10 Savory Plant-Based Watermelon Recipes

Although watermelon is most commonly used for sweet and refreshing dishes, it’s surprisingly versatile. From sushi to curry to salsa, watermelon can shine in a variety of recipes. Here are 10 savory vegan watermelon dishes that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about this unique fruit!

1. Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad

Source: Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad

Fresh light summer salad popping with juicy watermelon, heirloom tomato, cucumber, quinoa, mint, and roasted sunflower seeds. This Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad by Lauren Kirchmaier is perfect for summer lunch!

2. Watermelon Poke Bowls

Source: Watermelon Poke Bowls

These Watermelon Poke Bowls by Bailey Ruskus will deeply satisfy and refresh you at the same time. The umami flavors of the marinade match perfectly with the sweetness of the watermelon. And the spicy sauce? Let’s just say you’ll want to put this sauce on everything! As important as the flavor is, finding ways to enjoy sustainable seafood alternatives is even more important in our world today. Finding better alternatives to seafood consumption can not only help preserve our oceans, but it can reduce your exposure to heavy metals like mercury. Flavor and sustainability all in one dish: Watermelon poke for the win!

Reprinted with permission from Cook, Heal, Go Vegan! by Bailey Ruskus, Page Street Publishing Co. 2021. Photo credit: Bailey Ruskus

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3. Mind-Blowing Watermelon Sushi

Source: Mind-Blowing Watermelon Sushi

True alchemy occurs when watermelon is baked and then cured in a flavorsome broth—it is a freaky and delicious raw-tuna copycat. You can prepare the watermelon the night before and let it do its thing in the fridge overnight. This Mind-Blowing Watermelon Sushi by Amanda Logan lives up to its name!

4. Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Curry

Source: Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Curry

This Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Curry by Anuja Kohli Mariwala is going to be one of your go-to recipes after the first try. It’s easy, quick, beautiful, and delicious. Plus, this is a low-waste dish because it uses almost all of the watermelon. Hop in the kitchen and whip up a batch of this subtle, light, summery curry the next time you have company – it will be a hit.

5. Green Curry Corn Chowder With Watermelon Radish

Source: Green Curry Corn Chowder With Watermelon Radish

This delicious Green Curry Corn Chowder With Watermelon Radish by Heather Poire is bursting with flavor. With green curry paste and spicy watermelon radish alongside the creamy coconut milk, this flavorful chowder is perfect for the transition from late summer to early fall. In addition to the watermelon radish and corn, this chowder includes jalapeño, banana fingerling potatoes, chives, and golden carrots. Feel free to swap in whatever variety of each veggie you have to make this chowder your own!

6. Watermelon Salad with Fried Tofu and Basil-Lime Dressing

Source: Watermelon Salad with Fried Tofu and Basil-Lime Dressing

Say hello to the most flavorful summer salad ever. This Watermelon Salad with Fried Tofu and Basil-Lime Dressing by Chris Bartis stands out from all other watermelon salads — and the secret is warm ingredients. Adding one or two warm ingredients to a cold dish is a great way to mix things up and add dimension to your summer salad. This salad has a base of fresh greens, tangy kalamata olives and red onions, crunchy sprouts, and juicy watermelon. Then, you add the fried tofu and padrón peppers and toss everything in a refreshing basil-lime dressing.

7. Watermelon Feta Salad with Cucumber

Source: Watermelon Feta Salad with Cucumber

This Watermelon Feta Salad with Cucumber by Heidrun Kubart also contains mint, pine nuts, onions, and lime dressing, and is a wonderful recipe for hot days. The homemade vegan feta takes everything to the next level. A very simple and so delicious recipe.

8. Watermelon ‘Sashimi’

Source: Watermelon ‘Sashimi’

This unique and colorful appetizer is as fun to make as it is yummy. Drizzled with a bit of agave and little black sesame seeds, this Watermelon ‘Sashimi’ by Emily Brees is fancy enough for your next dinner party, fun enough to bring to a barbecue, and freezable for an ice-cold, afternoon snack. A vibrant and refreshing twist on sushi.

9. Watermelon-Sorghum Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette

Source: Watermelon-Sorghum Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette

Salad meets salsa, meets the best of summer entertaining with this refreshing Watermelon-Sorghum Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette by Quelcy Kogel. As an added perk, with the ingredients you’ll have on hand to make this salad, you’ll also have cocktail options! You’ll be well equipped to top off that meal with blackberry-jalapeño margaritas, or freeze watermelon cubes and chill a white wine sangria with extra flavor and color.

10. Watermelon Salsa

Source: Watermelon Salsa

Like any other no-cook salsa, all this recipe requires is the mixing of the ingredients. So the fresher and sweeter the melon, the more tasty this Watermelon Salsa by Pavani Nandula is going to be.

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