Vegan Seared Watermelon Niçoise Salad
Watermelon steps in for tuna in this inventive, mouthwateringly juicy dish.
June 7, 2024
This salad has it all—flavor, freshness, and texture. And we love the technique of searing watermelon!
What you need:
For the seared watermelon tuna:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 3-inch squares seedless watermelon, approximately 1-inch thick
For the vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
1 clove garlic, finely minced
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Niçoise salad:
1 head butter or bibb lettuce
1 cup haricot verts, raw or blanched
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup pitted Niçoise olives
6 small radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup cooked cannellini beans
1 seedless Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh basil
What you do:
- For the seared watermelon tuna, into a medium skillet over high heat, add olive oil. When on the verge of smoking, carefully add watermelon, standing back to avoid beign splattered. Cook watermelon slices, pressing firmly with a spatula to compress 2 to 3 minutes or until caramelized on one side. Flip and repeat on the other side.
- For the vinaigrette, into a small bowl, add all ingredients whisk, slowly streaming in oil last to emulsify.
- For the Niçoise salad, lay down a base of roughly torn or lightly chopped lettuce on a large serving platter and arrangegreen beans, tomatoes, olives, radishes, beans, and cucumber in rows. Top with seared watermelon tuna, drizzle with vinaigrette, and top with basil. Serve immediately.
For more plant-based recipes like this, read:
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