22 Watermelon Recipes – Perfect To Beat The Summer Heat
There may not be a single fruit in the world that is more synonymous with summer than watermelon. Sweet, fruity, delicious, and quenching.
You can have a look at any of these recipes I’ve compiled for you today! They are all incredibly easy to make, perfect for a variety of occasions, and can be whipped up in no time at all!
1. Fruity Watermelon Pizza Recipe by Herbs & Flour
Is there any better way to kick off the hot summer season than by making a refreshing all-fruit watermelon pizza? I didn’t think so either!
This recipe is a new and fun take on traditional pizza, but in this case, made with fresh watermelon slices. You can top it with any kind of fruit you want, but personally, I LOVE this combination.
Use plain Greek yogurt and cream cheese, crunchy granola, fresh blueberries, raspberries, and finally, some freshly picked mint leaves. You can finish off your slice with a sweet honey drizzle.
The combination of flavors is uber-refreshing, offers a ton of different textures, and of course, is incredibly versatile.
Watermelon pizza is perfect for breakfast, as a snack by the side of the pool or beach, for a picnic, or at a birthday party or high tea!
2. Watermelon Skewers With Prosciutto by Recipes from a Pantry
If you love sweet and savory flavor combinations, you will definitely love these watermelon Proscuitto skewers.
And best of all, these are the perfect make-ahead snack for any occasion!
You can serve them at a BBQ, at picnics, an outdoor gathering, on Game Day, or even at a wedding. Yes, folks, they are that fancy!
To make these fresh summer kebabs, you will thread cubed watermelon, cantaloupe melon, Galia melon, folded slices of Proscuitto, and mozzarella pearls (balls) onto a skewer.
You can finish them off with some fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of tangy Balsamic vinegar.
Other ingredients you can add to make these skewers even tastier include mint leaves, fresh berries (especially strawberries and raspberries), cucumber slices, and a pesto dressing. Chopped nuts will also add a crunchy element you may enjoy.
3. Watermelon Sorbet
A refreshing watermelon sorbet in under 5 minutes? That’s exactly why this is one of the best refreshers one can make using only 3 ingredients.
First, you will need watermelon. Then, you can add some lime and honey to help create a more balanced flavor.
Once blended together, you simply have to leave your sorbet to freeze for a couple of hours.
You can serve your sorbet as is with some fresh mint leaves and maybe a watermelon or lime garnish. I also love adding a scoop of sorbet to a cocktail or smoothie.
4. Watermelon Fruit Salad with Brown Sugar Boba Pearls by The Devil Wears Salad
If you are looking to send your guests into awe, this salad is the perfect option!
What makes it unique are the dragon fruit balls, canned palm seeds, and boba balls. Of course, we cannot forget the beautiful fresh watermelon balls too!
Together, these are the ingredients for a delicious fresh salad that looks breathtaking too!
Another great thing about this salad is that you can play around with different kinds and brands of boba. For this recipe, I recommend black boba balls to create those contrasting colors.
You can also substitute the palm seeds with other tropical fruits like lychee or logan – whichever you can find and whichever you like.
5. Watermelon And Basil Salad With Homemade Balsamic Glaze by Foodess
If you love Caprese salads but want to change it up a little, this is the first option you should try!
Essentially, the only difference is that the tomatoes have been substituted with sweet and juicy watermelons instead.
The flavors are equally delicious and refreshing, but the sweet addition actually helps create, in my opinion, a more interesting balanced dish.
This watermelon and basil salad can be made ahead of time. The watermelon holds up really well in the fridge, unlike chopped tomatoes which make everything soggy.
So, whether you serve this tasty summer salad at a picnic, barbecue, Sunday roast, or as a light lunch during a busy work week, it will re-energize you instantly and stuff you with nutrients your body needs!
6. Watermelon Cucumber Salad by Oh So Delicioso
First off, let me just say that this is definitely a fancy salad. It looks like something that should be served in a fine-dining restaurant! And what makes it even better is that there is really nothing THAT special about the ingredients used.
It’s all easy to find, very affordable, and honestly, basic. What makes this salad so incredibly delicious is the combination of fruits and the addition of cucumber.
That’s right, cucumber!
Many people often overlook a watermelon and cucumber flavor pairing, and it’s a shame! The subtle, slightly sweet flavors of the cucumber blend well with the watermelon while adding a slight crunch.
With the added cantaloupe, honeydew, cilantro, and lime juice, you’ve got yourself an uber-healthy, colorful, refreshing salad in mere minutes.
7. Grilled Watermelon Salad by Budget Delicious
Here’s a salad that is completely different from those I’ve covered before. This refreshing summer salad is made with grilled slices of watermelon, blueberries, and crumbled feta cheese.
