I’ve grilled plenty of meats and vegetables. I’ve also grilled peaches. But, this recipe was my first go at grilling a watermelon. It’s as straightforward as you might expect, just be sure to thickly slice the watermelon so you get plenty of the sweet, juicy fruit, and a nice sear around the edges. For the dressing, you can experiment with any stone fruit you come across throughout the season — apricots, plums, or fresh sweet cherries would be excellent substitutions. I’ve opted to blend the whole fruits of both the lemon (peeled) and the peach (pitted) for this dressing. The flavor is fresher and you get the full nutritional benefits of the fruits.
Ingredients
- ½ watermelon, seedless, 3-4 pounds, not over-ripe
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces mixed greens
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 heirloom tomato, diced
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, peeled
- 1 small peach, pit removed
- ¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 small shallot
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- pinch sea salt
Preparation
Preheat the grill.
Cut the watermelon into fourths, lengthwise. You only need to grill half of the watermelon for this recipe, so tuck the other half away to enjoy fresh, if you wish. Slice the half you will grill into two-inch thick slices. Brush the slices with olive oil.
Grill over medium-high heat until the watermelon flesh begins to blacken on the edges. You’ll need to flip the slices several times. Remove the grilled watermelon onto a sheet pan and allow to cool to room temperature. While the watermelon is cooling, prepare the remaining salad ingredients and make the vinaigrette.
To prepare the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. To prepare the watermelon, first cut the watermelon flesh away from the rind. Then, cut the watermelon into cubes to your preferred size. Toss salad ingredients together in a large bowl.
