Watermelon is one of those quintessential summer fruits – it’s the perfect treat on a hot summer day. While watermelon is delicious on its own (a picnic isn’t a picnic without one), there are numerous watermelon recipes to explore. From savory to sweet, and from main dishes to beverages, the list goes on and on! Here are five tried-and-true watermelon recipes that will transform your summer meal ideas.
Grilled Watermelon Salad
I love grilling fruit (grilled pineapples really enhance a burger), but I’ve never thought to grill watermelon. Wow, I’ve been missing out! The grilled watermelon is fantastic on its own, but I wanted to feature it in a salad (recipe adapted from Food Network). Start with a one-inch thick watermelon “steak,” brush it lightly with olive oil, and place it on a grill that’s been heated to medium-high. About 3 minutes per side and it’s good to go.
For the salad, I tossed baby arugula with high-quality olive oil, fleur de sel sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice. I placed a piece of grilled watermelon on the greens, topped it with a few crumbles of goat cheese, drizzled it with honey, and added a bit more salt and pepper, resulting in your new favorite summer salad. It might just become my new go-to!
To achieve better grill marks, lightly salt the watermelon and let it drain on a paper towel for 20 minutes. I personally enjoyed the juicy watermelon more than the grill marks, but you can choose what you prefer!
Watermelon-Mint Sorbet/Granita
What I love about this sorbet recipe is not just the amazing flavor of watermelon and mint but also how easy it is to put together—you don’t even need an ice cream machine! Mine came out more like a granita (slushy and icy instead of smooth sorbet), but it’s still very refreshing. While the ice cream machine method might yield a smoother result, I can promise you it’s absolutely delicious and the perfect light, summery dessert.
Making Sorbet
- Combine ¼ cup sugar and ¾ cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low, simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool completely (alternatively, you can use pre-made simple syrup for this recipe; I wanted less sugar since watermelon is already quite sweet.)
- Place 6 cups of watermelon chunks and 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice in a food processor (do this in batches if necessary). Pour the liquid through a sieve to remove any seeds and overly thick puree; whisk in the sugar syrup and add in ¼ cup of chopped fresh mint leaves. Pour everything into a 9” x 13” metal pan and freeze until ice crystals form at the edges, about 30 minutes. Stir the crystals toward the center, then return the pan to the freezer for 20 minutes and stir the ice crystals again.
- Keep repeating this process until all the liquid is frozen. Serve it or transfer to another container to keep in the freezer until you need a refresher! Some fun variations to try include using maple syrup or honey as the sweetener, or creating an adult sorbet by adding some rum or vodka. (Adapted from Eating Well)
Watermelon Martini
This drink is perfect to create while preparing the sorbet—not just because it’s a delicious beverage to enjoy while you work but also because you can use the leftover purée (without seeds) from the sieve! Just combine equal parts watermelon purée and vodka with a squeeze of lime in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake it well, and pour it into a martini glass. Garnish with a piece of watermelon for extra charm. If you find the drink too thick, add more lime juice or watermelon juice you made for the sorbet. Cheers!
Maple Watermelon Lemonade
This lemonade is the perfect summer drink, adapted from one of my all-time favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen. The recipe below makes a (very full) pitcher’s worth, so you might want to scale it back if you have a small pitcher or just want to prepare a few glasses.
Purée watermelon chunks until you have 4 cups of juice, then pass it through a sieve to remove any seeds or excess thick purée (you can use this for another martini!). Stir together with 1 ½ cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice (yes, this is a lot... it took me 7 lemons. But hey, you’re making lemonade after all), 1 cup of pure maple syrup, and 4 ½ cups of cold water. Serve over ice and garnish with a mint sprig.
You can turn it into a cocktail by adding vodka or make it a sparkling lemonade by replacing some of the regular water with sparkling... or enjoy it as is because it’s that good.
Watermelon Salsa
A fun twist on regular salsa is fruit salsa – this recipe, featuring watermelon and pineapple, resembles pico de gallo more than traditional salsa. However, you could puree some of it or chop the ingredients into smaller pieces for a more classic salsa consistency. Personally, I prefer it extra chunky, and it’s perfect with tortilla chips (I paired it with some delicious Late July chips – a brand we carry in our organic and gluten-free baskets) or as a topping for fish tacos, chicken, or grilled salmon. (Recipe adapted from Food Network)
- In a large bowl, stir together the zest of one lime, ¼ cup of freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Add 3 cups of diced watermelon, 1 large peeled and diced cucumber
- 2 cups of chopped fresh pineapple, ½ to 1 jalapeño pepper (to your preference)
- 1 chopped green pepper,
- 8 finely chopped basil leaves
- Chill until you’re ready to serve it, and just before serving, stir in ½ teaspoon of kosher salt.
While this isn’t a recipe, if you have leftover watermelon from a picnic, cut it into cubes and freeze them. They make excellent “ice” cubes or can be kept on hand when you want to juice them, toss them into a smoothie, or use them to make any of the drinks or sorbets mentioned earlier! It’s much better than letting them turn soft and mushy in the fridge any day.
Watermelon is a versatile summer fruit that can be used in many recipes. These watermelon recipes are just a starting point – let your creativity flow this summer, and don't hesitate to experiment and create your watermelon dishes!