One of the most beautiful summer fruits, the watermelon, is often overlooked in this department. Its high water content certainly doesn’t make it ideal for baking, but why not enjoy its sweet, refreshing taste raw? Fresh watermelon goes perfectly with creamy toppings and other fruits, and we’re all for a dessert that doesn’t need to turn on the oven. Here to make watermelon the main event on your dessert table is this July 4th watermelon pizza.

Food blogger, recipe developer and content creator Yumna Jawad from Feel Good Foodie really outdid herself with her healthy recipe for no-bake watermelon pizza. Before making any assumptions about the term “pizza”, Jawad is here to assure you that this is not the mashup it sounds like; Rather, it just relates to how the watermelon is presented and served. “Don’t worry, it’s not like a pineapple pizza where you put the fruit on top of the pizza. It’s just a huge round slice of watermelon sliced ​​like a pizza, ”says Jawad.

Jawad’s recipe calls for a handful of fresh and seasonal ingredients like watermelon (natural), blueberries, strawberries, and mint. She also tops the fruit with whipped ricotta, desiccated coconut and mashed pistachios. Each and every one of these components also has many health benefits to offer, especially when it comes to nutrients that benefit your gut microbiome. Watermelon helps you stay hydrated (hello happy digestive system) and contains 21 percent of your daily allowance of vitamin C in a single cup serving. It also contains antioxidants and lycopene, which has been shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Shredded coconut, blueberries, strawberries, and pistachios all contain an impressive amount of heart-healthy fiber, a nutrient that most Americans don’t get enough of, in addition to vitamins K, A, and C, antioxidants, manganese, and more.

TL; DR: This is one of the most nutritious desserts you will find.

It also takes 15 minutes to prepare. More time to hang out with loved ones and hang around the campfire, right? “First, get a juicy, large watermelon and cut it in half,” says Jawad. “Then cut off an even, round disc about an inch thick. Use the rest of the watermelon as you like. You only need this round disc. “

Next is the whipped topping, a combination of ricotta, cream cheese and a hint of honey. “And this mixture goes straight to the round slice of watermelon, along with a nice pinch of desiccated coconut,” she adds. Finish with a shower of toppings. “I love to put more fresh fruit on top, like strawberries and blueberries. You can also add mint leaves, cocoa nibs, and nuts if you like! ”Jawad points out that the pizza is very customizable, so don’t hesitate to chop to your liking.

“Whichever way you top it, this watermelon pizza recipe is such a refreshing snack for summer get-togethers,” she says. By the way, to make this recipe vegan, Jawad adds that instead of ricotta and cream cheese, you can mix coconut cream with desiccated coconut as a base.

Watermelon Pizza Recipe

Servings: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 large round watermelon slice approx. 2.5 cm thick, cut from the middle of the melon
1/2 cup ricotta
1/4 cup of whipped cream cheese
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
Mixed berries
Crushed pistachios
Fresh mint to taste

How to assemble the watermelon pizza:

1. Mix the ricotta, cream cheese and honey in a small bowl until everything is smooth and spreadable.

2. Spread the ricotta mixture on the watermelon and sprinkle with the desiccated coconut.

3. Cut the watermelon into 8 equal slices.

4. Top the watermelon slices with desiccated coconut, strawberries, blueberries, crushed pistachios and fresh mint.

Recipe and pictures from Yumna Jawads Feel Good Foodie.

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