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    Home » Sides/Salads

    Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Citrus Dressing

    Published: July 9, 2020 | 12:27 am, Modified: Oct 5, 2023 by Connie Edwards McGaughy This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Watermelon Cucumber Salad 🍉 This easy & delicious vegan salad is abundant with bright fresh flavors and color. You'll love this refreshing combo of sweet watermelon, crisp cucumber, red onion, luscious avocado, and fresh herbs tossed in a zesty, oil-free lime citrus dressing.

    A bowl of watermelon cucumber salad with diced avocado, slices of fresh red onion, and herbs tossed in a citrus dressing.

    Watermelons are one of our most popular and beloved summertime foods. Juicy, sweet and so refreshing, watermelons are a tasty source of hydration on hot summer days. This gorgeous watermelon cucumber salad with citrus dressing is the perfect side dish for any summer or outdoor event. The light and tangy oil-free dressing made with fresh lime brings out the vibrant flavors of the watermelon and cucumber as well as the other fresh ingredients.

    I often serve this salad along with a bowl of my cool and creamy chilled avocado cucumber soup or a big batch of garden fresh gazpacho. If I have extra watermelon, sometimes I'll also make a simply delish watermelon mango pico de gallo to serve with tortilla chips and salsa.

    Watermelon cucumber salad in a glass bowl.
    Table of Contents
    • 🍉 Watermelon Fun Facts
    • Ingredient Notes
    • 🍉 How to choose a ripe watermelon?
    • Instructions
    • FAQ's
    • Recipe
    • Food Safety
    • Comments

    🍉 Watermelon Fun Facts

    Did you know?

    • Watermelons are 92% water. Hence the name!
    • They're both a fruit and a vegetable.
    • Watermelons contain only 46 calories per cup. A perfect snack!
    • There are more than 1200 varieties of watermelons.
    • Seedless watermelons are not GMO engineered. They're hybrids.
    • July is National Watermelon Month
    • The heaviest watermelon on record weighed more than 350 lbs!

    Ingredient Notes

    Ingredients for watermelon cucumber salad, including watermelon, cucumber, red onion, limes, fresh herbs, and salt.

    Get ready for the most refreshing, mouth-watering summer salad!

    The Salad

    • Watermelon - (ripe & sweet) see notes below on choosing a ripe watermelon
    • Cucumber - we like the petite hot-house variety, but you can use any type
    • Red onion - omit if you don't like onion
    • Fresh herbs - basil, mint, cilantro, parsley (your choice)
    • Avocado - (ripe but firm) see FAQ's below on how to select ripe avocados

    The Dressing

    • Lime juice (fresh) - can be substituted with fresh lemon juice
    • Apple cider vinegar - or white balsamic
    • Agave nectar - substitute with maple syrup or vegan honey
    • Salt - coarse preferred, but fine is fine too
    • Black pepper - freshly ground is best
    Ingredients for salad dressing, including agave nectar, apple cider vinegar, fresh lime, salt and pepper.

    🍉 How to choose a ripe watermelon?

    It's easy to select the ripest sweetest watermelon with these simple tips:

    • Pick up several watermelons of equal size. Find the heaviest.
    • Look for the yellow spot. Ripe watermelons have a yellow spot where they have sat on the ground, unexposed to sunlight.
    • Tap on the watermelon. Ripe watermelons have a hollow sound.
    Fresh watermelon wedges on a cutting board.

    🥕 See the printable recipe below for quantities & details.

    Instructions

    First, prepare the lime citrus dressing

    • In a small bowl, measuring cup or salad dressing shaker, thoroughly combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

    Next, prepare the salad

    Remove large seeds from watermelon, if needed.
    Wash cucumber. We don't remove the peel, but you sure can if you prefer.
    Cut watermelon and cucumber into approximately 1" cubes.

    Chopped watermelon and cucumber in a bowl, next to sliced red onion rings on a cutting board.
    • Slice onion into thin rings.
    • Add to salad.
    Watermelon, cucumber, red onions and fresh herbs in a bowl.
    • Tear up herbs and add to salad. You can slice them, but tearing helps prevent them from bruising.
    Cubes of fresh avocado on top of a watermelon salad.
    • Cut avocado into cubes and add to salad just before serving.
    Lime citrus dressing poured onto a watermelon cucumber salad.
    • Drizzle with oil-free lime citrus dressing. Lightly toss. Serve.
    Watermelon cucumber salad with avocado, red onion, fresh herbs and citrus dressing.

