Walnuts
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon
- Honey
- Dijon mustard
How to Make Watermelon Cucumber Salad
- In a mason jar, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Cover with lid and shake to combine. Chill until ready to use.
- In a salad bowl, layer together salad ingredients.
- Pour dressing over salad and gently toss to coat.
Can I Use Different Salad Greens Than Arugula?
Yes, feel free to use any greens you have for this arugula salad recipe. I just like how the peppery arugula tastes alongside the salty feta and sweet melon! Spinach would make a more neutral base than fresh baby arugula for this salad, but kale is another popular superfood.
Can I Make This Salad in Advance?
This salad is best right away since the watermelon and cucumbers release a lot of juice and make the greens soggy. However, you could prep the individual ingredients ahead of time and quickly toss the salad together at the last minute!
Tips for the Best Watermelon Salad
- I like to reserve some of the walnuts and feta (you can also try goat cheese or shaved parmesan cheese here) in a small bowl and sprinkle them on top of the salad just before serving. They tend to sink to the bottom of the salad bowl otherwise!
- To lessen the bite of the red onion, run it under cold tap water after slicing it.
- Give the lemon dressing a good shake before pouring it over the salad to redistribute the oil.
Arugula Salad Variations
The best salad is the one you make according to YOUR unique tastes. Find a salad recipe that you like, then remix the ingredients list to make it even more interesting and delicious for you.
For example, if you don’t like walnuts, just experiment with any type of nut to find what you do like (pine nuts, almonds, or candied pecans would be tasty). Try different combinations of fruits in your salads, too, like pears, apples, strawberries, cherries, or juicy summer peaches.
More Watermelon Recipes You’ll Love:
More Cucumber Recipes to Try:
- Tomato, Avocado & Cucumber Salad
- Veggie and Hummus Sandwich
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Greek Grilled Chicken and Hummus Wrap
Follow Cooking Classy
Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Feta and Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 cups (20 oz) chilled seedless watermelon diced into small chunks
- 4 cups baby arugula
- 1/2 english cucumber , halved lengthwise and sliced
- 1/3 cup quartered and thinly sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves , chopped
- 4 oz feta cheese , crumbled
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts , toasted
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the dressing:
- In a jar combine olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with lid and shake to combine. Chill until ready to use.
To assemble salad:
- In a salad bowl layer together salad ingredients.* Shake dressing again then pour over top. Very gently toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I actually like to set aside some of the feta and walnuts to sprinkle over the top, they tend to make their way to the bottom of the bowl somehow.
- Recipe source: inspired by Living the Country Life