Cucumber and Melon Salad with Feta
Looking for a fresh, original salad for summer? This cucumber and melon salad with feta is the perfect choice! Ready in 10 minutes, this recipe is ideal as a starter or a sides for a barbecue.
Personally, I love making this melon, cucumber, and feta salad as soon as summer starts. It’s always a hit! This salad combines the sweetness of Charentais melon, wich simply is a French Cantaloupe with the crunch of cucumber, fresh herbs, and creamy feta.
A Melon Salad with Very Few Ingredients!
What I love about this salad is that you really only need 3 ingredients, and a few herbs to spice it up, and that’s it!
- Melon : I like to use Melon Charentais, a small, fragrant French Cantaloupe variety from the Charente region, known for its sweet and juicy orange flesh. If you can’t find a Charentais melon, you can replace it with a ripe cantaloupe or honeydew melon for a similar sweet and juicy flavor. To make sure your melon is ripe, read my article How to select the perfect melon?
- Cucumber: One whole English cucumber for every melon. It adds crunch and freshness.
- Feta: Adds a salty, creamy note.
- Basil and mint: For even more freshness. You can also add just one or the other.
- Lime: Lime juice adds a touch of acidity. You can use a lemon or even some orange juice instead.
- Olive oil: Choose extra-virgin olive oil if possible.
- Fleur de sel (or salt flakes): For light seasoning, don’t add too much as feta cheese is already quite salty.
You’ll find the exact quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
Preparation of the Melon and Cucumber Salad
Making this salad is a breeze:
- Cut the melon in half, remove the seeds with a spoon, then cut into quarters and cubes. Cut the cucumber and feta into cubes too.
- Chop the basil and mint, reserving a few leaves for decoration.
- Mix the cubes of melon, cucumber and feta in a salad bowl. Add the lime juice (adjust the quantity according to your taste) and olive oil. Finish with a pinch of fleur de sel or salt flakes.
Tips for a Pretty Presentation
- Melon balls: You can cut the melon into ball shapes like in my Melon Ball Salad with Lime.
- Herbs: Reserve a few fresh herbs (basil and mint) for decoration and add them just before serving.
- Finger Food: Cut the ingredients into smaller pieces and serve in small glasses with a spoon as a finger food for aperitif.
Variation Ideas for this Melon Salad
- Watermelon: Replace French Canteloupe melon (Melon Charentais) with watermelon.
- Mozzarella: Replace feta with mozzarella
- Tomatoes: Add cherry tomatoes for color
- Ham: You can add cured ham, it goes very well with melon and basil.
More Summer Salad Recipes
- Lentil, mint and feta salad
- French Potato Salad with Green Beans
- Fresh salmon salad
- Tomato and Cucumber Salad
FAQ : Melon Salad
Yes, you can cut the ingredients in advance and store them in an airtight container. Add the herbs, lime, olive oil, and salt only when serving to prevent the herbs from darkening.
To choose a good and ripe melon, you need to smell it. If it has a sweet aroma typical of melon, it’s ripe. If you don’t smell much, it might not be ripe enough. You can find more tips in my article on How to select the perfect melon?
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Recipe Card
Cucumber and Melon Salad with Feta
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Ingredients
- 1 Cantaloupe melon
- 1 English cucumber (about 10 oz or 300 g)
- 7 oz feta cheese (about 200 g)
- 1/3 cup of fresh basil
- 1/3 cup of fresh mint
- 2 limes , according to your taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt Flakes or Fleur de sel
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the melon in half and remove the seeds with a spoon, then in slices and in cubes (without the skin).
- Cut the cucumber and feta into cubes. Chop the basil and mint.
- Set aside a few leaves for decoration.
- Combine melon, cucumber, feta cubes and herbs in a large salad bowl. Pour in the lime juice (adjust the amount to suit your taste) and olive oil.
- Finish with a pinch of salt flakes (fleur de sel) and black pepper. Serve chilled as a starter or as a side dish.
