Watermelon and Labneh Salad with Pistachio Dukkah or Sumac

Nothing screams summer quite like a juicy and sweet watermelon. Okay, maybe ice cream. But seriously, forget about vine-ripe tomatoes, sweet corn on the cob, and summer stone fruits, an ice cold slice of sweet watermelon in the hot afternoon is truly a summertime pleasure. This salad is the perfect side to some grilled chicken and brings a fresh sweetness that complements any grilled meat. You can even serve this as a breakfast, just swap some homemade granola for dukkah. Watermelon is considered a very healthy snack. Its high water content (92%) helps keep you hydrated.
Dukkah, a crunchy blend of roasted nuts, with sesame seeds, herbs and spices, can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, or in the fridge, for up to 2 months to spice up any vegetables, salads, meat and fish with Middle Eastern flavour.

Pistachio Dukkah	Watermelon Salad
35 g Almonds 35 g Roasted pistachios, shelled 50 g Sesame seeds (white or black) 2 tsp Fennel seeds 2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp Ground coriander 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp Sea salt	1 Small watermelon, cut into wedges, cubes or balls Celtic grey salt Fresh herbs (basil, lemon thyme, mint) 200 g Labneh Pistachios Sumac Lemon zest

Dry toast the almonds and pistchios briefly over medium-high heat, tossing regularly, until the nuts have turned slightly browned and smlled aromatic. Set aside.
Place the sesame seeds in the same skillet and return to the heat. Toast over medium heat, tossing regularly, until the sesame seeds turn golden brown.
Place toasted almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, spices and sea salt in a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds until the mixture is coarsely chopped.
Place the watermelon into a mixing bowl, season with salt and add the fresh herbs. Gently mix to combine.
When you are ready to serve, spread the labneh on a plate. Top with watermelon and sprinkle the prepared pistachio dukkah. Or simply sprinkle some sumac, lemon zest and pistachios over. Garnish with some extra fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately.

40 comments:

Tom 14/7/21 04:17: ...a wonderful summer treat.
Christine 14/7/21 05:42: So refreshing!
Grace 14/7/21 07:04: Deliciosa y saludable!!
No hay como comer una buena ensalada!!
Gracias Angie!!
Margaret D 14/7/21 07:50: Just love watermelon.
Sherry's Pickings 14/7/21 08:49: yes i like watermelon salad. so refreshing. i've always liked the one with olives and red onion etc. this one sounds tasty too.
Martyna 14/7/21 09:02: I like such salads to eat in the summer;)
Federica Simoni 14/7/21 09:09: Che meraviglia, perfetta per l'estate😍
DEZMOND 14/7/21 09:46: What is sumac? It is nice that it is again the watermelon season, I'm waiting for the baby ones to appear.
Nammi 14/7/21 10:59: Hi Angie!, this looks so refreshing!
I am surprised to learn you havent tried gulab jamuns.
Nancy Chan 14/7/21 11:49: Refreshing salad. I like watermelon and I like pistachio but I have never eaten them together like this salad.
Martha 14/7/21 14:08: Delicious! There really is nothing better than watermelon in the summertime. :)
Brian's Home Blog 14/7/21 15:16: I'll bet that's yummy and refreshing!
beyondkimchee 14/7/21 15:53: Juicy and sweet watermelon is the best in the summer. I can see how good this salad would be with grilled chicken. Yummy!
Kitchen Riffs 14/7/21 15:56: We're in high watermelon season at the moment, and I'm buying one a week. Mostly we're eating it as a snack, but I do like to use it in salads, too. This is a terrific looking one! Perfect for one of our dinners. Thanks!
thepaintedapron.com 14/7/21 16:22: As usual, I had to look up alot of these ingredients that I'm not familiar with, another wonderful culinary lesson, and the salad sound divine!
Jenna
Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine 14/7/21 17:27: I love watermelon its part of my daily diet since its so low in calories and keeps me in check with my weight this looks delicious!
foodtravelandwine 14/7/21 18:08: So delicious and so creative!!.....I love the use of sumac here.....I want to try it!!!.......Abrazotes, Marcela
Bill 14/7/21 18:34: Watermelon is the best, I love it.
Angie's Recipes 14/7/21 19:24: @DEZMOND It's middle eastern spice and has a flavor typically likened to the tartness of lemon.
Pedro 14/7/21 21:58: Very fresh dish, brilliantly dressed with Pistachio Dukkah!
Greetings!
Eva Taylor 14/7/21 22:06: Healthy and beautiful too. I just love the colour. It's gotten really hot and humid here so this type of food is just what the weather ordered.
Eva http://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/
J.P. Alexander 15/7/21 02:21: Nunca he comido de esa forma la sandia . Gracias por la receta. Te mando un beso
Balvinder 15/7/21 02:57: Labneh with the watermelon salad looks so amazing!!! I can eat this every day!
Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews 15/7/21 06:13: I really like the sound of the Pistachio Dukkah, that combination of flavours really appeals to my palate.

I have to say though, that of all the melon varieties, the water melon, whilst it may be the most healthy option, is my least favourite.

I much prefer the stronger flavours of either the honeydew or cantaloupe varieties, so perhaps I could do a switch for my dish, even though I can see it might not look quite so impressive on the plate!

Thanks for sharing another great easy summer option! :)
julie 15/7/21 10:21: Angie, you're on a salad spree.. so many wide varieties, interesting to know about pistachio dukkah and labneh !!
» Joha 15/7/21 12:48: Great post!, thanks for sharing. X
Kinga K. 15/7/21 14:49: Perfect for summer❤
tigerfish 15/7/21 15:22: Yes, summer indeed! I hardly buy watermelon but just last week, I bought a GIGANTIC one (heat wave here and organic watermelon was on sale for $3.50!). I like your uses of dukkah in this salad. The only watermelon salad I make is one with feta cheese, picked onions, black pepper.
savorthebest 15/7/21 16:03: This is such a refreshing salad and perfect for the summer.
SavoringTime in the Kitchen 15/7/21 17:54: I have watermelon in the refrigerator right now! I love watermelon salads with feta but love the idea of using labneh and the dukkah recipe sounds fabulous!!
Pam 15/7/21 18:37: What a tasty combination of flavors & textures.
The-FoodTrotter 15/7/21 23:38: OMG I'm just in love with your recipe! I'm a massive fan of Middle-Eastern cuisines and this combination of watermelon and yogurt is so peculiar but looks so delicious at the same time. I need to do it ASAP it's very for scorching summer days even if it's quite rainy these days in France ^^
Lowcarb team member 16/7/21 00:29: Watermelon is so refreshing.

All the best Jan
The Yum List 17/7/21 09:08: This looks so fresh and delicious.
claire 17/7/21 23:23: It can make a summer day! Looks gorgeous! I love watermelon too, only I feel disapointed that I cannot buy yellow honey watermelon here in Warsaw this year...
gluten Free A_Z Blog 18/7/21 03:30: This is such a wonderful salad and would be great in this oppressively hot weather we have been having. I love Dukkah and it sounds so interesting with this salad.
Debra Eliotseats 19/7/21 16:50: I love a recipe that I can use one of my favorite spices in!
Happy Retiree's Kitchen 22/7/21 01:28: So many amazing ingredients here. So fresh and delicious Angie.
Tisa Jacob 27/7/21 06:15: Wonderful grouping of flavors, Angie. Your recipes always have me in awe- unique ingredients and just plain gorgeous!
Noob Cook 1/8/21 09:55: I bought half a watermelon recently, was thinking about what to make with the leftover, but at the end I just whiz it to make watermelon juice :P LOL Love your creativity using seasonal ingredients.