Spicy and Sweet Watermelon Salad
This spicy and sweet watermelon salad has an Asian twist that will set your tastebuds on fire and leave them crying for more!
I will warn you now that you will see many watermelon recipes on my blog because watermelon is my absolute favorite food in life.
I prefer my melons neat.
While I typically prefer my melons “neat” (plain and cut into cubes), I occasionally get one that doesn’t meet my standards of melon magnificence. When this happens, I look for other ways to enjoy the wonderful melon flavors.
I made this spicy and sweet watermelon salad with melon that wasn’t as sweet as it should be. So instead of throwing it away, I made a spicy, sweet hot honey vinaigrette.
It became my version of Paradise.
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this beautiful, quick, and easy salad.
They are watermelon, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cilantro, lime, honey, and your choice of a heat source (i.e., jalapeno or chili peppers, pepper flakes, or Sriracha sauce).
You can also use my spicy, hot chili honey, which uses only two ingredients and takes a few minutes to make — here’s the recipe.
I topped the salad with some chopped roasted peanuts, but they can easily be left out if you have allergy concerns or don’t like them.
Find a crisp, ripe watermelon and cut the fruit into bite-sized chunks. Remove the rind and seeds and place the melon cubes into a bowl.
Prepare the spicy and sweet vinaigrette using rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime, chili/pepper, and honey. Whisk the ingredients together and pour over the watermelon chunks.
Using a rubber spatula or a large spoon, gently mix the watermelon chunks and vinaigrette together.
Top the watermelon with the freshly sliced cilantro and add the chopped peanuts.
Serve with your favorite chilled, Sauvignon Blanc or a crisp and light Pinot Grigio.
This spicy and sweet watermelon salad recipe is perfect for picnics and barbecues, and is sure to become a summertime favorite!
Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Salad
This sweet and spicy watermelon salad is quick and easy to make, and is sure to become a summertime favorite! It's perfect for a picnic or barbecue, and pairs well with a crispy, chilled Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of watermelon chunks (remove rind and seeds)
- 1 tablespoon of spicy, hot chili honey (or substitute: 1 tablespoon of honey with your choice of 1/2 teaspoon of pepper flakes or 1 tablespoon of chopped or sliced jalapeno or chili peppers)
- 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 1/2 of a lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon of finely chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons of chopped peanuts (optional--leave out if allergic!)
Instructions
- Slice and cut the watermelon into bite-sized chunks, removing the seeds and rind. Place the melon chunks into a medium sized serving bowl and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the rice vinegar, sesame oil, spicy hot chili honey (or honey along with your preferred source of heat) and lime juice until well blended.
- Pour the mixture over the watermelon cubes, and gently mix the ingredients together using a rubber spatula or large spoon. Top with the chopped cilantro and peanuts and serve. (NOTE: Peanuts are OPTIONAL - please do not use if you or any of your guests are allergic to them!)
Notes
The honey and heat source are what makes this watermelon salad sing, so adjust the spicy peppers to your tolerance and preference.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out for you. You can also share a photo of your dish on my Instagram account with the hashtag #thrivingwithless – Bon Appetit!
READ MORE : Spicy Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Please Pin this spicy, tangy, and delicious recipe!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
It’s a very creative way of serving watermelon. Excellent!
Thanks Angie! I typically like my watermelon just plain but this one is hard to beat 🙂 Especially with melon that isn’t up to par for the purist in me!
[…] Spicy and Sweet Watermelon Salad […]