Watermelon Shiso Salad

A simple delicious recipe for Watermelon Shiso Salad with Cucumber, Sesame Seeds and Scallions – a light and refreshing Asian style Watermelon Salad that is vegan, gluten-free and full of flavor! 

There is nothing you can see that is not a flower; there is nothing you can think that is not the moon.~ Basho

Here’s a refreshing Watermelon Shiso Salad with crunchy cucumbers, shiso leaves, scallions and a simple Asian Dressing. No problem if you can’t find shiso leaves -simply leave them off- but I wanted to introduce you to this delightful herb so you can put it on your radar for later down the road.  It wasn’t until I went to Japan that I began to appreciate shiso’s lovely flavor fully.

What is shiso?

Shiso is a Japanese herb and a relative of mint and basil. Typically, heart-shaped with jagged edges, shiso is generally deep red, burgundy or light green. Shiso tastes herbaceous and slightly bitter often with hint of mint or lemon, adding a very unique complexity to dishes.

Where to finD shiso leaves?

The easiest way to find Shiso is to pick up a potted plant in the herb section of your local plant nursery or farmer’s market. Grow it in a container on the patio along with other herbs (or in the ground) and that way you’ll always have some on hand.  Shiso is also available at upscale markets or Asian markets, and is sometimes called perilla. It can range in color from  green to burgundy to deep purplish black, just look for the jaggedy edges.

Why I Love this Asian Watermelon Salad

Vegan and gluten-free, this Watermelon Salad is refreshing and light and really unique! It pairs well with other Asian meals.

Ingredients in Watermelon Shiso Salad

The ingredients are kept very simple; Watermelon, cucumber, scallions, and cilantro all tossed in an Asian dressing.

How to make Watermelon Shiso Salad

The nice thing about this recipe is it only takes 15 minutes to prepare.

Chop, stir in dressing and gently mix everything in a bowl. That’s it! Add optional jalapeño slices for a little heat.

Mmmmmmm. So juicy, refreshing and cooling on these hot summer days.

Give this Watermelon Salad a whirl, it’s easy!

xo

More recipes you may like:

• Watermelon Tomato Salad
• Moroccan Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Pistachio
• Plum Salad
• Watermelon Gazpacho

Watermelon Shiso Salad

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Sylvia Fountaine | feasting at home
• Prep Time: 15
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 5 1x
• Category: salad, vegan, gluten-free
• Method: tossed
• Cuisine: Hawaiian
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

A simple, delicious Watermelon Salad with a sesame- lime dressing, cucumbers, cilantro and scallions, finished with optional shiso ribbons. A great vegan substitute for ahi poke salad.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 cups cubed seedless watermelon (cut into 1 inch cubes, or less)
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 3 scallions, cut thin, at a diagonal
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste
• few slices jalapeño ( optional)
• 2 shiso leaves, stacked, rolled and cut into thin ribbons – Optional-for garnishing
• 1–2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds for garnishing

Ginger Lime Dressing

• 1/2 teaspoon very finely minced ginger ( or use ginger paste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey or agave
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons shoyu, soy sauce or GF liquid amino acids

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Instructions

Place watermelon, cucumber, scallions, and cilantro in a medium bowl.

Mix dressing ingredients together in a small bowl then pour over watermelon salad.

Gently toss.  Taste for salt, adding a little salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with jalapeño, shiso ribbons and toasted sesame seeds.

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Notes

Serve this on its own as a refreshing salad, or create a vegan “Poke” Bowl, serving it over rice with avocado, greens and edamame.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 74
• Sugar: 13.4 g
• Sodium: 3.2 mg
• Fat: 1.5 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 16 g
• Fiber: 0.7 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: watermelon salad, shies salad, watermelon shies salad, what is shiso, shiso recipes, what is shiso, shiso salad, watermelon poke, vegan salad recipe, japanese salad,

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