All it takes to make this super simple, totally fresh, cucumber, watermelon and red bell pepper salad is a few minutes of chopping and an easy sesame and lime-flavored Asian dressing for a totally crunchy bite.
“But wait, I was going to make my Mediterranean panzanella salad…” My recipe making plans were foiled once again. I had my heart set, but when my husband told me he was making his favorite Asian chicken lettuce wraps to take with us for our outdoor concert picnicking with the Drive By Truckers at SLC’s Red Butte Gardens, I said, “Hey, no big deal, I can switch things out to go with that.” So with a simple pivot and a few ingredient swaps, I created a salad the fit right into my husband’s Asian-inspired menu plans.
That’s what I love about super simple recipes like this one: it doesn’t take much to change it to fit any ethnic flavor profile, creating something totally fresh and totally new that fits into whatever you’re craving now. Plus,because it’s sturdy ingredients, this one is a great salad for potlucks or brunch, lunch, or dinners, and it holds up in the fridge, even for a few days.
About the recipe
There isn’t much about this recipe that takes a whole lot of time or requires a whole lot of effort, and the ingredients are seasonal, fresh right now, but also readily available any time of year.
I used regular garden-style cucumbers, the same variety you’d add to any green salad, but you can also use hothouse cucumbers or Persian cucumbers for that desired crunch that only cucumbers can provide. Cut your cucumbers on the larger side so that you can really get a mouth full of flavor.
To add a bite of fresh sweetness I added chunks of watermelon that totally compliments the savory Thai flavors of the dressing. Once again, I cut the pieces in about the same size as the cucumbers and the red bell pepper, keeping each bite just about the same size. If you’re looking to add a little more pizzazz in your presentation, use a melon baller like I did in this salad for a touch more dramatic flair.
The salad dressing really could be easier. Use a good quality seasoned rice wine vinegar, a bit of lime juice, and just a touch of sesame oil to build the Asian Thai flavored profile. I preferred to grate my fresh ginger with a microplane instead of mincing it so it melds into the dressing and you can avoid those hot spicy ginger bites.
Delicious Main Dish Recipe Ideas to Serve With this Salad
If you like a heavier sesame oil flavor in the dressing, add more in ¼ teaspoon amounts to taste, but be careful because sesame oil can quickly overwhelm whatever it's added to.
Course Salad
Cuisine Asian
Keyword cucumber salad
Servings 6
Calories 99kcal
Ingredients
2cucumbers, cut into 1-inch pieces and then quartered
2cupswatermelon, cut into ½-inch squares
1red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
½red onion, thinly sliced
⅓cuprice wine vinegar
2tablespoonscanola oil
2tablespoonssugar
2teaspoonsginger, grated
Juice of 1 lime
½teaspoonsesame oil
½teaspoonkosher salt
¼cupcilantro, chopped
¼cupThai basil, chopped
Instructions
Place the chopped cucumbers, watermelon, red bell pepper and red onion in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, canola oil, sugar, grated ginger, lime juice, sesame oil and kosher and add to the cucumber mixture. Toss lightly then add the fresh herbs and season with more kosher salt to taste. Refrigerate and serve.
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I started making this recipe last summer and ABSOLUTELU LOVE IT!!! I have shared it with so many people…..who also love it!! What I like about the recipe is that you can switch up the ingredients (like more or less cucumbers or watermelon) to suit your taste.
Thanks Heidi!
Collette
Las Vegas, NV
Thanks for the putting all together and coming up with this beautiful blog. I think any food that has Asian on it i would like it. I definitely would like to make this Asian salad soon.
Valuable info. Lucky me I found your website by accident. I bookmarked it. This article is genuinely good and I have learned lot of things from it concerning blogging. thanks.
Crunchy Asian cucumber watermelon salad looks really good. With its name it sounds like Asian cultural food. Thank for providing information on Asian salad.
Truly I appreciate the effort you done to share the information. The topic now I found keep on effective to the matter which I continued exploring for a long time you can also get help through Procurepod. thanks for sharing that’s post.
Effortless summer salads are the best and with all the CSA produce coming in, why not? Such a cooling and delicious salad, Heidi. Now, I just gotta get my hands on some Thai basil!
Thanks for sharing wonderful ideas!! Actually i was looking for this. I was having a lot of doubts related to salad. But you clear my all doubts. Thanks for sharing wonderful ideas!!! Hope it may help me too. :)
Good suggestion Fresh Malina. I would suggest to host some events at cultatrad. Share your cooking expertise, love to food, and make money on the side. I am pretty sure your blog readers and followers like myself gonna enjoy it a lot.
I started making this recipe last summer and ABSOLUTELU LOVE IT!!! I have shared it with so many people…..who also love it!! What I like about the recipe is that you can switch up the ingredients (like more or less cucumbers or watermelon) to suit your taste.
Thanks Heidi!
Collette
Las Vegas, NV
Thanks for the putting all together and coming up with this beautiful blog. I think any food that has Asian on it i would like it. I definitely would like to make this Asian salad soon.
مكافحة النمل الابيض بالخرج
شركة تنظيف فلل بالخرج
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالخرج
شركة تنظيف شقق بالخرج
We have idea when to use the hack for fifa.
This salad is absolutely delicious! Simple to make and very crisp and refreshing!
Thanks!
Valuable info. Lucky me I found your website by accident. I bookmarked it. This article is genuinely good and I have learned lot of things from it concerning blogging. thanks.
Crunchy Asian cucumber watermelon salad looks really good. With its name it sounds like Asian cultural food. Thank for providing information on Asian salad.
Thanks
http://www.cultatrad.com
Truly I appreciate the effort you done to share the information. The topic now I found keep on effective to the matter which I continued exploring for a long time you can also get help through Procurepod. thanks for sharing that’s post.
This looks like a go-to salad for me! Love the refreshing watermelon and cucumber, and the Asian-inspired dressing is such a nice twist!
So yummy! My family will surely loves this. I’m definitely making this for the weekend. Thanks
Effortless summer salads are the best and with all the CSA produce coming in, why not? Such a cooling and delicious salad, Heidi. Now, I just gotta get my hands on some Thai basil!
Thanks for sharing wonderful ideas!! Actually i was looking for this. I was having a lot of doubts related to salad. But you clear my all doubts. Thanks for sharing wonderful ideas!!! Hope it may help me too. :)
I like your food even though you have not eaten them. Perhaps you open a restaurant to serve some readers on the blog
Good suggestion Fresh Malina. I would suggest to host some events at cultatrad. Share your cooking expertise, love to food, and make money on the side. I am pretty sure your blog readers and followers like myself gonna enjoy it a lot.
This will be my new DIY dish. New foods to me.