You don’t have to grill the melon, but for this recipe, it makes the world’s difference. Giving it a quick char adds a delicious smoky and slightly caramelized undertone that pairs incredibly well with the sweetness of the melon.
The salad is topped with fresh orange juice, lime juice, and some mint leaves.
Now, as you can imagine, there are loads of variations for this recipe. You can add more herbs like basil and cilantro, add some chilies, top the salad with arugula (rocket leaves), or garnish it with chopped nuts.
8. Watermelon Gazpacho by The Forked Spoon
Gazpacho isn’t something that many people love, mainly because it’s made from just tomatoes. This recipe tosses the entire concept on its head!
Forked Spoons’ watermelon Gazpacho recipe is still made with a traditional tomato base (with bell peppers, onion, garlic, cucumber, and other delicious aromatics). However, it also includes watermelon.
This makes the entire chilled soup much sweeter and less savory. It gives it a lighter undertone and brighter red color as well!
It is one of the best watermelon starters you can make in advance and finish off with garnishes right before serving! While it may not be suitable for a picnic, this fancy treat is a fantastic option for weddings, elegant birthdays, or a high tea luncheon.
You can serve this soup as an appetizer or starter dish with diced watermelon pieces, cubed cucumber bits, avocado, bell pepper cubes, and some micro greens.
9. Fresh Fruit Salsa With Watermelon And Mango by Veggie Fun Kitchen
A good mango salsa can be exceptionally refreshing and packed with flavor. But have you ever tried adding some sweet, juicy watermelon? I didn’t think so. But prepared to have a new salsa-staple recipe added to the collection!
For this recipe, you need all the basics: cucumber, red onion, jalapeno, lime zest, and basil leaves. Obviously, you will also be adding ripe mango, but also juicy seedless watermelon cubes.
This savory fruit salsa is perfect for Nachos, as a topping on your quesadillas, or as a garnish in your tacos. There is literally no limit to how you can use this recipe.
Pro Tip: this sweet salsa works best with hearty meaty flavors, like Birria Quesadillas.
10. Dehydrated Watermelon Recipe (Watermelon Jerky) by Peak to Plate
A great way to preserve watermelon for the winter is by making watermelon jerky. It’s similar to dried fruit but usually crispy. It’s completely natural, has a super concentrated flavor, isn’t heavily processed, and doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients.
Watermelon jerky is relatively quick to make (depending on the type of dehydrator you have) and can help you preserve your excess fruit. You can make a large batch in less than 24 hours!
You can use this jerky in salads, as toppings for dessert, or make something like watermelon sherbet or sugar. The jerky’s flavor is highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way.
And, you can rehydrate it too so it can be easily used in smoothies or sauces.
11. Watermelon Smoothie Bowl by Sava’s Kitchen
What’s better than a smoothie? That’s easy! An equally delicious smoothie bowl with a ton of textured, flavorful toppings.
This watermelon smoothie bowl is lusciously thick, uber-creamy, and can be made days in advance!
To make the smoothie, you only need watermelon, strawberries, and yogurt. And, for garnish, your imagination is the only limit.
You can serve this smoothie bowl with banana slices, watermelon cubes, berries, honey, chopped nuts, or homemade granola.
12. Watermelon Coconut Ice Cream Recipe by Baking Ginger
Anything in the form of ice cream SCREAMS it’s summertime! And, if you are looking for an authentic ice cream recipe that doesn’t need to be churned, this coconut watermelon recipe is perfect for you! Because let’s be honest, who has the space and time to churn ice cream at home?
This recipe shows you how to make a proper ice cream custard base, flavored with watermelon juice. It freezes incredibly well and will give you a creamy (non-icy) smooth ice cream.
Once it has been frozen for a couple of hours, you can serve it with a crunchy topping like chopped nuts, pretzels, chocolate chips, or a caramel drizzle.
13. Watermelon Popsicles by Little Sunny Kitchen
While ice cream is great, popsicles are even easier to make! And, if you are looking for an activity to do with the kids, this is a fun project to try!
These layered popsicles are made from a watermelon layer (red), a coconut yogurt layer (white), and a kiwi layer (green). They literally resemble the layers of the watermelon, minus the annoying seeds.
And before you ask, this is a completely vegan, all-natural recipe. You don’t need any additives or colorants to give them a pop of color!
These are great to make in advance because they can be kept inside the freezer for months! But I highly doubt that they will even make it a week! They are that good!
14. Fresh Watermelon Cake Recipe by Princess Pinky Girl
Have you ever seen a watermelon cake? An actual cake made from fresh watermelon covered with white frosting? I didn’t think so, because neither have I.
