Watermelon Salad with Vegan "Feta" Dip
This Watermelon Salad with Sumac Onions is served with a delicious dairy-free Chunky "Feta" Dip, as well as Tamarind and a Preserved Lemon Dressing. It's the perfect summer recipe you can bring to any BBQ or other gathering!
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Watermelon Salad
- ½ medium-sized watermelon - cut into bite-sized cubes (rind removed)
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers - or other small cucumbers, sliced into rounds
- 3.5 ounces pitted kalamata olives
- 1 handful of fresh basil leaves
- 1 handful of fresh mint leaves
- 2 ounces blanched almonds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - (to toast/fry the almonds)
- 1 pinch flaky sea salt - or more, to taste
- 1 pinch cracked black pepper - or more, to taste
For Sumac Onions
- 1 medium-sized red onion - thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon ground sumac
- 1 pinch flaky sea salt - or more, to taste
- 1 bowl ice water
For the Vegan "Feta" Dip
- 5.3 ounces vegan feta style cheese - crumbled
- 7 ounces vegan Greek style yogurt - or Turkish style
- 1 pinch salt - if needed (or more, to taste)
For the Dressing
- 1 ½ teaspoon tamarind paste
- 1 small preserved lemon - rind only, finely chopped or sliced (you can also use the zest of one fresh lemon instead)
- ½ teaspoon small lemon - juiced
- 1 teaspoon agave syrup
- 2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt - or more, to taste
- 1 pinch pepper - or more, to taste
To Serve
- 4 slices Rustic grilled sourdough bread - or more, to taste
Instructions
- To prepare Sumac Onions, place the onions in the bowl of ice water and let them soak for 20-30 minutes before draining them well. The soaking will take the edge off the strong onion flavor and balance it. Add sumac and salt and mix well until all onions are coated with the sumac.
- To prepare dressing, place all ingredients (you can set some of the preserved lemon rind to the side to garnish with later) in a small bowl and whisk together. Set to the side while you prepare other ingredients.
- To prepare feta dip, mix together all ingredients well in a small bowl.
- Place oil in a pan over medium heat, add blanched almonds, and fry while stirring frequently until almonds become golden brown, then remove from pan immediately. Once they start to get some color, be careful as they easily burn. Let excess oil drip off on some paper towels, then sprinkle them with some flaky sea salt.
- Plate watermelon and cucumbers on a large serving plate, top with big dollops of the feta dip, olives, fried almonds, sumac onions, mint leaves, basil leaves, freshly ground black pepper, preserved lemon rind (if using), and finish by drizzling the dressing on top.
- Serve with some rustic grilled sourdough bread.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!