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Home » Vegan Recipes » Appetizers » Seared Watermelon

June 1, 2016

Seared Watermelon

POSTED BY: ERIN WYSOCARSKI | UPDATED ON: JUNE 1, 2016 | 4 COMMENTS

Jump to Recipe·5 from 1 review
Savory + Seared Watermelon

Savory watermelon is magic. Bake, then marinate it to create a vegan tuna poke bowl. But if turning on your oven doesn’t sound like a good idea, especially during the warmer months, simply throw it into a hot pan (be careful, water-filled watermelon sputters) to create this savory+seared version.

Savory + Seared Watermelon

For this tataki-style appetizer, small slabs of watermelon are seared in a hot pan, which allows the sugars to caramelize on the outside, giving it a beautiful, dark-marbled look all over. You can serve this plain, or drizzled with a little ponzu and ground ginger or sprinkled with a few sesame seeds if you like. Throw some microgreens over the top to finish if you’re feeling fancy.

Savory + Seared Watermelon
Savory + Seared Watermelon

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Chopsticks holding a piece of watermelon tuna.

Seared Watermelon


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Author: erin wysocarski
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Diet: Vegan
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Ingredients

FOR THE WATERMELON

  • 4 ,4-inch long X 1-inch thick slabs of watermelon
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

TO SERVE

  • 4 teaspoons ponzu (check ingredients for fish)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger, to garnish
  • a few pinches of smoked salt
  • microgreens or chopped scallions, to garnish
  • soy sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oil in a large, cast iron pan over medium-high for 2-3 minutes, a little less if it starts to smoke. Place the slabs of the watermelon onto the skillet, taking care to watch for any sputtering of the water from the watermelon. Turn the heat down just a bit if there is a lot of sputtering. Allow to sear on one side for about 3 minutes, or until it has a nice color, pressing on it slightly with a spatula. Flip and sear the other sides for 2-3 minutes more, or until they have a nice sear all over.
  2. Transfer to a cutting board, and allow to slightly cool. Cut into 1/4-inch thick slices, and transfer to plates. Combine the ponzu and grated ginger, then drizzle evenly over each slab, then sprinkle with a few pinches of smoked salt. Garnish with a few microgreens or scallions if you like and serve with soy sauce.
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Vegan Seafood

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Vegan Recipes, Vegan Seafood Recipes

Filed Under: Appetizers Vegan Recipes Vegan Seafood Recipes

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Hi! I'm Erin and this is Jeff. I love creating vegan recipes for those who love to cook and eat, and Jeff enjoys photographing them. We're so glad you're here!

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Comments

  1. Rachael Patton says

    September 1, 2016 at 5:32 pm

    Dear Erin,
    I can’t remember what I was looking for when I happened to find your recipe, but your seared watermelon completely derailed me. I tried it out and am blown away. This is a really marvelous recipe and I’m working on a blog post with a featured link to your page.
    In Arcata, CA, I run a farm-to-desk bicycled lunch delivery service and featured seared watermelon in today’s nori roll. Here’s the menu link https://foodisloveloveisfood.wordpress.com
    I’ll be sure to let you know when the blog post is publish. I love your work.
    Sincerely,
    Rachael

    Reply
  2. Chantal Forrest says

    July 12, 2016 at 2:04 pm

    How do you make it in the oven?

    Reply
    • erinwyso says

      July 12, 2016 at 2:29 pm

      Chantal, you can follow this recipe if you’d like to bake the watermelon instead, enjoy!

      https://olivesfordinner.com/2016/04/watermelon-tuna-poke-bowl.html

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Erin!

Hi, I'm Erin!

Welcome to my little corner of the internet where I whip up delicious vegan dishes that feature vegan seafood, comforting classics, and crave-worthy umami flavors. You'll discover fresh and creative recipes here—all made with plants!

Our work has been featured in VegNews, HuffPost, Bon Appétit, and more.

My partner, Jeff, loves to capture all the photos you see here. We call Boston home, sharing our space with our adorable rescue pup, Harper.

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