Now that the weather is officially frigid, I thought it was the perfect time to introduce a cozy new recipe to keep you warm: vegan tofu curry with watermelon rind!
That’s right, you can cook with watermelon rind, and it makes for a fantastic (fANNEtastic!?) easy and nourishing curry dish.
Thank you to my friends at the Watermelon Board for sponsoring this post, originally published in 2017.
Cooking With Watermelon Rind
Using watermelon rind is a great way to cut back on food waste and make healthy recipes. Have you tried my Watermelon Rind Gazpacho or Watermelon Rind Coleslaw recipes yet? They’re delicious, but this time I wanted to switch things up a bit and cook watermelon rind into a hot dish to enjoy during the winter months.
Here are more delicious watermelon rind recipes to try!
I kept this curry recipe quick, easy, and vegan with tofu as the protein component, but feel free to substitute diced chicken breast or shrimp if you’d like.
If you’re apprehensive about cooked watermelon rind – don’t be! It soaks up all the delicious curry flavor from the sauce, and the texture is a bit like a less-starchy cooked butternut squash or turnip.
Vegan Curry Ingredients
To make this cozy curry, you’ll need:
- watermelon rind
- tofu
- bell pepper
- carrots
- onion
- coconut milk
- vegetable broth
- curry paste
- spices (coriander, cumin, and turmeric)
Of course, you can swap out the veggies listed above for whatever you have on hand!
Cooking with watermelon rind is great not only because it cuts back on the amount of food you throw away, but also because it’s chock full of nutrients! Watermelon rind is a great source of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B-6, and citrulline (which is great for heart health!). All the more reason to use the rind instead of tossing it.
How to Make Tofu Curry with Veggies & Watermelon Rind
This curry is really simple to make! Start by softening diced onion, bell pepper, and carrots in a pot with some olive oil. Then, add in the curry paste and spices. Once fragrant, stir in watermelon rind, tofu, coconut milk, and vegetables broth.
Next, bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer. (This is a good time to make the brown rice, if serving with the curry). After 20 minutes, the watermelon rind should be tender and you’re ready to dish up! Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onion, if desired.
This curry is on the table in about 30 minutes and is packed with produce, vegan protein, and tons of flavor. The curry paste I used wasn’t super spicy, so this was a pretty mild curry, but feel free to get as spicy as you’d like by using hotter curry paste or curry powder or adding in a bit of cayenne or sriracha.
You’ll find the full vegan tofu curry recipe at the bottom of this post. I hope you love it!
Looking for more easy one-pot dinners? Here are some of my favorites!
- Sweet Potato Lentil Chili
- Chicken White Bean Chili Soup
- Saucy Tomato & Artichoke Chicken
- Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
Have you ever cooked with watermelon rind before? What did you think?
What’s your favorite cozy winter recipe?
Vegan Tofu Curry with Watermelon Rind
This vegan tofu curry with watermelon rind is a quick, easy, and healthy one-pot dinner that cuts back on food waste! Vegan, gluten free, and on the table in 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 cups diced watermelon rind (green outer skin removed)
- 1 14-oz block tofu, cubed
- 1 15-oz can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- olive oil
- cilantro and green onions, for garnish
- brown rice, for serving
Instructions:
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and carrot. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add curry paste, turmeric, coriander, and cumin. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add watermelon rind, tofu, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until watermelon rind is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Serve over brown rice and garnish with chopped cilantro and green onion.
