Some recipes sound a little crazy, but it’s exactly in the madness where the brilliance resides! Grilled watermelon with tahini and chili oil? Really? We were skeptical at first, too, until trying it. Now it’s heaving in our grilling rotation. There’s an unexpected perfect constellation of flavors in this dish: The heat perfectly enhances the watermelon’s natural sweetness, while a tahini cream provides a nutty counterpoint, and a dash of chili oil some heat. Black sesame seeds and fresh cilantro round it all out with a bright pop of color, flavor, and a bit of extra crunch too.
Grilled Watermelon with Tahini and Chili Oil: Our How-To
Watermelon: who doesn’t love it? It’s juicy, sweet, and irresistibly fresh. But this fresh fruit, which botanically belongs to the cucurbit family, is much more than just a sweet temptation on hot summer days. With its high water content of around 90 percent, it is both an absolute thirst quencher and certified vitamin bomb. It’s brimming with vitamins C and A, and antioxidants like lycopene, which strengthen your immune system. We know that watermelon can be a sweet delight, but today we’re asking that we look into making watermelon savory. And yes, you can even grill it.
The sweet, slightly watery aroma of watermelon is perfect for creating exciting contrasts in savory dishes. It goes wonderfully with salty, sour, and spicy components. Grilled, it even gets a pleasant smoky note that makes it more exciting and complex. The warm roasted aromas complement nutty tahini, spicy chili, and fresh cilantro perfectly.
We prefer to serve this dish as part of a larger barbecue constellation. A green salad with orange segments and a light citrus dressing make is a perfect match for our grilled watermelon. In addition to chili oil and tahini, you can also enjoy your grilled watermelon with a honey-mint yogurt and some pita bread for a heavier take on the snack.
As a further savory addition, we recommend grilled salmon or shrimp to pair with our grilled watermelon. Halloumi will also pair very well with this side! For what may seem like an extremely off-the-beaten-path take on a summer classic, this dish certainly is versatile.
Of course, you can find many more creative recipes for your next barbecue at Scrumdiddlyumptious, like our Tajín watermelon sticks, grilled feta and zucchini pockets, and corn ribs.
Grilled Watermelon with Tahini and Chili Oil
Ingredients
- 1 watermelon
- ¼ cup olive oil
- salt to taste
- garlic powder to taste
- 3 tbsp chili oil
- ½ cup tahini
- 2 tbsp black sesame seeds
- fresh cilantro
Instructions
- To make the sauce, mix the tahini with a little hot water. Set aside.
- Cut the watermelon in half and then slice it. Halve the slices to make quarters.
- Drizzle the watermelon quarters with olive oil and season with salt and garlic powder.
- Place the watermelon on a hot grill and grill each side for about 2 minutes, until nice grill marks appear.
- Arrange the watermelon slices on a plate. Drizzle with the tahini sauce and chili oil. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and fresh cilantro before serving.