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Bon Appétit

Watermelon and Snap Pea Salad

4.4

(65)

Watermelon and Snap Pea Salad Recipe
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime

I serve this refreshing and unexpectedly savory summer salad whenever I want to make a good impression—like the time I first met my partner’s family (they still talk about it!). I love the way the sweetness of perfectly ripe melon is carried by the Taiwanese black vinegar, which delivers deep complexity and subtle fruity notes. The prep time is short and the flavors are strong, a recipe sure to hook you and whoever you serve it to.

About the black vinegar: Kong Yen-brand vinegar is an iconic Taiwanese black vinegar-based condiment that’s infused with a variety of vegetables, fruits, and spices, giving it an idiosyncratic flavor. While Chinese black vinegar (such as Chinkiang brand) tastes different, it can work in a pinch, but an even better substitute would be equal parts Worcestershire sauce, rice vinegar, and orange juice. —Jessie YuChen

This recipe is part of Short Is Sweet, our collection of summer dishes that deliver a whole lot of deliciousness in 30 minutes or less.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 Servings

Ingredients

1

garlic clove, finely chopped

½

cup Kong Yen or Chinkiang black vinegar

2

Tbsp. black sesame oil or toasted sesame oil

1

Tbsp. chile crisp (such as Lao Gan Ma) or Sze Daddy chili sauce

2

tsp. dark (aged) soy sauce (preferably Kimlan)

1

tsp. fish sauce

½

tsp. Taiwanese or Japanese groundblack sugar or dark brown sugar

¼

tsp. freshly ground white or black pepper

3

Tbsp. store-bought fried shallots, divided

8

oz. sugar snap peas, trimmed, thinly sliced on a diagonal

¼

cup thinly sliced Thai basil or mint

1

baby seedless watermelon (about 3 lb.), rind removed, flesh cut into 1" pieces

2

tsp. toasted black and/or white sesame seeds

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Mix garlic, vinegar, oil, chile crisp, soy sauce, fish sauce, black sugar, white pepper, and 1 Tbsp. fried shallots in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved.

    Step 2

    Add sugar snap peas and basil to dressing in bowl and toss to coat.

    Step 3

    Arrange watermelon on a platter or individual plates and top with sugar snap pea mixture. Drizzle any dressing remaining in bowl over. Scatter sesame seeds and remaining 2 Tbsp. fried shallots on top.

Explore Bon AppétitSaladTaiwaneseEast AsianAsianWatermelonMelonFruitSugar Snap PeaPeaVegetableThai BasilBasilSummerQuickEasyWeeknight MealsStarterSideDairy-FreeHealthyishDinner
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Reviews (65)

Back to TopTriangle

  • Here's the problem I have with MOST BA recipes. EXOTIC INGREDUENTS! We don't all live in New York City or Chicago or L.A. I live in a small town of 18,000 in coastal Alabama. In town we have a Walmart Super Center, a Winn-Dixie, Piggly Wiggly, a Publix, and a Rouse's 15 miles away. They don't have half the ingredients in the above recipe. Maybe you could dial it back a bit or, at least, give substitutes. Thank you and Roll Tide!

    • AV8R

    • coastal Alabama

    • 5/30/2021

  • I LOVE this recipe. I am relatively new to Taiwanese cooking, but have found so much use for the black vinegar and dark soy sauce. I never understood how much depth and difference there were to different Taiwanese soy sauces and vinegars! Thankful for this easy + quick weekday dinner that has taught me so much about Taiwanese culture :^)

    • Emily Abramson

    • Brooklyn NY

    • 5/31/2021

  • I LOVED this recipe! It is so perfect for summer. I live outside Santa Fe, NM and even though I had to explore to find a couple of the ingredients, it led me to finding a new Asian grocery store. I am so happy to add them to my pantry and experiment. Can’t wait to see more recipes by Jessie YuChen.

    • Anonymous

    • Santa Fe, NM

    • 5/31/2021

  • I am interested to know if black vinegar compares to Nonna Pia's?

    • Anonymous

    • Pocatello, ID

    • 5/31/2021

  • Tough call. Sounded great, good ingredients, always interesting to combine sweet with savory and umami, but didn't make the "will make again" list. I wish I could be more specific. Maybe use mint instead of basil? God knows basil is way up there in the herb hierarchy. The dark vinegar is a good component, as is dark soy sauce. Anyway, I hope you love it. I'll stick with a wedge. Jk...

    • Paul

    • Texas

    • 5/31/2021

  • There doesn't seem to be an avenue at BA to comment or ask questions other than through this review process. They say want to contact us and then there is no contact information available at least that I could see except for a snail mail address in the magazine. I think this recipe looks good as I love to try new flavor combinations but I do wish sometimes that along with a recipe there would be suggestions for what to serve with it. That goes for many of BA's recipes as well as other's. As to the reviewer who is frustrated by ingredients that are difficult for her to get, I can see how that would be disappointing but there are many recipes in BA as well as other food magazines that don't appeal to me or have ingredients that I can't eat. It's impossible to please everyone.

    • Sherwood

    • Seattle's, WA

    • 6/1/2021

  • I am going to try this recipe for a Lunch-N-Learn presentation through my work. Someone on the Lunch-N-Learn team said that maybe they will try watermelon basil instead of the Thai basil called for in the recipe. Or I might try mint instead. Good suggestions all and I will share some of your comments in the presentation...

    • Anonymous

    • Madison, WI

    • 6/4/2021