I grew up in the Midwest, which is known for having some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet, agriculture, and our love of ranch dressing (but seriously). In late summer and early fall, there’s a produce stand set up on nearly any corner with whatever is in season, whether that is corn, cucumbers, zucchini, melons, and squash and pumpkins later in the year. I always love summer and visiting produce stands and farmers markets, and have since I was a kid pulling over on the side of the highway with my family to get the freshest selections to complement dinner that evening. There’s something exciting about picking your own produce and knowing that you’re supporting local families and businesses doing so.

I was really excited to share this recipe featuring both watermelon and cucumber together. For the watermelon, pick one that has a large yellow spot on one side, known as a ‘field spot,’ which means that it rested in the field on this side and is usually much sweeter than it’s green or white-spotted counterparts. I recommend a seedless watermelon as it’s less work and no seeding necessary.

English cucumbers are ideal for a summer salad, as they have few seeds and no peeling is needed. You can always use a standard cucumber for this recipe, but make sure to remove the seeds and peel it when preparing. Cube the watermelon and slice the cucumbers into one-inch pieces and set aside in a mixing bowl. Thinly slice both the mint and green onions on a cutting board. Fresh mint leaves are best for this recipe.

Prepare the dressing with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and set aside. You can add or reduce the amount of salt or pepper to your liking.

Add the cubed watermelon, sliced cucumbers, mint, and green onions together in large bowl. Coat with the balsamic dressing to combine. Due to the water content of the watermelon and cucumbers, I recommend serving this recipe immediately or within the same day or two, but it should be refrigerated up until serving. If you love feta paired with your balsamic dressing, add in one third cup of crumbled feta cheese.

Balsamic Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Mint

Course: SaladsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Ingredients

8 cups seedless watermelon
2 English cucumbers
6 green onions
1/4 cup thinly chopped fresh mint
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup crumbled feta (optional)

Directions

Cube the watermelon into one-inch pieces. Half and slice the cucumbers into one-inch pieces, removing any seeds. Thinly slice the mint leaves and green onions.
Combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Add together the watermelon, cucumber, green onions, mint, and feta (if desired).
Toss salad with balsamic dressing and keep chilled til serving.

Notes

Pick a seedless watermelon with a yellow field spot for the ripest flavor.
Regular cucumbers can be substituted for their english counterparts, but they will need to be peeled and will have more seeds to remove.
Enjoy this recipe within the first day or two of preparing as the watermelon and cucumber have a high water content which can make it mushy after several days.
If you like your watermelon salad on the sweeter side, add 1 tbsp of honey to the balsamic dressing.