watermelon caprese skewers with honey mint vinaigrette

I was called to appetizer arms, so here I am on the front line of Memorial Day food battle.

I actually forgot about Memorial Day until yesterday. I guess since I’m not in school anymore it’s an ordinary day: I don’t think The Day Job gives us holiday pay for it either, even though I don’t usually work Mondays anyway. Alas: quite easy for me to blow right by the occasion without a second thought.

Of course, for some of ya’ll, Memorial Day holds deep personal meaning outside of the “official start of barbecue season”, and I respect the sacrifice you or loved ones made in your years. Aprons off to you.

We don’t usually do much ourselves on the day. J might go mountain biking or milling around with friends, and I treat it much like any other Monday. I was hoping to host a little gathering the weekend prior but it doesn’t look very promising.

Either way, we’ll probably barbecue, and my dumbass panic-bought two watermelons just in case so these pretty and fresh Watermelon Caprese Skewers with Honey Mint Vinaigrette are shuffling onto my table for sure. These take a miniscule 15 minutes and pack a whole whammy of yum on such a small stick. Wiggles eyebrows.

The big kahuna of this dish is that vinaigrette. It’s fabulous for all sorts of shit, but especially complimentary to the melon, tomatoes, and mozz poked onto the skewers. So simple but a flawless piece to add to your general summer repertoire.

Sweet, Sweet Balls

I like the look of balls in this recipe, so that’s what I did. If you’re not a baller and don’t own one, you can also slice the watermelon into thick cubes. Works just as well.

A medium-sized watermelon does the trick for the amount you need. The recipe as written makes quite a few skewers, about 16-20. If you need fewer, you can buy a mini melon. This makes about 2 cups and 8-10 skewers worth.

Literal food for thought.

Honey, I Minted the Vinaigrette

I love this dressing. It’s quite similar to the basil dressing in my Burrata Avocado Toast, but here we go heavier with the fresh mint.

Mint and watermelon is a beautiful combination, and I think this vinaigrette perfectly rounds out that marriage. Mix up the chopped mint (go as fine as you can with your chopping) with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, fresh oregano, a couple garlic cloves, and some good ole s&p.

Toss the mozz balls in a bit of the dressing. Better than any storebought marinated mozz.

I love this honey white balsamic for several purposes. If you aren’t able to locate white balsamic, some champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar are suitable substitutes. You can also swap out for regular balsamic, but the dressing will have a heavier flavor.

Once that’s done and dusted, arrange thy skewers. You can go in any order you wish. The easiest would be to alternate melon-mozz-mater, but go crazy, folks. When your skewers are all made, set on a platter and drizzle generously with the dressing.

These are wonderful cold or at room temperature. If prepping ahead of time – which you can, up to 2 days before serving! – store the skewers in the fridge and omit the vinaigrette drizzle until you’re ready to eat. You might be able to squeeze a third day out of the pre-prep, but the melon might start to juice itself significantly.

A few serving suggestions: grilled crostini, tortilla chips, lots of fresh basil, and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Salted watermelon is a whole other level of whoa dude. Don’t forget to your favorite lager!

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Memorial day omnoms:

Creamy Avocado Hummus

Asparagus Gruyere Tart with Pesto

“BLT” Dip

Spicy Buffalo Chickpea Sliders

Melon Cucumber Pesto Skewers