Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

It’s hotter than blue blazes, as folks around here often say this time of year. I’m talking clothes-sticking, hair-drooping, crank-up-the-air-conditioning kind of heat. And when the worst of the sweltering summer heat comes along right about mid-July,  just about the last thing I’m interested in doing is a lot of cooking. I mean, I really don’t want to heat up the kitchen by turning on the oven, and eating something hot and hearty is just not very appetizing anyway. Something light and easy is what I’m craving.

It’s just fortunate that along with the middle-of-summer heat comes a whole variety of in-season fruits and vegetables that can be easily be made into a simple, summer supper. One of my absolute favorites of these seasonal treats is watermelon. Juicy, sweet, and just perfect with a little salt. That’s right, I’m definitely in the camp of people who enjoy a little salt on my watermelon. In fact, I often enjoy watermelon in a salad. If you’ve never tried it, it may sound strange, but a watermelon salad with a little salt and pepper, and a  tart, vinegary dressing just makes the melon taste all the sweeter.

In this salad, I combine watermelon with cucumbers, because it tastes amazing, and because, truth be told, I have more cucumbers than I know what to do with growing in my garden right now (I mean, a gal can only process so many pickles in a day!) I also added a handful of mint for freshness (and because I also have way too dang much a bountiful amount of mint right now, too.) But hey, an abundant garden is a good thing, so I’m not really complaining!

To serve with the salad, I like grilling some chicken and potatoes (outside, please, thank-you very much!), or, when it’s really too hot to even stand in front of a grill, a store-bought rotisserie chicken works perfectly. Really, this salad is good alongside all kinds of summer fare, or throw in a little thinly-sliced ham or prosciutto and make it a meal on its own with absolutely no cooking required!

If you try this recipe, let me know in the comments. I hope you enjoy!

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Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

Yield: 8 Servings

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Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1 small watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
• 4 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped (peeling and seeding is optional if using mini or English cucumbers)
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• Handful chopped fresh mint

For the Dressing:

• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon sea salt)
• Pinch ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Add salad ingredients to a large bowl.
2. Whisk together dressing ingredients
3. Gently mix the dressing with into the salad.
4. Chill until ready to serve.

For more great recipes, visit my friends at:

Meal Plan Monday at Southern Bite

Weekend Potluck at The Country Cook