Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

  • Serves: 8
  • Prep Time: 00:20
  • Cooking Time: 00:00
  • * Plus time to soak the red onion
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This is the perfect refreshing summer salad. The savoury dressing compliments the sweet watermelon. It's a quick no fuss salad that goes well with BBQ meats. I like to soak my red onion slices in apple cider vinegar for up to 1 hour beforehand to slightly pickle the onion and remove the sharp taste but this is optional.

Ingredients

* Please click on the green icon next to the ingredients listed below for extra details and helpful information.

  • 1kg seedless watermelon, flesh (weight after skin removed)
  • 1/2 sml red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, for soaking the onion
  • 2 lebanese cucumber(s), diced (with skins on)
  • 1/3 cup packed mint leaves, chopped roughly
  • DRESSING:
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, from soaking the onion
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper, ground, to taste

Directions

Place the sliced red onion in a bowl with the apple cider vinegar and some salt and pepper. Add extra vinegar if needed to cover the onion, mix and set aside in the fridge.

Chop the watermelon into bite size chunks. Place into a large colander in the sink to allow the juices to drain off while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Add the cucumber, mint and red onion to a large glass salad bowl then gently mix through the watermelon.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over the the salad. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

watermelon

Watermelon is a delicious, refreshing, nutrient packed summer fruit. Discard the skin and white section before eating, choose a dark red flesh. Watermelon is low in calories and has a high water content and lots of fibre. It's high in vitamin C and vitamin A, contains potassium, magnesium and vitamins B1, B5 & B6. Watermelon is also high in beta-carotene which comes from the colour of the flesh.

red onion

Red onions are sometimes called purple onions and have a mild to sweet flavour. They are normally eaten raw or lightly cooked. Raw they add colour to salads, when lightly cooked some colour is lost. Red onions are packed with quercetin, aside from its antioxidant properties, quercetin has been found to possess cancer fighting, ani-fungal, aniti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

apple cider vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar is used extensively throughout my recipes due to its health benefits. When purchasing, look for raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar ‘with the mother’ it has a cloudy appearance. Avoid malt vinegars as they are made from barley and contain gluten.

lebanese cucumber(s)

Lebanese cucumbers are usually just a little smaller and have thinner skins than the regular green cucumber and are eaten with skin on, which means more green into your diet. They also don't seem to cause burping or indigestion. Cucumbers contain Vitamin K.

mint leaves

Peppermint is one of the easiest herbs to grow. Studies have uncovered a variety of health benefits. Mint leaf oil is used as a digestive aid to relieve pain, has anticancer properties, and can help with allergies. Mint is a popular herb used in Middle Eastern recipes. Refreshing salads and smoothies.

coconut aminos

An excellent soy free alternative to soy sauce and tamari. It comes from the sap of the coconut tree and has a sweeter flavour than soy sauce and is not as salty. Coconut aminos can be purchased from health food stores or online. This is one of my favourite ingredients.

apple cider vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar is used extensively throughout my recipes due to its health benefits. When purchasing, look for raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar ‘with the mother’ it has a cloudy appearance. Avoid malt vinegars as they are made from barley and contain gluten.

olive oil

The olive fruit of the olive tree is pressed and crushed to released the oil. Healthy fats like olive oil are essential for brain function and to transport vitamins and minerals throughout our bodies. This is a delicious oil to drizzled over salads and vegetables.

black pepper, ground

Black and white pepper both come from the fruit of a tropical vine. Black pepper is the cooked and dried unripe fruit, known as a peppercorn and white pepper is from the ripe fruit seed. Pepper is usually coupled with salt, sprinkled over or added to food.