32 Watermelon Recipes You'll Want to Make All Summer Long
Nothing says summer quite like watermelon does. And this juicy melon is way more versatile than you'd think! Try it in savory fruit salads, spicy jalapeño margaritas or alongside raspberries in our refreshing ice pops. Recipes like Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad and Watermelon Pie are so bright and summery, you might need some sunblock.
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Watermelon & Arugula Salad
This simple watermelon and arugula salad is slightly sweet, which mellows the peppery arugula. The basil works beautifully with both the arugula and the watermelon, and the briny, salty feta cheese is the perfect complement to the rest of the flavors.
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Creamy Watermelon Smoothie
This creamy vegan watermelon smoothie has a subtle coconut flavor thanks to coconut-milk yogurt. Strawberries add color and banana adds a smooth texture while letting the watermelon flavor shine through.
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Grilled Watermelon
Grilling watermelon brings out its natural sweetness that's complemented by adding some simple sweet or savory toppings. Try this easy grilled watermelon recipe for a fun and festive summer appetizer or dessert.
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Frozen Watermelon Cocktail
Watermelon is the dominant flavor in this frozen rum and watermelon cocktail, with a subtle hint of mint shining through. Making simple syrup is easy, plus, having leftover mint syrup on hand is nice for whipping up extra cocktails.
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Watermelon Pie
Tapioca thickens the filling in this vibrant and festive watermelon pie. A sweet watermelon flavor shines in this cooling pie with whipped cream and orange zest that elevates the fruitiness. This pie is perfect for a hot summer day.
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Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad
Here's a healthy salad recipe to make at the height of summer when watermelon and cucumbers are at their juiciest and most flavorful. Feta adds the perfect creamy, salty, tangy edge, and mint makes this salad taste even brighter. This is one easy side salad you'll want to serve at all your summer BBQs.
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Watermelon, Raspberry, and Lime Ice Pops
The combination of tart lime and sweet watermelon and raspberries will keep you refreshed on a hot summer day.
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Tomato, Watermelon & Avocado Salad
Enjoy this refreshing healthy salad recipe as a side dish or dice the tomatoes, watermelon and avocado smaller (1/2- to 1/4-inch pieces) and serve as a condiment for grilled fish, shrimp or chicken.
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Jalapeño-Watermelon Margaritas
When the fruit is ripe and you need a little kick in your glass, it's time for this spicy watermelon margarita recipe. Dip the glass rims in chili powder–spiked coarse salt for an extra layer of spice.
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Watermelon, Olive, Caper & Feta Salad
This sweet-and-savory fruit salad recipe is all about the quality of the watermelon: you want its flesh to be really sweet so that all the savory ingredients--the capers, the olives, the feta--shine.
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Red Fruit Salad
Serve this refreshing fruit salad featuring juicy watermelon, grapes and berries on its own or with other colorblock fruit salads (like green, purple and orange) for a fun, crowd-pleasing rainbow side dish.
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Watermelon-Turmeric Smoothie
Fresh ginger and turmeric make this watermelon smoothie recipe a super-trendy and healthy drink. Serve it over ice for a refreshing way to start your day.
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Grilled Green Beans with Watermelon-Radish Salsa
Serving grilled greens with a spicy-sweet salsa elevates this easy vegetable side dish recipe to something special. Serve alongside burgers or grilled chicken at your next cookout.
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Vegan Watermelon Fruit Pizza
Wedges of juicy watermelon topped with nondairy coconut yogurt and berries make for a crisp and refreshing dessert. To feed a crowd, leave the wedges blank and let guests add their own toppings to the yogurt.
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Shark Watermelon Fruit Bowl
Take a bite out of summer fun with this friendly fruit shark. It's sure to be a hit at baby showers and birthday parties alike. For the fruit basket filling, use any fresh, in-season fruits your guests will love. Cantaloupe, stone fruits like peaches and plums, and even orange segments will work well.
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Watermelon-Strawberry Popsicles
Hydrating with popsicles? Our 5-year-old selves approve. These quick vegan ice pops are blended with fresh summer fruit for a grown-up version of the season's ice cream truck classics.
