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.
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.
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 honey. Make this for someone you love, or treat yourself to a gorgeous plate of watermelon carpaccio!
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.
Common Questions
Yes, you can use a knife and slice the watermelon as thin as possible if you don’t have a peeler.
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.
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
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!
