This Cucumber Salad Is the Most Refreshing Recipe You Can Bring to Your Labor Day Party

There’s lots to love about the summer months, and the fresh produce selection might just be the best perk of all. If you’re anything like me, hitting the farmers' market or grocery store in search of delicious cucumbers and tomatoes is a *very* regular part of your routine during the warmest part of the year. After all, there’s no better time to make my favorite tomato sandwiches or cool down with a bowl of Cucumber-Yogurt Salad. 

And while lots of cucumber salads have been making the rounds on social media lately—all thanks to TikTok’s resident cucumber guy, Logan Moffitt—there’s one cuke salad recipe that continues to reign supreme in my life: EatingWell’s Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad. This salad has become my go-to potluck dish for summer get-togethers, whether it’s a quiet dinner with friends or an afternoon on the lake. I first made it earlier this summer, when friends paired it with a chill meal of turkey burgers with avocado and sweet potato tots, à la these California Turkey Burgers & Baked Sweet Potato Fries. It was delicious then, but I’ve since discovered that this salad is delicious with basically everything. 

Every bite of this ultra-simple salad is bursting with juicy summer flavor, making it nearly impossible to turn down a second helping. It makes a great accompaniment to BLTs or grilled chicken, and it can even steal the show at a potluck full of other summer salads—just trust me on that one. And whether you bring the salad along to a get-together with friends or make it as part of a meal in your own home, you’ll definitely be glad to have a no-cook dish on your to-do list. All you’ll need to do is usher the main ingredients out of your refrigerator, and you’re basically halfway done with the salad-making process.

Another major plus is that I usually have most of the ingredients I need for this salad already on hand. The dressing is a pantry recipe that you can whip up in seconds—all you need is red-wine vinegar, honey, salt, pepper and extra-virgin olive oil. Whisk them together or shake them up in a jar, and you’ve got a 30-second dressing on your hands. Other ingredients, like cucumber, red onion and fresh mint, can often be found in my kitchen during peak summer salad season. And with those already in the fridge or on the counter, the only two ingredients left to pick up are seedless watermelon and yummy feta.

To prep the fruit, veggies and cheese, just grab a chef’s knife and cutting board and cut the watermelon and feta into cubes and the cucumbers into large chunks. Thinly slice the red onion with your knife—or with a mandoline, if you’re fancy—and then chop or rip your leaves of fresh mint. If you’re not in the mood to practice your knife skills, you can always opt for pre-crumbled feta and watermelon chunks from the grab-and-go section of the store. You’ll probably want to make your watermelon chunks a bit smaller, but managing pre-cut chunks is far easier than handling a whole melon, especially if you’re working in a smaller kitchen.

When all your ingredients are prepped, toss them together and drizzle with the vinaigrette. For an especially pretty presentation, you can serve it up trifle-style, layering the watermelon, cucumber and feta into six distinct layers in a glass bowl. If you’d rather go the tossed route, the salad is just as fetching on a big plate or in a bowl. Either way, you’ve got a beautiful salad ready to serve in just a few minutes, and you can even prepare it ahead of time. I’ve had success putting the salad together the night before—keeping the vinaigrette in a separate container—and serving it up the next day right out of the fridge.

And this salad isn’t summer perfection only because it’s beautiful and delish—it’s also packed with hydrating cucumber and watermelon, which can help you keep cool even when the sun is beating down. Plus, cucumbers come with their own set of irresistible health benefits—including antioxidants that can help to nourish your skin—and watermelon is also a good source of heart-healthy lycopene and vitamins A and C. Even the creamy, salty feta cheese brings some health benefits to the table, since cheese is a great source of calcium and can even support your gut health.

There’s no telling how many more times I’ll make this salad before the summer’s through—and I’ve got a good feeling it will be on my menu next year, too.