Thai Watermelon Salad
This refreshing Thai Watermelon Cucumber Salad is perfect on a hot day! Chunks of watermelon are tossed in a light, Thai-inspired dressing and combined with cashews, shallots, and red chilies, making for a divine blend of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors.
Making this Watermelon Cucumber Salad is one of my favorite recipes all summer long. Unlike a traditional watermelon salad recipe, which typically features crumbled feta cheese and is often dressed with balsamic vinegar, this salad boasts a unique flavor, with every bite having the perfect balance of salty, spicy, tart, and sweet flavors. Be warned, though, that this salad is definitely for the more adventurous of palates. Some might struggle with the idea of Asian flavors and watermelon, but it really is delicious. I love the combination of crunchy cucumber and soft watermelon, and the longer the salad sits after being dressed, the more sauce the watermelon absorbs, making it even more flavorful. This fantastic salad is so light and refreshing, and is perfect for a summer cookout during the hot summer months.
Why You Will Love This Thai Watermelon Cucumber Salad
- This easy watermelon salad is fresh, light and a great alternative to the usual coleslaw or lettuce salad you would serve during the summer
- Make a double batch of this colorful salad to serve a crowd at a summer BBQ with friends and family.
- I love the versatility of this fun salad, so feel free to experiment with the ingredients.
- You can prep this a couple of days in advance for added convenience.
- The fresh ingredients in this salad are available at most grocery stores.
- In under 30 minutes, you can have this ready to serve as the perfect summer salad.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Watermelon: The key ingredient is a cold watermelon! You can use cubed watermelon or a melon baller.
- Cucumber: Crisp cucumbers pair perfectly with juicy watermelon. You can use Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers.
- Shallots: I used two shallots that were very thinly sliced. You can also use a red onion for delicious results.
- Fresh Mint: Mint gives a delicious fresh flavor that shouldn’t be skipped for this delicious recipe. You can add other fresh herbs, too.
- Thai red chili: A finely sliced Thai red chili is essential for authentic Thai flavor; however, a serrano pepper or chili pepper can be used as an alternative if it’s not available.
- Thai basil: You can also use regular fresh basil, but you will miss out on the stronger, more complex flavor that Thai basil has to offer.
- Cashews: You can toast raw cashews, use roasted cashews or swap them for roasted peanuts.
- Sesame oil: A classic Thai oil that is nutty and delicious, adding a rich flavor to the dressing ingredients. You could also use extra-virgin olive oil, but it won’t have the strong umami flavor.
- Fresh Ginger: I recommend using fresh ginger root for the best flavor but jarred ginger can be used to save time.
- Lime: The lime juice and lime zest bring a bright and refreshing addition to this simple salad.
- Fish sauce: The fish sauce adds to the salty flavors. You can omit this if you are vegan or don’t prefer the taste of it.
- Coconut aminos or soy sauce: feel free to use coconut aminos, soy sauce or tamari depending on what you have on hand/your diet
- Orange juice: The sweetness of the orange juice provides the right balance with the spicy and salty combination. You can also use honey or maple syrup.
You can find the recipe card below for ingredient measurements
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Small Bowl
- Whisk
- Large Serving Bowl or Serving Platter
How to Make This Thai Watermelon Cucumber Salad
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing. Adjust the measurements according to your taste buds.
- In a large bowl or serving platter, place the watermelon and cucumber. Top with the sliced shallots, cashews, sliced chili, mint, and Thai basil.
- Pour the dressing over the top and gently toss to combine.
Choosing a Ripe Watermelon
To start, choosing the perfect sweet watermelon during watermelon season is a big deal! Seeds make eating this salad a lot less enjoyable, so I highly recommend using a seedless watermelon, or at the very least, one with tiny seeds that you can eat. After that, there are five things you want to look for in a good watermelon on a hot summer day:
- You’ll want to look for the field spot. Look for a creamy yellow spot, not white, where it sat on the ground, ripening in the sun. A deep yellow spot means ripe and sweet.
- Give it a thump…A deep, hollow sound means juicy and ripe.
- A great watermelon should feel heavy for its size, which means it’s nice and juicy.
- Look for webbing. Those brown web-like scars or speckles are sugar seeping out, giving you sweet fruit.
- Check the skin because you want dull, not shiny. Shiny means underripe.
How to Modify
- You could also swap the cucumber for red pepper, cherry tomatoes, or radishes if you aren’t a fan of cucumber.
- If you aren’t a fan of fish sauce, you can leave it out.
- Sweet basil or Holy basil can be used as a substitute for Thai basil if it’s not available.
- Use honey instead of orange juice if you’re not on a medically restrictive diet.
Dietary Customizations
- Make this vegan by using vegan fish sauce or making your own no-fish sauce.
- For Gluten Free be sure to use coconut aminos or tamari in place of soy sauce
- Make this recipe Whole30 by using orange juice in the dressing
Serving Suggestions
Watermelon and a burger are the classic combination. Try one of these Top 10 Burger Recipes, my favorite Air Fryer Turkey Burger, or even veggie burgers. This is excellent served alongside other summer salads. Try these other Asian-inspired salads like a Thai Mango Salad, or Asian Brussels Sprout Salad, or Asian Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing. Summer potlucks definitely need a good steak like this Bone-In Ribeye Steak.
Make-Ahead
You can prep the watermelon and cucumber 2 days in advance by chopping and storing them in an airtight container, and then mixing the dressing and storing it in a separate container. Drain any liquid that the watermelon and cucumber may have left behind, and toss them right before storing.
Storage Tips
If you have any leftovers, this refreshing salad is best eaten within a day or two. Strain off any excess liquid before enjoying the next day.
More Salad Recipes You’ll Love:
- Creamy Cauliflower Faux-Tato Salad
- Pesto Zoodle Salad with Prosciutto & Pine Nuts
- Mexican Couscous Salad
- Carrot Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
- Asian Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing
If you make this Thai Watermelon Cucumber Salad recipe, let me know in the comments section below. I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram. I love seeing your photos!
Thai Watermelon Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed watermelon
- 1 1/2 cups cubed cucumber
- 2 small shallots very thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup shredded fresh mint
- 1 Thai red chili, finely sliced
- 1/4 cup shredded Thai basil
- 1/3 cup chopped toasted cashews
Dressing
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1/2 tsp lime zest
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 1/2 tbsp fish sauce (omit if vegan)
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp orange juice
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing.
- In a large bowl or serving platter place the watermelon and cucumber. Top with the sliced shallots, cashews, sliced chili, mint and Thai basil.
- Pour the dressing overtop and gently tossed until well combined. Enjoy!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on August 19, 2018 and updated with new copy on April 22, 2025.
This looks so good! What a great combination of flavors!
I made and it was delicious I smashed three peppers and added honey to the dressing and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe
Fairly interesting combination of tastes.
Loved this and so did all my guests (even the ones who thought they didn’t like fish sauce). Thanks for another restaurant quality recipe.
thoroughly loved your salad and will make again! I didnt have the shallot, pepper or orange juice so left it out and was still delish, thanks for the recipe