Today we are making a really fun alternative to traditional pizza: Watermelon pizza with nut cheese! It might sound like a crazy combination but the sweet crunchy watermelon with the creamy nut cheese and the salty olives tastes so good. It’s one of my favorite snacks or light lunches during summertime because it’s really hydrating, super easy to make and surprisingly filling. The nut cheese is actually an adapted recipe from my new book ‘Vegan & Raw 2’ - you can have a look at it right HERE.
Watermelon Pizza with Nut Cheese | How to make Raw Vegan Cheese
SERVES: 2 cups of nut cheese – enough for 2 medium pizzas
EQUIPMENT: blender, rubber spatula
INGREDIENTS:
Nut Cheese (adapted recipe from my cookbook Vegan & Raw 2)
1 ½ cup (180 g) nuts (I used cashews & macadamia nuts)
10 tablespoons (130 ml) water
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
1 tablespoon white shiro miso (rice-soybean paste - optional)
1 teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt
Watermelon Pizza
1 small watermelon
½ small cucumber, sliced
2 handfuls of sprouts (I used alfalfa)
1 handful olives, pitted and sliced
1 handful fresh herbs: oregano, basil, mint…
DIRECTIONS:
Nut Cheese
Blend all the ingredients into creamy nut cheese, preferably using a high-speed blender. If needed, use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender in between mixing.
Watermelon Pizza
1. Using a sharp knife, cut off a slice of watermelon right down the middle, about 2-3 inches thick.
2. Cut the watermelon slice in smaller ‘pizza slices’. Top each slice with a few tablespoons of nut cheese, leaving a bit of empty space at the top.
3. Layer with toppings of your choice. I used sliced cucumber, sprouts, sliced olives and fresh mint and oregano.
4. Garnish with edible flowers and seeds if desired. I used lightly toasted pine nuts, curried sunflower & pumpkin seeds (also a recipe from my book Vegan & Raw 2) and crumbled pistachio.
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
• This nut cheese will stay fresh for at least 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• The pizza tastes and looks best when served fresh. As soon as you add the nut cheese, the watermelon will release some of its water content because it reacts with the salt.
• If you’d like to serve this watermelon pizza for a big crowd, it’s really fun to have everyone layer their own pizza. Set out a big platter of watermelon wedges, a bowl of nut cheese and several small bowls with your toppings, and get the pizza party started :)
Now I would love to hear from you! Have you ever tried watermelon pizza before? What’s your favorite way to enjoy watermelon: first thing in the morning for breakfast, as a sweet snack in between meals or in a refreshing salad? Definitely let me know by leaving a comment down below.
