Barley Free Vegan Watermelon Bites with Cashew Feta
Sweet, juicy watermelon topped with a tangy, creamy cashew feta is the kind of appetizer that disappears from the platter before you even sit down. The cashew feta comes together in a food processor — soaked cashews blended with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder until impossibly smooth — then chilled into little mounds that hold their shape beautifully on each watermelon cube. A drizzle of balsamic glaze, a scatter of fresh mint, and a pinch of flaky sea salt tie everything together into one seriously elegant bite. Every single ingredient here is naturally grain-free, so there's no need to audit labels or swap anything out — it just works as written. This is the kind of plant-based recipe that wins over skeptics, because the flavors are bold and the textures are genuinely satisfying rather than an afterthought. It's refreshing enough for a summer party but interesting enough to serve year-round whenever you want something that looks far more impressive than the effort required.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the cashew feta
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in cold water for at least 4 hours, then drained and rinsed
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
For the bites
- 6 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 24 pieces)
- 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn or thinly sliced
- 1–2 tbsp balsamic glaze, for drizzling
- flaky sea salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews, then add them to a food processor along with the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, water, nutritional yeast, salt, and garlic powder. Process for 2–3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is smooth and creamy with no visible cashew pieces.
- 2
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a spoon or small cookie scoop, drop the cashew feta mixture in rough 1-teaspoon mounds onto the prepared baking sheet — you should get about 24 mounds. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until the mounds are firm enough to handle.
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