I couldn’t fully describe this salad in the blog post title. So let me explain. This is a refreshing watermelon and cucumber salad. But, it’s more than just that. I’ve paired fresh watermelon with cucumber that’s been marinated in a salty lime juice mixture. Then, I tossed it with pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, sliced shallots, cilantro and fresh mint. AND IT’S SO DELICIOUS. AND!!!! IT’S SO EASY!!!! Don’t let these ingredients scare you and don’t click away! Just look at how preeeetty it is……!
Now that I’ve (hopefully) forced you to stay here… let me tell you how easy this recipe is. It’s a salad, so yea, it’s pretty minimal effort. No cooking involved. We don’t even need a food processor to build a dressing. We don’t even need an oil. The only part of this recipe that takes a few minutes (and I mean just a few!) is to cut the cucumber and watermelon. You could also ball the watermelon with one of this melon baller things. That would also be super pretty and fun. But for simplicity’s sake, I went with a simple watermelon and cucumber cube.
Watermelon, Cucumber and Goat Cheese Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cucumber medium dice (just cut into cubes)
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1/8 tsp salt plus more to taste for tossing the salad
- 3 1/2 cups watermelon cubed into 1/2 inch pieces (or just chop it however you want, you do you)
- 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup mint thinly sliced (AKA chiffonade)
- 1/3 cup cilantro chopped to your texture preference
- 1/2 cup shallots thinly sliced (typically 1 medium to large shallot will provide 1/2 cup)
- 2-3 oz. goat cheese or to taste (I used about 1/2 cup)
Directions
- In a large salad bowl bowl, combine 2 tbsp of lime juice and 1/8 tsp salt. Add the diced cucumbers and toss them in the mixture. Let this sit while you prep/measure the other ingredients. It will taste tart, but don't worry! This will dilute when you mix this together with the other ingredients.
- Once you have measured all of your ingredients, set aside some pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, shallots, cilantro and mint for topping. Just about 1 tbsp of each ingredient.
- Add the watermelon, pumpkin seeds, shallots, cilantro, mint, and half of the goat cheese to the bowl with the cucumbers. Sprinkle a little more salt and 2 more tsp of lime juice to taste and then toss until combined.
- Taste to make sure the lime and salt levels are to your liking. If you want more lime, add more lime juice! If you want more salt, sprinkle 1/8 tsp at a time and continue to taste until your salty needs are met.
- Serve on a platter and top with the reserved ingredients. Enjoy immediately! This will get soggy in the fridge. If you want to make ahead, you can prep the ingredients ahead of time. Make sure you are tossing them together right before serving.
Rate & Review
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THIS RECIPE?
I am gonna try this tomorrow with your cherry berry galette. My mahjong girls will love these. I am gonna try feta instead of goat cheese and a balsamic glaze instead of lime. It’s what I got in the fridge!!! I will let you know! Ciao Bella!
Hi!! that will be awesome! I’m not sure the balsamic glaze will go as well with the watermelon so if I were you, I would try everything tossed together as a salad to see if you like the flavors before you add balsamic. Taste one bite with the balsamic, then commit to it if you like it!! I think balsamic is a bit too heavy for the watermelon but that’s my personal preference, so you do what you like!!! 🙂 Honestly this salad doesn’t even need lime or a “dressing” to be fabulous. The feta swap should be enough. Enjoy!