Refreshing Melon Salad with Cucumber, Chickpeas, Feta and Fresh Herbs

I always enjoy creating vibrant, healthy, and refreshing salads. During my time here in Long Island, I've been inspired to come up with numerous new ideas using fresh produce from my friend's flourishing vegetable garden!

Today's melon salad recipe offers a delightful blend of flavor and nutrition in every bite. It features the sweetness of your preferred or locally available melon, combined with crunchy cucumber, protein-rich chickpeas, feta cheese, and fresh herbs. While I enjoy it any time of the day, it's great for a light lunch or as a side dish at barbecues, with a simple dressing. For an elevated experience, I like to pair it with one of my pesto dressings.

To make it into a more substantial dish, I occasionally add baby arugula and/or grilled chicken pieces along with chopped chives and other herbs of choice.

Ingredients You'll Need to create this refreshing salad:

• 2 cups of melon, cubed

• 1 medium cucumber, diced

• 1 can (400g/15 oz) of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese, or to taste

• Fresh chopped mint, to taste

• Fresh chopped

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

• Salt and pepper to taste

  
  

This combination provides a burst of flavors and a variety of textures, making each bite enjoyable.

Choosing the Melon: My personal favorites for this recipe are Honeydew or Cantaloupe melons but use whatever Melon type you like!

Select a ripe melon that feels heavy relative to its size and has a slightly waxy surface. Halve it, remove the seeds, and cut it into slices. Cut peel of slices and then cut slices into cubes.

Once the melon is cubed, place it in a large mixing bowl. The melon’s natural sweetness will be the foundation of your salad.

Adding the Cucumber

Wash your cucumber thoroughly. For added texture, you can peel it or leave the skin on. Dice the cucumber into small pieces before adding it to the mixing bowl with the melon.

• Why cucumbers? They add a refreshing crunch that balances the sweetness of the melon, creating a delightful contrast in flavors.

Incorporating Chickpeas

Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber—each serving contains about 6 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas before adding them to your bowl.

Their firm texture and nutty flavor complement the other ingredients beautifully, making this salad both delicious and filling.

Crumbling the Feta Cheese

Feta cheese contributes creaminess and a tangy flavor. Crumble the feta into small pieces and sprinkle it over the salad mixture.

This ingredient is key: feta's saltiness enhances the salad's overall flavor, providing a wonderful contrast to the sweetness of the honeydew and the freshness of the cucumber.

Adding Fresh Herbs

Chop the mint and basil and add them to the mixing bowl, to taste.

• Fresh herbs add vibrant color and aromatic notes that enhance the salad's freshness. Feel free to experiment with other herbs you might like, such as parsley or cilantro, for a different flavor profile. I also like adding chopped chives to this salad, or if you prefer, try finely chopped scallions.

Dressing the Salad

To tie all the ingredients together, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss everything until well combined. The olive oil adds richness, while the lemon juice provides a zesty kick, brightening the dish significantly.

Tips!

• This Melon Salad can be served immediately but refrigerating it for around 30 minutes helps the flavors blend wonderfully.

• When I make this salad for myself and serve it with pesto, I often skip the dressing and mix it with bit more pesto as I love this combination.

  
  

I like to serve this salad with Pesto. It just brings it to another level!

Nutritional Benefits

This salad is not just tasty; it’s packed with health benefits. Here’s a quick rundown; using honeydew melon:

• Honeydew melon is low in calories (about 36 calories per cup) and rich in vitamins C and B6, which support hydration and immune health.

• Cucumbers have fewer than 20 calories per cup and contain antioxidants that combat inflammation.

• Chickpeas provide around 15 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber per cup, promoting good digestion.

• Feta cheese adds important calcium and protein.

• Fresh herbs are rich in vitamins and minerals, contributing additional health benefits.

Hope you will enjoy this easy2make salad that demonstrates how basic ingredients can come together to form a tasty and healthy dish . . . in a few minutes!

Until soon again!

Karitas