This cake is the perfect low-calorie, no-mess, no-fuss alternative to traditional birthday cakes. Not to mention, it’s definitely a conversation starter and an Insta-worthy dessert to make.
All you do is remove the rind from a whole watermelon, give the red flesh some shape (into the cake you want), and cover it with a frosting of your choice.
You can garnish it with fresh berries, mint leaves, and even some white gum flowers.
15. Watermelon Granola Trifle Recipe by Food Meandering
When it’s super hot in the kitchen, nobody wants to spend hours laboring over a dessert. So, a fantastic and very quick alternative is this watermelon granola trifle that takes less than 30 minutes to make.
The bottom fruit layer consists of watermelon, mango, and strawberries. Then, you can top it with some toasted coconut and granola. Finally, add a ton of plain Greek yogurt!
For garnish, you can use granola, or you can add more fruit, citrus peel, chopped nuts, or slices of watermelon.
Together, this dessert combines sweet, tangy, and slightly savory flavors with creamy and crunchy textures too. A true masterpiece!
16. 3 Layer Watermelon Gelatin Cubes by Baking Ginger
Do you like a challenge? Well, this recipe isn’t it. But it definitely looks like something that requires the skill of a master pastry chef – exactly why I love it!
These 3-layer watermelon jelly bites look extremely elegant and fancy. You can serve them as-is or alongside some coconut ice cream or a fresh chilled custard.
This recipe uses a watermelon layer, yogurt layer, and condensed milk layer. You can also garnish them with a mint leaf, nut crumbs, or a tiny piece of watermelon cube.
17. Fruity Summer Sangria with Pineapple and Watermelon Recipe by The Heirloom Pantry
Cocktails and summer go hand in hand, so, you have to give this one a try! And there’s even a non-alcoholic version for the kids too!
For this recipe, you will need orange, watermelon, and pineapple. Then, you can top the fruit with white wine and sparkling water. It’s that easy!
18. Watermelon Margaritas by Honey + Lime
Speaking of cocktails, you cannot overlook a margarita! Especially because there are MANY traditional watermelon margarita recipes out there!
This is hands-down one of my favorites probably because it uses a traditional classic margarita recipe and adds some watermelon. This way, you still get a pungent drink but with a refreshing twist.
You can serve these with a sugar or salted rim, slices of lime, and a slice of fresh watermelon.
19. Watermelon Cucumber Lemonade by Best Served Vegan
Not into cocktails? No problem!
You can still make an uber-refreshing watermelon lemonade in less than 20 minutes. It’s arguably easier than making traditional lemonade!
This drink incorporates some lemon juice, lime juice, sugar, cucumber, fresh ginger, and mint. All in all, while this is more than what you would normally add, it creates a sensational complex flavor profile that is out of this world!
You can serve this fruity lemonade at a barbecue, or kids’ birthday party (trust me, they are obsessed with it) or take it with you to a day on the beach!
20. Take-Along Watermelon Skewers with Feta and Mint Pesto by Happy Kitchen
Another watermelon skewer recipe I absolutely couldn’t resist! However, this one has a completely different flavor profile!
To make these, you can skewer some fresh watermelon cubes and cubed feta cheese.
Then, you can simply garnish the skewers before serving with a homemade mint-basil pesto dressing. It adds a delicious savory flavor that still highlights the freshness of the melon.
Again, if you are looking for a super easy snack that you can make in advance, a fresh fruit skewer is the way to go! These go better with picnics and more “fun” food items like pizza, but you can still serve them at a barbecue or Game Day.
21. Watermelon Smoothie Bowl
This smoothie bowl is another one of my favorites. And I’m not only saying that because it’s my recipe! I have been developing this recipe for years to finally create the ultimate refreshing watermelon dish that is not only pretty but packed with nutrients!
For the smoothie itself, you will need watermelon, mango, strawberry, banana, and coconut milk. This creates a thick, luscious slushy that is honestly perfect on its own.
But, because we are making a beautiful bowl, we will add some garnishes too. I topped it with a variety of ingredients including fresh fruit, almonds, chia seeds, and shredded coconut.
This breakfast bowl is almost too pretty to eat. It will not only help you feel fresh and ready for the day but give you a nutrient boost that everybody needs every once in a while.
22. ‘Otai (Polynesian Watermelon Drink) by The Good Hearted Woman
Last and certainly not least, a drink very few people are familiar with, ‘Otai.
This is a Polynesian drink that is flavored with fresh watermelon. Traditionally it is made with coconut milk for a more tropical flavor, but this recipe uses almond milk instead.
You’re also adding some pineapple, mango, and shredded coconut.
‘Otai is a drink the entire family will fall in love with instantly! It’s super refreshing, pairs well with all meals, and can be served on any occasion.
