Watermelon Carpaccio

No ratings yet

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This watermelon carpaccio is a fancy-sounding, fancy-looking dish that is actually so easy and fun to make. Carpaccio is traditionally a dish of thinly sliced meat or fish, but here I’m using the term loosely, since thinly sliced watermelon 🍉 can resemble tuna or red meat. But this dish is completely vegetarian and simple to prepare. 

Why You’ll Love this Watermelon

A sprinkle of feta adds creaminess, a drizzle of honey 🍯 brings sweetness, and a handful of crushed walnuts add the perfect crunch to balance out the fruity, refreshing watermelon. 

How to Prepare Watermelon Carpaccio

I love watermelon salad, like my Hot Honey Watermelon Salad or my Watermelon Mango Salsa, on a hot summer day ☀️. It’s easy to throw together chunks of watermelon, but what makes this “carpaccio” so special is taking a few extra moments to thinly slice or shave the watermelon, lay it out decoratively on a plate, and garnish with some fresh crumbled cheese, walnuts, herbs 🌿, and a drizzle of hot honey. Make this for someone you love, or treat yourself to a gorgeous plate of watermelon carpaccio! 

Nonna’s Tip

We don’t like to waste, so you can eat any of the scraps or throw them into a smoothie or refreshing drink for the summer.

Variations and Substitutions

Watermelon Carpaccio, with its elegant presentation and harmonious blend of flavors and textures, is a culinary canvas ripe for creativity. While the classic rendition features thinly sliced watermelon adorned with feta, honey, and walnuts, this dish’s versatility knows no bounds. In the world of culinary experimentation, there’s ample room to explore an array of fruit choices, cheese alternatives, sweeteners, and garnishes 😉.

  • goat or blue cheese instead of feta
  • pistachios or other nuts instead of walnuts
  • cantaloupe or honeydew instead of watermelon

Similar Dishes

  • My Viral Frozen Watermelon Shaved Ice is a brilliant way to transform watermelon into a healthy frozen dessert that everyone will love.
  • Have you ever heard of Watermelon Fries? These are sticks of fresh watermelon that are cut like crinkly French fries.
  • My Hot Honey Watermelon Salad will be your new favorite summertime dish.
  • Watermelon mango salsa is a vibrant and refreshing combination of juicy watermelon and ripe mango, tossed with zesty lime juice, cilantro, and a hint of jalapeño for a burst of tropical flavor in every bite.
Product Image Description Product Name / Primary Rating / Price Primary Button
Must Have
  • Description:

    This knife is my most used tool in the kitchen. The love I have for this knife is unmatched.

Kitchen Must Have
  • Description:

    This peeler is lightweight, sturdy and easy to clean! An absolute favourite of mine.

Spicy Staple
  • Description:

    This is the best store-bought hot honey! I use this whenever I want to give my dishes a sweet and spicy kick.

Nonna's Pick
  • Description:

    This cutting board is not only aesthetically pleasing but will last you for years and years!

Must Have
Description:

This knife is my most used tool in the kitchen. The love I have for this knife is unmatched.

Primary Rating:
4.9
$225.00$179.95
Kitchen Must Have
Description:

This peeler is lightweight, sturdy and easy to clean! An absolute favourite of mine.

Primary Rating:
4.9
$9.95$8.99
Spicy Staple
Description:

This is the best store-bought hot honey! I use this whenever I want to give my dishes a sweet and spicy kick.

Primary Rating:
4.9
$13.49
Nonna's Pick
Description:

This cutting board is not only aesthetically pleasing but will last you for years and years!

Primary Rating:
4.8
$89.95$84.95
11/06/2024 12:56 pm GMT

Common Questions

Can I use a knife instead of a peeler to cut the watermelon?

Yes, you can use a knife and slice the watermelon as thin as possible if you don’t have a peeler.

What could I do with the leftover watermelon?

You can eat any of the scraps or throw them into a smoothie or refreshing drink for the summer.

What type of feta should I buy?

I recommend buying good-quality feta in a block, sold in brine. I love Greek feta, Bulgarian white cheese (which is just like feta), or Macedonian-style feta, which is super creamy.  

Watermelon Carpaccio

What makes this "carpaccio" so special is taking a few extra moments to thinly slice or shave the watermelon, lay it out decoratively on a plate, and garnish with some fresh crumbled cheese, walnuts, herbs, and a drizzle of honey.
No ratings yet
Course: Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2
Author: The Modern Nonna
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients 

  • ½ small watermelon
  • drizzle of honey, or hot honey
  • good-quality feta , measure with your heart
  • crushed walnuts , measure with your heart
  • a few sprigs of fresh herbs, such as mint or thyme

Instructions 

  • How to cut the watermelon: The goal is to cut watermelon into 2 to 2.5-inch-thick rectangular shapes, and then slice those rectangles into thin strips OR use a vegetable peeler to peel the rectangles into thin strips.
    Here's how I formed rectangular shapes, starting with a whole watermelon: I cut a small watermelon in half and only used one half for this recipe. You can also purchase 1/2 a small watermelon if you don't want to buy a whole one. I then placed the watermelon half on it's side and I cut off a piece from the bottom (rind) so that it lays flat on a cutting board. I laid the melon flat (rind side down) and cut the rest of the rind off of the watermelon. From here you should be able to cut out a 2 to 2.5-inch-thick rectangular shape out of this piece. I like to cut my piece as wide as my y-peeler is.
  • Note: we don't like to waste so you can eat any of the scraps or throw them into a smoothie or refreshing drink for the summer.
  • Using a knife or a vegetable peeler, cut or peel the watermelon into thin strips. Assemble the strips on a serving plate.
  • Add a drizzle of honey, crumble feta on top, add crushed walnuts and garnish with fresh mint. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal, Carbohydrates: 85g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 0.2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Sodium: 11mg, Potassium: 1260mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 70g, Vitamin A: 6401IU, Vitamin C: 91mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine: American
Love This Recipe?
Share your pictures or videos of you making my recipes by mentioning #themodernnonna on all socials ❤️

Hi! I'm Sneji. Nice to meet you!

I am more commonly known as “The Modern Nonna” on social media where I create easy home cooked meals with a modern twist. I was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria and learned how to cook at the best culinary school in the world – my grandma’s kitchen. I lived in Greece on the Island of Crete with my parents for a while and then moved to Toronto, Canada when I was in grade 5. I started to really cook and experiment with food 11 years ago when I was 21 years old. Everything I currently know is a reflection of some part of my life…

Keep up to date with me on social media! Follow @themodernnonna

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




The maximum upload file size: 5 MB. You can upload: image, video. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop files here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.