    This watermelon cucumber salad with citrus dressing is best enjoyed right away. You'll want to add the avocado just before serving, while the avocado is vibrantly green.

    Watermelon cucumber salad with red onion rings, avocado, fresh herbs and citrus dressing.

    🍉 Variations & Serving Suggestions

    You can have fun creating your own spin on this watermelon cucumber salad with citrus dressing. For instance you could . . .

    • Make a Mediterranean-style watermelon cucumber salad. Use basil or mint (or both) and sprinkle the top of the salad with crumbled vegan feta cheese. It is delicious paired with my favorite artichoke lemon orzo salad , and Mediterranean roasted veggies served with homemade hummus and vegan tzatziki sauce.
    • How about a Southwestern-inspired watermelon cucumber salad. I suggest using cilantro instead of basil and mint. Add a sprinkle of finely diced fresh jalapeño, red pepper flakes or Tajin lime pepper seasoning. Enjoy it with our potato cabbage tacos, Southwestern quinoa salad, and vegan Mexican rice!

    FAQ's

    How to select perfectly ripe avocados?

    So, you're in the produce section at the grocery store and you need avocados. How do you go about choosing which ones to buy when they all look pretty much the same?

    Select your avocados based on when you plan on using them. If you want to use them the same day, choose ripe (not over-ripe) avocados. A ripe avocado will be fairly firm, but will yield to light pressure. The skin will be snug to the fruit, not brittle or pulled away. A perfectly ripe avocado will be neither hard nor mushy.

    Always check to see that the stem is still intact on the avocado. If it has been removed, the avocado will tend to over-ripen from the top, so buy the ones with the stems.

    There's a fine line between ripe and over-ripe and you'll know it when you cut into an avocado. One of the first signs of it being too ripe is the color of the flesh. Once those brown spots show up, it's too late. Another way to check if it's over ripe is by smell. An acrid or sour smell is a sure sign that you won't be using that avocado.

    If you don't plan on using your avocados the day you buy them, it's better to error on the side of caution and choose firmer ones. If you have ripe avocados that you won't use the same day, put them in the fridge. It will slow down the ripening process and might give you a few extra days to use them.

    If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕

    Recipe

    Watermelon cucumber salad with citrus dressing in a glass bowl.

    Watermelon Cucumber Salad

    by Connie🥕
    Watermelon Cucumber Salad 🍉 This easy & delicious vegan salad is abundant with bright fresh flavors, color and healthy nutrition. Made with refreshing sweet watermelon, crisp cucumber, red onion, luscious avocado, fresh herbs & a zesty, oil-free lime citrus dressing. It's simply delish!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 0 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Lunch, Salad
    Cuisine Vegan, Whole Food Plant Based
    Servings 6
    Calories 98 kcal

    Equipment

    • Large mixing bowl
    • Cutting board
    • Chef's knife
    • Measuring spoons
    • Measuring cup or salad dressing shaker
    • Salad tongs or servers

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 4 C watermelon cut into approx 1" cubes
    • 1 large cucumber cut into 1" cubes
    • ½ med red onion cut into thinly sliced rounds
    • ½ C fresh herbs basil, mint, or cilantro, torn. See notes below.
    • 1 large avocado cubed

    Lime Citrus Dressing

    • 3 tablespoon lime juice
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon agave nectar
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground

    Instructions
     

    Watermelon Cucumber Salad

    • In a large bowl, combine watermelon, cucumber, red onions. Lightly toss.
    • Add fresh herbs of your choice - basil, mint or cilantro
    • Pour dressing over salad, gently toss. Add additional salt & pepper to taste.
    • When ready to serve, add cubed avocado. Gently toss.

    Lime Citrus Dressing

    • In a small bowl, measuring cup or salad dressing shaker, thoroughly combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

    Notes

    🥕For a Mediterranean-style watermelon cucumber salad, use basil and/or mint leaves and sprinkle the top of the salad with crumbled vegan feta cheese. 
    🥕For a Southwestern-inspired watermelon cucumber salad, I suggest using cilantro instead of basil and mint. Add a sprinkle of finely diced fresh jalapeño, red pepper flakes or Tajin lime pepper seasoning.
    🥕This salad is best served right away. You'll want to add the avocado right before serving, while the avocado is vibrantly green. 🌱 Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 104mgPotassium: 376mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1080IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg

    These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Food Safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Connie Edwards McGaughy

      May 12, 2021 at 8:14 pm

      5 stars
      Not only is this salad absolutely gorgeous, it is so refreshing and delicious!

      Reply

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