10-Minute Refreshing Vegan Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

Erin Scott

10-Minute Refreshing Vegan Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

A cooling mix of sweet watermelon, cucumber, red onion, and basil make for a quick and easy fresh salad.

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Serves: 4
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Featuring Aleppo peppers, which have an earthy depth and a mild level of spiciness and sweetness, this recipe from the Eat Plants Every Day cookbook delicately combines juicy watermelon, tangy lime, heat from the peppers, and herby basil for a mouthwatering summery salad. 

What you need:

¼ cup julienned red onion
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon agave nectar
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Japanese or English cucumber
¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil, torn into 1-inch pieces
2 cups cubed seedless watermelon (1½-inch cubes)

What you do:

  1. In a medium bowl of cold water, immerse onion and set aside. In a small bowl, mix poppy seeds, salt, agave, Aleppo pepper, lime juice, and oil. 
  2. Using a rolling pin or flat side of a large chef’s knife, press down on cucumber to flatten it, breaking skin so it cracks. Dice cucumber across grain into ½-inch pieces. Measure 1 cup diced cucumber. 
  3. Drain onion and pat dry. In a serving bowl, combine onion, cucumber, basil, and watermelon. Drizzle with vinaigrette, toss to coat evenly, and serve. 
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