Watermelon “Ahi” Steak Sandwiches
The first watermelons of the season are starting to show up and I just couldn’t resist buying one. The older I get, the more I fall in love with watermelon. They are the prefect treat to eat when it starts to get hot this summer. Watermelon is super hydrating, great for your skin with tons of vitamins and nutrients, and packed full of flavor. They say they have cancer fighting properties, can aid with digestion, and help lower inflammation in the body. All this in a watermelon? You betcha!
Now you’re thinking…wait…what does watermelon and ahi have in common? Well, watermelon is great at absorbing many flavors, and when you throw all the fixings you would marinate an ahi filet with, it sucks it up like a sponge. When you let it marinate and then bake it down, it becomes a wonderful consistency. Light, salty, savory, with a bit of sweetness.
A few weeks ago, I thought about how I wanted to try marinating a watermelon for an ahi filet like I did for the watermelon poke from my upcoming cookbook. “Cook. Heal. Go Vegan!” or like my watermelon roast I created last summer. I used different ingredients with slightly similar techniques for this recipe. I didn’t know how it would turn out, but I was determined to try. I waited for the very first watermelons of the season and I immediately went home and created this sandwich. Let me just say first….This dish was absolutely wonderful. I told my husband mid way through, that this sandwich was the best sandwich I’ve had in months!
Each bite, you taste the sweetness from the watermelon, the spiciness from wasabi, the creaminess from the avocado, the crunchiness from the grated carrots, and the mild saltiness from the coconut aminos and liquid aminos. It’s literal heaven. Plus besides having to wait for the buns and the watermelon to marinate, this recipe is pretty quick and easy to make. Go for it….it’s the best sandwich you’ll have all month!
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Makes 5-6 sandwiches:
The Goods:
For the watermelon “ahi” steaks:
1 mini watermelon, peeled and sliced into 5-6 large slices
1/4 cup Big Tree Farms coconut aminos
1 tbsp liquid aminos
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp kelp flakes
1 tsp sriracha hot sauce
For the 20 min activated charcoal slider buns:
Click here for recipe - Rolled into 5-6 large buns
For the wasabi mayo:
1/2 cup vegan mayo or cashew cream
1 tbsp - 1 tsp wasabi paste
1 tbsp rice vinegar
For the toppings:
3 medium carrots, grated
1/2 of small purple cabbage
4 green onions, sliced
3 avocados, peeled and sliced
The Method:
Prep your mini watermelon into slices of similar thickness. You may need to use the knife to chisel the center slices down to have them all the similar diameter in size. Now lay the 5-6 slices of watermelon into a large flat pan with edges, like a 13x9 baking tray works.
Into a mason jar, add your “ahi” watermelon steak marinade ingredients together and stir with a spoon until fully mixed. Pour the marinade over your watermelon “ahi” steaks, flip each one a few times to allow both sides of the watermelon to soak up some of the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for 2-4 hours or at least 45min if in a hurry.
As the “ahi” marinates, you can chill! Go for a walk, get outside, take a nap, do whatever you like! The longer the watermelon marinates the better. The last half hour the watermelon is marinating, go and prep your charcoal slider buns. Follow the recipe above and create the same number of buns with the same number of steaks you had cut. (About 5-6) Once the buns have cooked, let them cool fully.
Now if you had just made the buns, your oven was at 425, now lower that to 350 degrees. Grab your marinating watermelon, place on an oven safe baking tray if you haven’t already, and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes. Once done let them cool for 10 or so minutes before assembling sandwiches.
Grab a small bowl, and add your vegan mayo, wasabi paste, rice vinegar, and stir with spoon until you have a consistent sauce. Set side.
Once the “ahi” steaks and slider buns have cooked, time to make our sandwiches. Sliced your buns with a bread knife down the middle width-wise like a normal burger bun. Grab a plate and place a bottom half of the bun down first. First, spread a dollop or two of wasabi mayo on the bun, pour a spoonful of grated purples cabbage, then a watermelon ahi slice, top with some grated carrot, a few slices of green onion, and 1/2 a sliced avocado.
Place the top bun to squeeze everything together, and BAM! You have your amazing delicious sandwich!
Take pictures of your amazing creation and then dive in. Enjoy!
Thanks so much for checking out our recipes! I hope you find something here that satisfies your cravings or encourages you to try something new. Make sure to check back every week to see our new recipes!
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