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Today we’re making Grilled Watermelon Salad with a tangy Greek yogurt lime crema. Make no mistake; this is no dessert. It’s a fantastic appetizer, or even an exciting, out-of-the-box, meatless main course. Let’s face it, none of us are eating enough fruit, but when someone says grilled steak, we’re all in. What if you could take the best of both worlds for a fruit-based grilled dish? That’s where today’s grilled watermelon salad comes in.

Overhead photo with a pink round plate with three pieces of grilled watermelon salad with Greek Yogurt Lime Crema. Recipe at Spoonabilities.com — *Recipe post may have affiliate links; read our* *disclosure policy*. *Photographs ©Carlos Leo, Spoonabilities*

Hello my friends. I’ve wanted to share this grilled watermelon salad recipe with you for a time now. Since I found the original recipe in a Food and Wine Magazine article, we've made this with our own variations, every year since then, whenever we light up the grill.

Watermelons are the meatiest of fruit. If you’re up to date with vegan meat substitutes, think watermelon is to steak what jack fruit is to pulled pork. I know you’re staring in disbelief, but bear with me on this one.

Pink round plate on top of a pink napkin with three wedges of grilled watermelon with Greek yogurt lime crema. Recipe at Spoonabilities.com

How to Grill Watermelon

Grilling watermelon is easier than you think. Cut thick wedges, drizzle them with olive oil, and season them with sea salt & pepper. Then, cook the watermelon for about a minute per side, and you’re done.

The result is gorgeous. The intensely red watermelon marked by the fire is astoundingly aromatic, and with a creamy sauce, I would say it’s the very picture of pleasantry.

Watermelon Grilling Tips

How to cut it: For grilling, cut the watermelon in thick wedges (triangles) with the rind attached. Having the rind attached to it will hold it together, and if you cut it off the steaks of watermelon will tend to fall apart when flipped.
Seasoning: To get a beautiful grilled mark, make sure to season with oil, salt, and pepper. Without seasoning, it will be hard to get the char marks.
Timing: The perfect timing is one minute per side. If you still don’t see the grill marks, leave it for 30 more seconds. Grill at high heat.

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Greek Yogurt Lime Crema

Greek yogurt lime crema gives an excitement flavor to this grilled watermelon salad. Think of a tangy, lively, citrusy, and creamy sauce designed to mellow watermelon’s sweetness while adding a satisfying coating throughout your mouth.

This yogurt lime crema is actually delicious on many other things, including grilled veggies, and even hearty grill specialties like lamb or barbecue. In a way, it’s similar to the famous Mediterranean tzatziki sauce. This yogurt sauce only has five main ingredients: Greek yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar, thyme, and olive oil, plus a little sea salt and ground pepper.

Try grilling your own watermelon for your next outdoor party and see how people react. Watermelon’s freshness contrasts nicely with fatty meat, sausages, and burgers, balancing the entire experience and making it even tastier.

Close up photo of the round pink plate with three wedges of grilled watermelon. Recipe at Spoonabilities.com

Cool Ways of Using Any Leftover Watermelon

If you’re still not convinced that watermelon has a place on the grill, here are a few other fun ways to cook with it.

Substitute watermelon for fish in a ceviche for a vegan alternative. Watermelon’s texture and juiciness play the part. Together with diced onions, tomatoes and chopped cilantro, all drizzled with lime juice, you’ve got yourself a pretty decent faux-ceviche.
If you haven’t seen the impressive watermelon smoked steak that’s been circulating the web in recent years, go check it out. That’s a beautiful vegan steak right there.
Watermelon and feta Caprese bites are a thing too, and they’re as easy as cutting watermelon in cubes, topping them with feta and fresh basil leaves. All held together with a toothpick.

Did you see our other recent watermelon recipes?

You know what? Enjoying watermelon is as simple as drizzling it with high-quality Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and a pinch of sea salt. Simple is beautiful and tasty.

Did you make one of our recipes? Tag @Spoonabilities on Instagram so we can find you! And we would love to hear from you below in the comments. We answer all the people who leave comments for us.

Happy Watermeloning,

Carlos Leo
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