Minimalist Cubed Vegetable Salad (Printable)

A crisp, colorful salad of perfectly cubed fruits, vegetables, and cheese arranged with precision.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables & Fruits

01 - 1 small cucumber, peeled and cut into 0.4 inch cubes
02 - 1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into 0.4 inch cubes
03 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 0.4 inch cubes
04 - 1 small red beet, cooked, peeled, and cut into 0.4 inch cubes
05 - 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 0.4 inch cubes
06 - 1 small watermelon wedge, rind removed, cut into 0.4 inch cubes

→ Cheese

07 - 4.2 oz feta cheese, cut into 0.4 inch cubes

→ Dressing

08 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
10 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
11 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 tsp honey (optional)

# Method:

01 - Peel and cut all vegetables, fruits, and cheese into uniform 0.4 inch cubes using a sharp knife and ruler for accuracy.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper, and honey (if using) in a small bowl until emulsified.
03 - On a large, flat platter, organize the cubes in a neat grid pattern, alternating colors to create visual interest.
04 - Drizzle the dressing evenly over the arranged cubes just before serving to maintain texture.
05 - Present immediately to preserve the crispness and geometric arrangement of the cubes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a meditation in the kitchen—there's something deeply satisfying about cutting everything into uniform cubes and watching the grid come together
  • Every bite is a conversation between textures, from crisp watermelon to buttery avocado, with bright citrus tying it all together
  • It looks like you've been to culinary school, but it's honestly just careful knife work and patience
02 -
  • If you cut the avocado too far in advance, it will brown. I learned this after making the salad thirty minutes early for a dinner party—the avocado turned from pale green to sad brown. Now I cut it last, sometimes even after I've arranged everything else
  • The size of your cubes matters more than you'd think. Smaller cubes (3/4 cm) feel delicate; larger ones (1.5 cm) feel chunky. The 1 cm sweet spot gives you texture without overwhelming the other flavors
03 -
  • Keep your knife as sharp as possible. A dull knife will bruise delicate ingredients like avocado and watermelon, releasing their juices prematurely and turning your beautiful grid into a sad, soggy mess
  • The beet stains everything it touches—cut it last, and it won't bleed its color onto the other cubes before you're ready to arrange them
Return