Have you ever compressed watermelon? You won't believe what a difference it makes! The flavor of the watermelon becomes sweeter and more intense, and in this recipe it's balanced perfectly with a bit of heat, fresh tomatoes and a tangy, creamy avocado dressing.
Compressed Watermelon is magical. It's a unique way of preparing melon that brings it to next level deliciousness.
This salad is a most delightful appetizer course, and would be lovely for a summer lunch.
What is Compressed Watermelon?
- Compressing uses pressure, often of a vacuum sealer, to remove the air between the cell walls in foods.
- Compressing the watermelon intensifies the flavor and the texture becomes more dense and the color more vibrant, and sometimes almost translucent. (Here's why.)
- As you'll learn below, it's quite easy to do even without a vacuum sealer.
Compressed Watermelon Salad Recipe
Sometimes adding one more step, a detail, if you will, to a recipe, is all it takes to bring it from very good, to over the top. And in this case, compressing the watermelon does it.
The Ingredients
- seedless watermelon - Indications of a ripe watermelon are a strong, consistent stripe pattern with a dull finish, dry, vein-like webbing lines usually indicate extra sweetness, and if you knock on the watermelon lightly, it should sound a bit hollow.
- Creamy Lemon-Lime Avocado Dressing - This recipe is here.
- tomatoes - I like to use smaller tomatoes, like teardrop or cherry.
- jalapeño peppers - Good peppers should be firm, deeply colored and slightly shiny. If you don't want any heat you can skip the jalapeños or substitute them with diced green, red and/or yellow bell pepper.
- fresh thyme - Choose bunches that are perky and bright green. Basil and mint would both be good substitutes for the thyme, which is essentially a garnish in this recipe.
- Creamy Lemon-Lime Avocado - This is actually a salad dressing -- one that's a bit thicker than most. It's creamy, tangy, super smooth, and the perfect "bed" for the watermelon. (It also makes for a fabulous dip or spread on a sandwich.)
How to Compress Watermelon
This following is the best method if you don't have a vacuum sealer. (If you do use a vacuum sealer and the corresponding bags, note that they compress the melon enough so that you don't need to weigh it down. It can just go in the refrigerator for 2 hours.)
- Use a long slicing knife to cut the watermelon in half, horizontally.
- Place one half, flat side down on a clean, dry surface. Then slice a very thin portion off the round top and then each side, making it a square or rectangle. Then trim any remaining rind off the top.
- You can also cut the rind off by curving the knife down along the edges of the melon, just between the rind and the flesh. (This works really well on a very small watermelon -- you won't need to cut it in half, just slice a bit off of each end.) This way it'll stay round and your scraps will be free of flesh.
- Slices (any shape), should be approximately ½-inch thick.
- Place the slices (or cubes) in large, heavy-duty zip-lock bags -- be sure the watermelon pieces are laying flat and as close together as possible. Remove as much air as possible form the bag as you seal it. Lay the bags flat on a baking sheet or flat tray that will fit into your freezer.
- Place something flat on top, another sheet pan is ideal, but if you don't have one, you can use a piece of cardboard. Now place heavy items on top to weigh it down -- this could be cans of food, packages of frozen meat or ice packs. Leave it in the freezer for 2 hours.
I use two sheet pans with heavy ice packs on top.
Below is what the watermelon pieces look like after two hours in the freezer being compressed. The color is deeper and more vibrant. It almost looks like ahi tuna.
Assembling the Salad
When you're compressing watermelon for a composed salad like this one, before you begin, decide on your serving plates. Cut the watermelon to match the shape of the plate -- could be circular, square, rectangular, or into cubes to add to a salad if you'd like --- it's up to you!
- After the 2 hours, let it sit out just until it’s thawed through, about 30 minutes or so. Then use the bottom of a spoon to thickly spread about 2 tablespoons of the Creamy Lime Avocado Dressing an individual serving plate -- mostly in the center. Add a watermelon slice on top and gently press it into the dressing so that it spreads beneath it. Repeat until you've plated as many as you need. This recipe serves about 6, depending on how much watermelon you add to each plate.
- Evenly divide the tomatoes among the plates, and a few slices of the jalapeño peppers (use as many as you'd like, depending on how much heat you want). Add a sprig or two of thyme and serve!
Recipe Tips
- During the summer, it's pretty easy to find seedless watermelons. If for some reason you can't, you can use one with seeds, but try to remove as many as possible before you compress.
- It's important that the thickness of the watermelon pieces are as even as possible. This way, when you add pressure to them, they will all compress the same amount, and the weighted sheet pan (or cardboard) will hit all of the pieces. (This will make more sense as you read through the instructions below.)
- For the best results, be sure to remove as much of the air as possible in the bags with the cut watermelon.
- For a spicier version, don't remove the seeds from the jalapeños.
- If you want to make a more traditional salad, cut the watermelon into bite-sized chunks, add baby lettuce to the other ingredients and mix.
Can you make it ahead?
Compressed watermelon is at its best the day it's made. This is when it'll be the most crisp. It's still good the next day, but the texture will be softer.
Other Favorite Watermelon Recipes
- Watermelon Pizza
- Watermelon Halloumi Sandwich
- Watermelon Cucumber Salsa
- Grilled Watermelon with Chili and Lime
- Balsamic Glazed Fresh Melon Cake
- Watermelon Basil Salad with Avocado
This utterly stunning Compressed Watermelon Salad will make all of your party guests swoon.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! I really think you're going to love it!
Compressed Watermelon Salad and Creamy Lime Avocado
Ingredients
- 1 (approx. 6-pound) seedless watermelon
- about ¾ cup Creamy Lime Avocado Dressing
- 1½ cup tiny, multi-color heirloom tomatoes, sliced in half or quarters
- about 2 small to medium-sized jalapeño peppers, super thinly sliced
- a few sprigs of fresh thyme
Instructions
To compress the watermelon
- Use a long slicing knife to cut the watermelon in half, horizontally. Place one half flat side down on a clean, dry surface. Then slice a portion off the round top and then each side, making it a square or rectangle.
- Now decide on your serving plates. Cut the watermelon to match the shape of the plate -- could be circular, square, rectangular, or into cubes to add to a salad if you'd like --- it's up to you! Whatever you choose, the slices should be about ½ thick.
- Place the slices (or cubes) in a large, heavy-duty zip-lock bag -- be sure the watermelon pieces are laying flat and as close together as possible. Remove as much air as possible form the bag as you seal it. (You will need more than one bag.) Now lay the bags flat on a baking sheet or tray that will fit into your freezer. Place something flat on top -- I use another baking sheet, but if that doesn't work for you, you can even use a piece of cardboard. Now place heavy items on top to weigh it down -- could be cans of food, packages of frozen meat or even ice packs. Whatever works. Leave it in the freezer for 2 hours.
Assembly
- When you're ready to plate the watermelon, after the 2 hours, let it sit out just until it’s thawed through, about 15 minutes or so. Then use the bottom of a spoon to thickly spread about 2 tablespoons of the Creamy Lime Avocado Dressing on the plate -- mostly in the center. Add a watermelon slice on top and gently press it into the dressing so that it spreads beneath it.
- Evenly divide the tomatoes among the plates, and a few slices of the jalapeño peppers (use as many as you'd like, depending on how much heat you want). Add a sprig or two of thyme and serve!
NOTES
Nutritional information is only an estimate.
NUTRITION
Judy at My Well Seasoned Life
My god this is a brilliant presentation and method. Can't believe how simple but how elegant it looks when finished.
valentina
thanks, Judy! I think you would love it. (IMHO) 😉
Liz Schmitt
Gorgeous - think this will be the salad for a dinner party this weekend - how creative!
valentina
Thanks, Liz! Enjoy! XO
David
I am about to make pickled watermelon rind, so I will have LOTS of flesh to play with. Can't wait to try this - and the dressing looks amazing AND versatile! xo
valentina
Perfect, David. I have yet to try pickled watermelon rind -- must try it with the next one. 🙂
David Scott Allen
You aren't going to believe this, but I woke up at 3:30 this morning with an idea for a compressed watermelon dish. I must have been channeling this recipe from 2015!! I think it came to mind because I now have a vacuum sealer, which will make all the difference. I think I first heard about it when there was some fancy article in the NY Times that mentioned it. It did catch my eye, and obviously my heart (and taste buds, of course)!
valentina
So awesome you have a vacuum sealer -- I still need to invest in one! Great for sous vide cooking too!
I really love that you wake up thinking of recipes. Me too. Can't wait to see what you come up with for watermelon. Since they're so sweet right now, I can't get enough. 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
I made your salad several times last summer. I made the mistake of using a watermelon with seeds -- that was tedious! But what I love about this recipe is that you can do individual servings and it is so pretty. And it is so easy.
By the way, the vacuum sealer I have is a bit of a bust when the ingredient (i.e. watermelon) is juicy. I simply had to do it the old-fashioned way!
Shirley
Yes, this woul work for all melons. I had a fabulous salad with three different kinds of compressed melon, as well as compressed pineapple, in a restaurant recently. The best summer salad that I have ever tasted. All of the flavors were intense and heightened from this clever, interesting technique
valentina
Thanks for sharing this info, and your salad sounds like it was amazing! 🙂 ~Valentina
Ron
Boy, you just taught this old dog something new. I've never thought of vac-sealing a slice of watermelon or pairing with avocado cream. My kind of fun and tasty dish! I just added watermelon to our weekly grocery delivery. Thanks for the inspiration and cooking lesson.
valentina
Thanks so much, Ron! Hope you have fun trying it. It's a pretty cool cooking project and such a great summertime treat. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
What a unique recipe! I am so curious about compressing the watermelon and now I must give this a try! Can't wait... 🙂
valentina
Hope you try it, Kathy. It's fun. Thanks so much and enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Love love love sweet and savoury/spicy/salty combos so totally digging the watermelon and jalapeno! What a lovely combination and recipe for a warm summer day 🙂
Suzan D
I am going to make this next week. When assembling, does the alter melon need to thaw first, or do I place it in the dressing while still frozen?
valentina
Hi Suzan, thanks so much for writing in. And a big thank you for bringing this detail to my attention. Yes, it should sit for a bit before adding it to the plate/sauce -- just until it's thawed through, about 30 minutes or so. I hope you love the watermelon, and have a lovely weekend. 🙂 ~Valentina
Brenda Faherty
Hello For someone who does not like nor eat avocado , is there some other kind of dressing I could use? I hope so Thanks
Valentina
Hi Brenda. Thanks for writing in. 🙂 This is also really nice with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, or even just balsamic. I also really like it with this Lime Jalapeño Vinaigrette, which is super mild (unless you leave the seeds, which I typically don't). Enjoy! ~Valentina
Marissa
I'm so excited to try this, Valentina! We had a compressed watermelon salad as part of our anniversary dinner last year and loved it, but didn't realize it would be so easy to make at home. Thank you so much for the inspiration and instructions!
Valentina
Thank you! Hope it's as good as what you had in the restaurant. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Christina
What a unique way to present watermelon! I'm a huge fan and have never tried this before or tasted it compressed. Thanks for enlightening me! Will have to try it!
Valentina
Thank you, Christina! I think you'll love it. 🙂 ~Valentina
sherry
Sounds delicious. Watermelon is so refreshing!
sherryspickings
Valentina
Thanks, Sherry! 🙂 ~Valentina
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
How interesting! I'd never heard of compressed watermelon but I'm super intrigued. Definitely have to give this a go.
And the dish is gorgeous. Art on a plate.
Valentina
Thank you so much, Frank. I hope you give it a go and enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
2pots2cook
You brought watermelon to a completely new level Valentina! This is soooooo beautiful!
Valentina
Thank you so much!! 🙂 ~Valentina