20 Cool And Refreshing Watermelon Recipes
Watermelon kimchi. (Recipes by Melanie Kwan. Produced by Sun Ngo. Photographed by Christie Vuong. Food Styling by Ashley Denton. Prop Styling by Christine Hanlon)
There are few things more satisfying than a slice of watermelon in hot weather. Try some in this slate of summer watermelon recipes to take it to the next level.
How to pick a perfect watermelon
- Look for a creamy yellow spot (known as the sun spot) on your watermelon. This is where it sat on the ground while soaking up the sun. If the spot’s white or light green, the melon was picked too soon.
- The rind should be dark green and free from large bruises or blemishes.
- Watermelons are 92 percent water, so choose one that’s relatively heavy for its size.
- Use leftover watermelon in fruit salads or freeze chunks in a plastic bag up to 1 month for delicious blender drinks.
Watermelon Kimchi
A quick, high-summer recipe that should be eaten as soon as it’s made, this salad makes a great side dish for a barbecue. Ice-cold watermelon is tossed with gochugaru (Korean dried chili flakes), fish sauce, garlic, scallions, ginger and lime juice for an instant sweet, sour, savoury and umami kimchi—no fermentation required. Get our watermelon kimchi recipe.
Watermelon Caesar
This unconventional take on the Canadian classic was created for Chatelaine by Christine Sismondo. It uses fresh watermelon and a vegan Caesar mix instead of tomato clam cocktail. All the other products are sourced from Canadian companies with women at the helm. Get our watermelon caesar cocktail recipe.
Shrimp Aguachile With Cucumber-Watermelon Salad
"Aguachile couldn’t be a more straightforward name for this coastal Mexican dish: it translates to “chili water” and is a spicier cousin of citrus ceviche. This version isn’t strictly traditional—aguachile is usually served in a nearly raw, less-cured state—but it’s a great option if you don’t have access to ultra-high-quality freshly caught shrimp." Get Chantal Braganza's shrimp aguachile with cucumber-watermelon salad recipe.
Lime-Chili Salted Watermelon
Salty, tangy, spicy and sweet—this snack has it all. Get this lime-chili salted watermelon recipe.
Spiced Melon Salad Recipe
One of the freshest, juiciest salad recipes we have. Ripe cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon are sprinkled with cilantro, chili and lime for a spicy-sweet finish. Get our spiced melon salad recipe.
Quick Pickled Watermelon Rind
Don't let that rind go to waste! Get our quick pickled watermelon rind recipe.
Watermelon Granita
Watermelon granita is a perfect, light summer dessert. Serve it up at your next barbecue to wow your guests. Get this watermelon granita recipe.
Cornmeal Pickerel With Watermelon-Peach Salad
With both watermelons and peaches in season, this side salad steals the spotlight. (To make it a meal, we pair it with crunchy pickerel for an easy and delicious dinner.) Get our cornmeal pickerel with watermelon-peach salad recipe.
Watermelon Tequila Punch
It's hot out, and everyone deserves a refreshing drink. Kick back with our tequila watermelon punch, and enjoy the lazy-hazy days of late summer. Get our watermelon tequila punch recipe.
Salsa Verde Pork Burgers With Watermelon Jicama Salad
The sweet watermelon and jicama salad adds a nice balance to the pork burger, which is topped with green salsa. Get this salsa verde pork burgers with watermelon jicama salad recipe.
Crisp Melon And Tomato Salad
Take the season’s ripest, juiciest fruit to tasty new heights with this fragrant salad course. Get this crisp melon and tomato salad recipe.
Watermelon Gazpacho
Watermelon adds a refreshing twist to this classic cooling dish. Get this watermelon gazpacho recipe.
Watermelon Limoncello Lemonade Cocktail
As simple as whirling watermelon, limoncello and lemon juice in a blender, once you’ve tried this fresh take on lemonade it will be gracing the patio table all summer long. Get this watermelon limoncello lemonade cocktail recipe.
Watermelon, Feta And Pistachio Salad
This watermelon, feta and pistachio salad is a nice combination of sweet and salty. It'll be a great crowd-pleaser at your next picnic. Let this watermelon, feta and pistachio salad recipe.
Watermelon Sangria
What fruit can’t be turned into a sangria? This is one of the most refreshing versions we’ve tried. Get this watermelon sangria recipe.
Chilled Watermelon Soup
This chilled soup is a great refresher or after-dinner treat. Get this chilled watermelon soup recipe.
Shrimp And Watermelon Tostadas
Watermelon adds a nice fresh crunch to this zesty tostada. Get this shrimp and watermelon tostadas recipe.
Strawberry-Watermelon Limoncello Ice Pops
Savour summer with one of our boozy ice pops—they’ll make the perfect welcome “cocktail” for your next backyard barbecue. Get this strawberry-watermelon limoncello ice pops recipe and our watermelon limoncello ice pops recipe.
Watermelon-Limoncello Ice Pops
Remember sitting on a hot sidewalk with your besties, slurping up the icy sweetness of Popsicles without a care in the world? Bring back that feeling with these decidedly adult versions. They'll make the perfect welcome "cocktail" for your next backyard barbecue. Get our watermelon-limoncello ice pops recipe.
Rosé Sangria
If you like a little more variety in your sangrias, this version uses peaches, strawberries, raspberries and watermelon. Get this rosé sangria recipe.
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