Easy Watermelon Cucumber Salad (with Prosciutto)
If you are looking for a healthy and refreshing summer appetizer, look no further than this Watermelon Cucumber Salad! Sweet watermelon, crisp cucumbers, toasted pine nuts, and fresh herbs are tossed in a lime vinaigrette. The resulting salad tastes sweet and tart and is the perfect summer side dish!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 3 cups seedless watermelon cubed
- 1.5 cups cucumber chopped
- 1/4 cup mint leaves roughly torn into pieces
- 2 oz prosciutto thinly sliced, nitrate free
- OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup feta cheese or vegan feta or goat cheese, crumbled (omit for Whole30)
Dressing
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a dry pan over medium heat on the stove.
- Add the pine nuts and toast until golden and fragrant while stirring constantly, about 4-5 minutes.
- Combine watermelon, cucumber, and mint in a large bowl, then add the toasted pine nuts.
- Whisk the dressing in a separate bowl and pour over the salad. Gently toss together.
- Drape with prosciutto slices before serving.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
- The most difficult part of this watermelon salad recipe is actually chopping up the ingredients. I suggest cutting the watermelon into 1-inch cubes and cucumber into 1/2-inch pieces. You can also use a melon baller to create watermelon balls, which I think will be super fun and pretty!
- The only cooking part of this recipe is toasting the pine nuts, and that can be done in less than 5 minutes on the stovetop until they are golden brown and fragrant.
- I suggest tearing apart the mint leaves, instead of slicing them with a knife so they impart a stronger mint flavor that can be melded in better with the rest of the ingredients.
- Once all the ingredients are ready for this watermelon cucumber salad, all you have to do is toss them together and serve! Doesn't get much easier than that, and even the dressing only has 4 ingredients.
- If you’re not Whole30, feel free to add a block of feta cheese (crumbled), vegan feta, or goat cheese to this salad. Toss the crumbled feta in when you pour in the dressing. Other ingredients you could include are chopped red onion for extra crunch, honey or maple syrup for additional sweetness in the dressing, and/or avocado for extra creaminess.
Storage Tips
Make Ahead: If you want to make this ahead of time, you can chop the ingredients and toast the pine nuts the day before, as well as whisk the dressing together. Keep them separate and when you are ready to serve, toss everything together for the best texture and freshness! Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 48 hours for optimal freshness.Nutrition
Serving: 1serving - makes 4 | Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 805IU | Vitamin C: 13.9mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg