You won't believe this Watermelon Tuna recipe! Just 7 ingredients and 1 hour of hands-off baking is all it takes to transform regular watermelon into a vegan tuna steak- no fishies harmed! Nori, soy sauce, miso paste, and a few other ingredients are used to season the watermelon, then the key is to bake the watermelon, which completely changes the watermelon to a tender raw fish texture. This recipe is a must-try!
I'm not new to the idea of using watermelon as a vegan fish substitute. I actually shared a recipe for Spicy Watermelon Vegan Sushi back in 2017 where uncooked watermelon is chopped up and tossed in a spicy mayo sauce (yum)! But recently there has been a new trend where the watermelon is baked which completely transforms the texture from crispy and juicy, to tender and much more similar to raw fish. It's so cool!
There are a lot of influencers sharing their take on vegan watermelon tuna, but I was first inspired by Sam (great name 😉) of @nomeatdisco version which I tried making and shared in my Instagram stories (it was super delicious)! Follow Sam for more amazing plant-based recipes- I have to try his cauliflower nuggets next!
I loved the flavors of the watermelon tuna but I wanted to simplify the recipe a little, so today I am presenting you with my version of watermelon tuna. Easy to make, perfect for making ahead, and can be enjoyed anyway you like!
Ingredients:
Watermelon: I find that an underripe watermelon works best so that the end result isn't too sweet. It's also a little easier to work with a seedless watermelon so that you don't have to pick out seeds.
Nori: is the seaweed used to make sushi rolls. It is easily available in most grocery stores. I chop up the nori with kitchen scissors and add it to the marinade to help add a fishy taste.
Soy sauce: is used to add umami and salt. If you are gluten-free you can sub it for tamari.
Apple cider vinegar: is added to help cut the sweetness of the watermelon. Some other recipes call for rice vinegar, but rice vinegar is often seasoned with sugar so I didn't want to add any additional sweetness to the watermelon.
Light oil (such as canola or vegetable oil): is used to help cook the watermelon evenly and add some fattiness to the watermelon tuna. Other recipes called for sesame oil, but the strong sesame flavor doesn't taste like tuna to me, so I preferred a neutral oil. If you want the sesame oil taste (such as if you are using this watermelon tuna in a poke bowl), you could substitute 1 tablespoon of light oil for 1 tablespoon sesame oil.
Miso paste: adds more umami and savoriness to the watermelon. It's one of my favorite ingredients to use in my vegan seafood recipes.
Garlic: and lastly 4 cloves (or about 2 tsp) of minced garlic.
Common Questions:
What does watermelon tuna taste like? Watermelon tuna has a similar taste to tuna fish, except it is slightly sweeter. It works wonderfully as sashimi, in a sushi roll, in a poke bowl, served on rice or noodles, or enjoyed as a main with roasted potatoes and a salad.
Can watermelon be used as a meat substitute? Absolutely! When watermelon is baked, the texture completely changes. It gets soft and slightly chewy making it a similar texture to raw fish.
How to make Watermelon Tuna:
Preheat your oven to 375F (190C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
To prep the watermelon: cut the watermelon into 1-inch thick slices. Cut off and discard the rind, and cut it into steak-sized pieces. Depending on your watermelon size and shape you should get about 6 watermelon steaks. (I like to make tuna steaks, but you could also chop it into cubes if you prefer, which will take less time to bake).
To make watermelon tuna: In a large baking dish or a sealable bag, mix together the chopped-up nori sheets, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, oil, miso paste, and garlic.
Add the watermelon and coat in the marinade. Spread the watermelon slices on the lined baking sheet in a single layer, and drizzle over any leftover marinade. (There is no need for marinating as the flavors will infuse in the oven, and even more if you store the watermelon overnight).
Bake for 1 hour or until the watermelon is soft and has a fishy texture when pierced with a fork.
To serve: You can enjoy the watermelon tuna warm or cold. My favorite way to serve it is to let the watermelon tuna cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The longer you store it in the fridge, the more tuna-y it will become! When ready to enjoy, drain off the excess juices, and optionally brush the nori off of the watermelon (just for presentation). Slice it, and enjoy it like sashimi or make a sushi roll. You can also enjoy it with rice, on noodles, in a poke bowl, or with a side salad and roast potatoes. Optionally you can sprinkle with sesame seeds as I did in these photos.
This watermelon tuna is...
- a cruelty-free fish alternative
- easy to make
- surprisingly fishy!
More vegan seafood recipes you might enjoy:
The Best Vegan Ceviche
Sticky Garlic Vegan Salmon
Vegan Garlic Seared Scallops
Easy Vegan Crab Cakes
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Watermelon Tuna!
Servings:
PRINT
PIN
Video
COMMENT
Ingredients
- 3 lbs watermelon, *see step 1 for prep (an underripe watermelon works best so that it isn't too sweet)
- 2 sheets nori, finely chopped *see notes
- ¼ cup soy sauce, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F (190C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To prep the watermelon: cut the watermelon into 1-inch thick slices. Cut off and discard the rind, and cut it into steak-sized pieces. Depending on your watermelon size and shape you should get about 6 steaks. If your watermelon has seeds you may want to pick them out.
- To make watermelon tuna: In a large baking dish or a sealable bag, mix together the nori, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, oil, miso paste, and garlic. Add the watermelon and coat in the marinade.
- Spread the watermelon slices on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, and pour over any leftover marinade. (There is no need to let the watermelon marinate as the flavors will infuse in the oven). Bake for 1 hour or until the watermelon is soft and has a fishy texture when pierced with a fork.
- To serve: You can enjoy the watermelon tuna warm or cold. My favorite way to serve it is to let the watermelon tuna cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The longer you store it in the fridge, the more tuna-y it will become! When ready to enjoy, I brush the nori off of the watermelon (which is optional), slice it, and enjoy it like sashimi or make a sushi roll. You can also enjoy it with rice, on noodles, in a poke bowl, or with a side salad and roast potatoes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Adrian says
This was awesome and so auspicious! I had this barely sweet watermelon taking up space in the fridge and this put it to goos use. I have been enjoying it throughout this week and even shared my photos and your recipe at work. I was so proud of my Vegan tuna . Thank you so much!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
You should be proud! Thanks for giving it a whirl!
Lisa Griffith says
This was delicious! I did use sesame oil as I was using it for a poke bowl and it was perfect. Also, it was red miso that I had on hand and that works great, too.
Courtney Moses says
Made this to use for vegan sushi. Wow! So crazy how much it tastes and feels like tuna. Awesome recipe to wow non vegans with!
Jackie Stremlau says
We will never buy tuna again, this is a wonderful replacement
Kathie says
So delicious! Very easy to make too! I used a ripe watermelon and it was still good! Can’t wait to try it with a non-ripe one! Thank you for a very creative new idea!!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you enjoyed it Kathie! Thank you for the review 🙂
Jessica says
I let it sit in the marinade for a few hours and it was so flavorful! This is a keeper!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Fantastic!
Linda says
Is there an oil substitute? Asking for someone with heart disease.
Sam Turnbull says
I would sub vegetable broth or aquafaba. Enjoy!
Leah says
Any guidance on making this in a dehydrator? Trying to keep it raw vegan! Thanks in advance
Hannah says
Delicious! Do you have any tips for storing leftover watermelon tuna?
Sam Turnbull says
Let the watermelon tuna cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 🙂
Hannah says
Thank you! I was mainly wondering if you can keep it in the freezer? Any experience with that? 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried that, but it might work.
Krinio says
Even though I only had over ripe watermelon and some sweetness remained these were AWESOME. I made sushi rolls. My omni tuna-loving husband gave two thumbs up and we ended up having sushi 3 days in a row.
Thank you <3
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Awesome!!
Stephanie Kadison says
I love your recipes and your meal plan, so I know that I did something wrong... your recipes are foolproof, for real.
My watermelon tuna turned out TOO SWEET, even after leaving it in the oven 1 full hour and leaving it in the marinade for five days.. did anyone else have this issue?
Any thoughts on how to fix this sweetness issue? Planta Queen's watermelon tuna does not taste sweet at all... and I am thinking that I did something wrong...
Thanks for any advice you can offer! The texture was ON POINT though.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love my recipes, Stephanie! There is no added sweetness so my guess is that your watermelon was very ripe and sweet. Try to find an underripe watermelon, next time and I bet it will be more to your tastes. Hope that helps!
Steph says
IT WORKED!! You are a genius!!!
I found a bland watermelon and it turned out really, really well!! It was SOOO delicious!
(I should also mention I used rice vinegar, which did not take away from the deliciousness at all.)
Sam Turnbull says
Fantastic! So thrilled it worked for you 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
I added that tip to the recipe 😉
Evie Gregory says
I would like to try this watermelon tuna recipe. Which type of miso do you use, white, yellow, or red?
Sam Turnbull says
White miso! I've updated the recipe to include that info 🙂
Damiana says
Just made this and it was mind blowing! I had the best poke bowl tonight!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! SO happy you loved it!!
Katy says
Looks to good to be true! Can’t wait to try…. Can it be done in the air fryer?
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tested it in an air fryer yet, but the watermelon would need to be in a single layer (so you may only be able to make 1/2 the recipe at a time). I would try 350F for 30 - 45 minutes. If you give it a try, let us know how it works!
Lizzie says
What about using Atlantic Dulse extract?
Sam Turnbull says
I've never tried it, but you're welcome to give it a go!
Linda says
FYI
Cook time in recipe says 1 minute instead of 1hour.
Sam Turnbull says
Fixed! Thanks!
Patricia says
I'd love to try this very interesting recipe, but I'm not sure about having my oven on for an hour in summer. Could these salmon steaks be cooked in an air fryer? How long would it take?
Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tested it in an air fryer yet, but the watermelon would need to be in a single layer (so you may only be able to make 1/2 the recipe at a time). I would try 350F for 30 - 45 minutes. If you give it a try, let us know how it works!
Sue says
this whole concept is blowing my mind. Can't wait to get a watermelon! Thanks Sam. You are a creative genius!
Sam Turnbull says
You're welcome, Sue! I hope you love it when you try it!