Recipes › Cucumber › Cucumber, Feta and Watermelon Salad with Mint and Nigella Seeds
Cucumber, Feta and Watermelon Salad with Mint and Nigella Seeds
This is a salad that tastes exactly like a hot August afternoon. The cucumber and watermelon share a clean, watery sweetness that pairs brilliantly with salty crumbled feta and the faint anise note of nigella seeds. It comes together in minutes and is genuinely one of the best things you can make with a garden glut of cucumbers.
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Ingredients
- 600 g cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds scooped out, cut into 2cm half-moons
- 800 g watermelon, rind removed, cut into 3cm chunks
- 200 g feta cheese, crumbled into large piecesor use a vegan feta-style block to make this vegan
- 20 g fresh mint, leaves picked, large ones torn
- ½ red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 tsp nigella seedsor black sesame seeds
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lime, juice onlyor half a lemon
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
Contains: milk.
Method
- Soak the sliced red onion in a small bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. This takes the aggressive raw edge off while keeping the crunch. Drain and pat dry.About 10 min
- Arrange the cucumber and watermelon chunks across a large serving platter or in a wide shallow bowl. Scatter over the drained red onion.About 3 min
- Whisk together the olive oil and lime juice with a pinch of salt. Drizzle evenly over the salad.About 1 min
- Scatter the crumbled feta over the top, followed by the mint leaves, nigella seeds, flaky sea salt and chilli flakes if using. Serve immediately.About 1 min
Tips
- Scooping out the cucumber seeds is worth doing — it keeps the salad from going too wet as it sits, especially if you are making it slightly ahead.
- Keep the feta in large irregular pieces rather than crumbling it fine. You want a salty, creamy hit every few bites rather than it disappearing into the dressing.
- If you can, chill both the cucumber and watermelon for 30 minutes before assembling. A cold salad on a hot day is a completely different thing.
Ring the changes
- Add 150g of halved cherry tomatoes for more body and colour.
- To make this vegan, use a plant-based feta-style cheese and it qualifies as fully vegan.
Keeping it
Best eaten immediately. If needed, you can prep the cucumber, watermelon and onion ahead and refrigerate separately, then assemble just before serving. Do not dress or add feta until ready to serve.
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