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Star-Spangled Fruit Kebabs
Cutting naturally red and white fruits into star shapes to pair on skewers with blueberries makes a fun, patriotic fruit dessert you can feel good about eating and serving to your kids. This red, white and blue fruit "salad" will be a hit at summer barbecues, especially for the Fourth of July.
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Watermelon Cucumber Basil Seltzer
Watermelon, cucumber, fresh basil, and lime juice flavor a summer drink that's fancy enough for guests. The soda takes only minutes to put together. Keep the fruit concentrate, simple syrup, and seltzer water separately in the fridge, then mix just before serving.
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Watermelon with Lime
A hit of lime zest and crunchy salt flakes on ripe watermelon is an addictive, salty-sweet way to enjoy a refreshing and hydrating snack. Pair it with a few pistachios for a protein boost.
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Mimosa Fruit Salad
A splash of prosecco and a little orange juice transform a fresh fruit salad into the perfect brunch dish. To make ahead, prepare the fruit as directed, but don't combine with the mimosa dressing until just before serving so the bubbly maintains its fizz.
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Watermelon & Goat Cheese Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
In this watermelon and goat cheese salad, the contrasting flavors and textures of crisp, sweet melon and creamy, tangy goat cheese are magical partners. Top with sliced grilled chicken to make it a meal.
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Watermelon, Cucumber & Corn Salsa
This refreshing summer salsa combines cooling watermelon and cucumber with the kick from jalapeño. The heat from jalapeños can vary widely. For those that like the heat, use a whole jalapeño. Serve with tortilla chips on the side.
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Watermelon Mint Mocktail
Nothing says summer like this refreshing watermelon mint mocktail! It's light, crisp and made with only a few simple ingredients.
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Watermelon Caprese Salad
This refreshing twist on the classic caprese salad replaces tomatoes with sweet, juicy watermelon. Basil and balsamic vinegar push this easy summer salad to the savory side, but if you want some sweeter notes, opt for balsamic glaze. An optional drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil at the end helps marry the flavors.
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Watermelon with Mint Gremolata
This flavor-boosting combo of mint and lime, inspired by the traditional Italian herb-and-garlic gremolata recipe, livens up juicy watermelon. Put a platter out at your next cookout and watch it disappear in an instant.
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Mojito Blueberry & Watermelon Salad
Inspired by the classic mojito cocktail, this festive and healthy fruit salad gets zing from rum, lime and mint. The optional piment d'Espelette--a sweet, spicy ground pepper from the Basque region of France--adds a hint of heat that's a nice contrast to the sweet fruit. Look for this spice at specialty stores, well-stocked markets or online. You could also swap in chile-lime seasoning blend (such as Tajín) for a similar subtle kick or omit the spice altogether. Feel free to skip the rum if you prefer an alcohol-free salad. With or without the rum, this salad has summertime backyard BBQ written all over it.
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Watermelon Sorbet
This incredibly refreshing icy dessert is made without using an ice cream maker.
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Watermelon Juice
Clean and simple, it just takes a blender to whip up this DIY watermelon juice. You can enjoy this refreshing drink with no added sugar on its own, or jazz it up with one of our variations (see below).
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Watermelon, Orange & Cucumber Salad with Castelvetrano Olive Vinaigrette
This easy and superfast salad is incredibly refreshing, thanks to juicy watermelon and oranges! The Castelvetrano olives lend a briny hit, while the herbs add lots of delicious depth to the salad. Pair this colorful salad with grilled shrimp or chicken.
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Watermelon Salad with Crispy Prosciutto, Feta & Mint
Salty prosciutto, tangy feta, crunchy pistachios, sweet watermelon and bright mint come together wonderfully in this fresh and easy summer salad. Feel free to sub crumbled bacon for the prosciutto, or skip the meat altogether for a vegetarian version of this salad.
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Watermelon Rose Sangria
In this pink sangria recipe, we've skipped the added sugar and used sparkling pink wine, elderflower liqueur and tons of fresh fruit and mint to create a delicious, yet healthy cocktail.
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Watermelon Sherbet
The only difference between sorbet and sherbet is that the latter has a bit of dairy. In the case of this easy summer dessert, sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness plus a touch of creaminess.