Watermelon, Papaya, Blueberries, and Cucumber Salad
An easy and delicious watermelon, papaya, blueberries, and cucumber salad topped with crumbled feta cheese without dressing or fresh herbs. A simple yet unusual summer salad that is refreshing, light, and budget-friendly.
Watermelon is one of those fruits that is a must to enjoy during the summer months. For example, a BBQ party or pool party would not be complete without a watermelon salad. Summer is the perfect time to enjoy fruits and vegetables because they keep you hydrated and are easy to consume.
Watermelon, papaya, blueberries, and cucumber salad sound a bit unusual because many of the watermelon salads you find on the web do not contain papaya. The papaya kind of tones down the sour taste you sometimes get from blueberries. The crispiness and refreshing taste of the cucumbers add that “Je ne sais quoi” that we often crave. The feta cheese seals the deal – a bit of saltiness and just what everyone will love.
Is the watermelon, papaya, blueberries and cucumber salad good without the dressing?
Absolutely! Think about it for a moment. The combination of the selected fruits is exceptionally healthy. The watermelon doesn’t contain seeds, so it can easily be enjoyed without any worries.
It is uncommon to add a salad dressing to fruit salads and even a watermelon and papaya salad at home. We usually add cheese, which is standard and reminiscent of our childhood days. Fruits, cheese, and crackers are the perfect snacks for kids, and let’s not forget grown-ups. Another reason for not adding a dressing is the oily coating on the fruits.
A salad dressing may indeed seal all the flavors together, but why wouldn’t you want to enjoy the fruits in their natural state? Another reason to think about. Why do you want to dirty more dishes than you have to? That’s the lazy person in me right now. 🙂
How do you make this freshening and simple salad?
You will need a watermelon, papaya, blueberries, English cucumber or mini cucumbers, and feta cheese for this recipe. I usually make this salad with a hydroponic cucumber because I like the freshness and taste of it. If you can find Hydroponic English Cucumbers, feel free to try them.
To start, cut the watermelon into chunks. Do the same thing to the papaya after removing the skin and the seeds. (use the spoon to remove the seeds, much more manageable.) Not much to do with the blueberries but to rinse them under running water. For the cucumber(s), you can choose to leave the skin or remove it depending on the type.
Regular cucumbers sometimes have tougher skin than English cucumbers. If you buy regular cucumbers, I could recommend removing the skin. For the English cucumber or the mini cucumbers, removal of the skin is optional. Cut the cucumber into chunks or slices.
The cheese! I usually buy both blocks of feta cheese and pre-crumbled. The pre-crumbled is easier to use and makes food preparation easier. Just remember that blocks of feta taste much better than the pre-crumbled. The saltiness of the feta cheese is an excellent flavor pairing with this fruit combination.
Tips and Notes
- This salad tastes better when served cold.
- Top with feta cheese before serving
- English Cucumber skin is not waxy as regular cucumbers
- Hydroponic Cucumbers are a delight. Buy them if you can
- You can also use mini cucumbers.
- Adding fresh herbs is optional. Parsley and mint leaves are usually common herbs to add.
- Adding basil leaves may not be a great option. It is all about preference and your taste buds.
- A dressing is optional for this watermelon, papaya, blueberries, and cucumber salad. A lemon-based dressing is preferred. I would recommend not adding honey or agave as the fruits are naturally sweet.
- Add the dressing and mix the salad just a few minutes before serving.
- You can also make this ahead of time. Prepare all the ingredients to add them to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator only if you are about to serve in less than 1 hour. If you will be serving the salad the next day, place the fruits in separate containers and mix when ready to serve. The longer the fruits are stored together in a bowl in the refrigerator, the more watery the salad will be.
- This salad does not store well. So make enough to serve with your meal or as a snack.
Watermelon, Papaya, Blueberries, and Cucumber Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups watermelon cubed
- 1 cup papaya diced
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 1/2 cups sliced cucumber seeds removed
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Place the watermelon, papaya, blueberries, and cucumber in a large bowl. Either topped with cheese and serve or serve in individual bowl and topped with cheese.
- If using a dressing, drizzle the dressing over the fruits mixture and gently toss to coat. Sprinkle with feta and serve
Notes
- This salad tastes better when served cold.
- Top with feta cheese before serving
- English Cucumber skin is not waxy as regular cucumbers
- Hydroponic Cucumbers are a delight
- You can also use mini cucumbers.
- Adding fresh herbs is optional. Parsley and mint leaves are usually common herbs to add.
- Adding basil leaves may not be a great option. It is all about preference and your taste buds.
- A dressing is optional. A lemon-based dressing is preferred. I would recommend adding honey or agave as the fruits are naturally sweet.
- Add the dressing and mix the salad together just a few minutes before serving.
- You can also make this ahead of time. Prepare all the ingredients to add them to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator only if you are about to serve less than 1 hour. If you will be serving the salad the next day, place the fruits in separate containers and mix when ready to serve. The longer the fruits are stored together in a bowl in the refrigerator the more watery the salad will be.
- This salad does not store well. So make enough to serve with your meal or as a snack.
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
