You won’t believe this Watermelon Tuna recipe! It only takes 7 ingredients and an hour of hands-off baking to turn regular watermelon into a vegan tuna steak—no fish were harmed! The watermelon is seasoned with nori, soy sauce, miso paste, and a few other things. The key is to bake the watermelon, which turns it into a tender raw fish texture. This recipe is a must-try!.
Im not new to the idea of using watermelon as a vegan fish substitute. In 2017, I shared a recipe for Spicy Watermelon Vegan Sushi. In this dish, uncooked watermelon is chopped up and mixed with a spicy mayo sauce (yum!). But lately, it’s becoming popular to bake watermelon instead of frying it. This makes the texture much more like raw fish instead of crispy and juicy. Its so cool!.
A lot of people with a lot of followers share their vegan watermelon tuna recipes. The first one that got me thinking was Sam’s (great name, by the way) version, which I tried making and shared on Instagram Stories (it was so tasty!). Follow Sam for more great plant-based recipes—I need to try his cauliflower nuggets next!
I really liked the taste of the watermelon tuna, but I wanted to make the recipe a little easier, so here is my take on it. Easy to make, perfect for making ahead, and can be enjoyed anyway you like!.
Watermelon: I find that an underripe watermelon works best so that the end result isnt too sweet. Also, a watermelon without seeds is easier to work with because you don’t have to pick them out.
Nori: is the seaweed used to make sushi rolls. It is easily available in most grocery stores. I use kitchen shears to cut up the nori and add it to the marinade to help it taste fishy.
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 recipes call for rice vinegar, but I didn’t want to add any more sugar to the watermelon because rice vinegar is usually mixed with sugar.
The watermelon is cooked more evenly with light oil, like canola or vegetable oil. The oil also gives the watermelon tuna some fat. Some recipes called for sesame oil, but I don’t think the strong sesame flavor goes with tuna, so I chose a neutral oil instead. This watermelon tuna could be used in a poke bowl if you want it to taste like sesame oil. You could use 1 tablespoon of light oil instead of 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
Miso paste: adds more umami and savoriness to the watermelon. Its one of my favorite ingredients to use in my vegan seafood recipes.
To what does watermelon tuna taste like? It tastes a lot like tuna fish, but a little sweeter. It’s great as sashimi, in a sushi roll, in a poke bowl, on rice or noodles, or as a main dish 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.
As a busy home cook, I’m always looking for ways to jazz up boring pantry staples like canned tuna. While tuna salad is standard, sometimes you just crave the flavors of chicken. With the right seasonings and cooking techniques, you can totally transform mild tuna into a dish that tastes suspiciously like chicken. Read on for all my tried-and-true tips.
Seasoning is Key
To make tuna taste like chicken, you need to season it boldly. Chicken has a savory, mildly sweet flavor profile. Here are the seasonings I use to achieve that:
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Salt – Brings out flavor and makes it more savory
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Pepper – For a bit of heat
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Paprika – Adds warmth and smokiness
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Onion Powder – Provides flavor base like in chicken dishes
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Garlic Powder – For aromatic background
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Thyme – Earthy herbal notes found in chicken dishes
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Sage – Subtle floral flavor
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Brown Sugar – For a slightly sweet finish
Mix the seasonings and rub them directly onto the tuna before cooking. Let it marinate for 15-20 minutes so the flavors are absorbed.
Match the Cooking Method
Chicken is often grilled, roasted, or sautéed to give it that quintessential flavor. Luckily, we can use similar cooking methods with tuna:
Grilling
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Coat tuna in olive oil and seasonings
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Grill over direct high heat 2-3 minutes per side
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Get nice char marks just like grilled chicken
Pan Searing
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Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat
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Cook tuna 2-3 minutes per side until browned
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Deglaze pan with white wine or chicken broth
Roasting
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Toss seasoned tuna with olive oil
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Roast at 400°F for 12-15 minutes
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Get browned exterior like roasted chicken
Sautéing
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Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat
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Cook tuna 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally
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Sauté aromatics like onions, garlic, mushrooms
Sauces & Toppings
A flavorful sauce or tasty toppings can reinforce that chicken flavor. Here are some options:
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Creamy mushroom sauce
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Tangy barbecue sauce
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Chimichurri with fresh herbs
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Sautéed onions and bell peppers
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Crispy bacon crumbles
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Shredded cheese like cheddar or Monterey Jack
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Sliced avocado
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Fresh tomato salsa
Putting it All Together
Here are two full recipes using the tips above to turn tuna into tasty “chicken”:
“Chicken” Tuna Tacos
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Season tuna with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper
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Sauté in skillet with peppers and onions
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Serve in warm tortillas with salsa and avocado
Tuna “Chicken” Parmesan
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Season tuna with Italian seasoning blend
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Sauté briefly until opaque throughout
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Top with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella
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Finish under broiler
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Serve over pasta
With the right prep, you can fool your tastebuds into thinking you’re eating chicken. Tuna takes to seasonings and cooking methods so well that you won’t believe it’s fish! This opens up a whole new world of “chicken” recipes you can now enjoy using budget-friendly canned tuna.
So go ahead, transform that tuna into tasty “chicken” tonight! Just don’t tell anyone it’s secretly 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 cut it up into cubes instead, which would bake faster.
Mix the chopped nori sheets, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, oil, miso paste, and garlic in a large baking dish or a bag that can be sealed. This will make watermelon tuna.
Add the watermelon and coat in the marinade. Place the watermelon slices in a single layer on the baking sheet that has been lined with foil. Drizzle any extra marinade over the slices. (The flavors will soak into the watermelon in the oven, and they’ll soak in even more if you leave it out overnight.)
After an hour of baking, the watermelon should be soft and feel like fish when pierced with a fork.
To serve: You can enjoy the watermelon tuna warm or cold. Let the watermelon tuna cool all the way down before serving. Then, put it in a container that won’t let air in and put it in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will taste more like tuna the longer you keep it in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat it, drain off the extra juices and, if you want, brush the nori off of the watermelon for looks. Slice it, and enjoy it like sashimi or make a sushi roll. It’s also good with noodles, rice, poke bowls, 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!