The Refreshing Summer Pizza That Starts With A Slice Of Watermelon

Fruit on pizza is definitely a thing. Pineapple pizza is quite popular with some people, even if others can't stand it; meanwhile, Sweden is all about bananas and pizza. 

Watermelon as a topping doesn't seem to have caught on quite yet, but that's okay, since we're actually talking about a different kind of watermelon pizza. Instead of a standard tomato and cheese pie finished off with watermelon chunks, this meal is a trompe l'oeil treat with a round slice of watermelon standing in for both pizza crust and red-colored sauce.

Essentially, watermelon pizza provides a way to break free of the watermelon-feta salad cliché that was already a bit shopworn back in the 20-teens. It uses many of the same ingredients: a sprinkling of feta takes the place of the mozzarella on a standard pizza, while the toppings can include chopped tomatoes, olives, red onions, and parsley or mint leaves. (The greenery might be playing the part of basil, or you could even use actual basil.) Balsamic vinegar can also be deployed if you want more of a gourmet pizza (or salad). Slicing the watermelon into wedges for serving allows it to retain its resemblance to pizza while making for a fun twist on the concept of savory fruit salad.

A different version of watermelon pizza where the fruit is topped with yet more fruit dates back to 2018, at which time the recipe was hilariously "introduced" by AOL. (Amazingly enough, this pioneering internet provider is still around after 40 years.) The AOL version consists of the same circular slice of watermelon used to make a savory pizza, but instead of feta and tomatoes, it's covered in coconut yogurt "mozzarella" and topped with blueberries, grapes, kiwi fruit, pomegranate seeds, raspberries, strawberries, shredded coconut, and maple syrup.

As a basic formula, this recipe works fairly well, although there are numerous tweaks you can make for a more customized fruit salad pizza. You could use any flavor of yogurt, or replace it with whipped cream or pudding. (Banana or vanilla would probably look the most like melted cheese.) Bananas, blackberries, cherries, and mangoes all make great substitutions for any of the fruits; chocolate or caramel syrup could take the place of the maple syrup; and chopped nuts or granola can make for a crunchier topping than coconut. If you really want to go all-out, you can cut the watermelon slice into wedges before topping it. This way, you'll have several different blank canvases on which to create multiple masterpieces.