Watermelon & cucumber salad

Watch how it’s made on Instagram

Fresh, crunchy, salty, sweet and with just a little heat. Ten minutes, no cooking, and a plate that looks like more effort than it was.

• Serves 3

• Prep 10 min

• Cook None

The recipe

Per serving · a third of the plate

225 kcal · 7 g protein · 2 g fibre · 12 g fat

Ingredients

MetricUS

• ½ small watermelon, cut into chunks, about 1.5 lb700 g

• 1 cucumber, sliced

• ½ small red onion, finely sliced

• 3.5 oz100 g feta, crumbled

• A large handful fresh mint

• ½ fresh red chilli, finely sliced

• ½ lemon, juiced

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• To taste sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method

1. Build the base
   Arrange the watermelon, cucumber and red onion on a serving plate.

2. Add the feta
   Crumble it over the top.

3. Add the herbs
   Scatter over plenty of mint and the sliced chilli.

4. Finish
   Add the lemon juice, a good drizzle of olive oil, salt and black pepper. Serve straight away.

Make it yours

Milder onion
Soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.

Make it a meal
Add a tin of chickpeas, or serve it next to grilled fish or chicken.

Prep ahead
Cut everything in advance but dress it just before serving. Salt pulls water out of the melon.

Worth knowing

Watermelon → about 90% water, plus vitamin C and lycopene, the same red pigment as in tomatoes.

Olive oil → lycopene is fat soluble, so the oil helps you absorb it.

Feta → the salt and richness that make the plate taste finished, and a little protein.

Mint and chilli → the contrast that stops it tasting one note.

Make it on a hot day, eat it cold, and don’t bother with anything else.

Nutrition is an estimate based on standard ingredient values, rounded. Your brands will vary a little.