Recipe Roundup

37 Watermelon Recipes for Your Juiciest Summer Yet

A ripe slice of watermelon (and the seed-spitting contest that follows) is perfection. But with these summery recipes, your watermelon consumption can get even better.

By Joe Sevier and The Editors of Epicurious

June 5, 2023

Watermelon Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese and Corn Nuts in a serving platter with a serving spoon.

Perhaps there’s no limit to the number of watermelon slices you can eat your way through straight off the rind. But these watermelon recipes might make you think twice before downing a 20-pounder in a single sitting. When a cooling watermelon slush awaits, or a spicy-sweet chilled watermelon soup, or a salad dressed with creamy yogurt or a punchy umami vinaigrette, it’s worth letting a little more variety into your melon routine.

Before you get started, learn how to cut a watermelon slice by slice—just don’t eat them all while you perfect your technique. Then, get scrolling to discover our very best recipes for watermelon desserts, drinks, sides, and more.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
1/37
Watermelon, Arugula, and Pine Nut Salad
While the ingredients for this sweet, salty, and savory watermelon recipe can all be prepped ahead, the greens should be tossed through just before serving so they stay bright and crisp. Serve with grilled pork chops or lobster rolls.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
2/37
Frozen Watermelon Margarita
Ice who? Freeze watermelon cubes to blend with tequila and the rest of the margarita gang for a cooling summer drink. No blender? Keep scrolling for a version served on the rocks.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
3/37
Willing Watermelon Rind Preserves
Don’t throw away your watermelon rinds. Turn them into these sweetly sour preserves, a perfect accompaniment to roasted meats, cheese plates, and more.
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Photo & Food Styling by Joseph De Leo
4/37
Aguas Frescas (Mexican Fruit Coolers)
Got a big juicy seedless watermelon and not sure how to eat it all? Aguas frescas are a cool and refreshing way to make the most of it.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Simon Andrews
5/37
Country-Style Ribs With Quick-Pickled Watermelon
Pickled watermelon flesh pairs perfectly with hearty country-style ribs. This is one of our favorite backyard dinners. Just finish the night off with a frozen dessert and everyone will be happy.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley
6/37
Barbie Girl
This pretty pink drink gets its color from watermelon juice (buy some fresh at a juice shop, juice your own, or blend a heap of watermelon and strain through a cheesecloth) and fruity crème de cassis.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
7/37
Ensalada de Sandía y Tomate
This watermelon salad gets bang-pow flavor from ripe summer tomatoes, creamy cheese, and toasty, salty crushed corn nuts.
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Photo by Baxter Miller
8/37
Sweet Potential
Separate watermelon flesh from the rind, then preserve both in different batches using this method from North Carolina chef, cookbook author, and television host Vivian Howard. Pro tip: This is even a good way to make use of a less-than-sweet watermelon.
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Photo by Colin Price
9/37
Watermelon Chia Smoothie
Pair watermelon and mint for a rejuvenating morning drink. The nutrient-packed secret to this smoothie’s creamy texture may surprise you.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano
10/37
Jam Session
This refreshing sherry and watermelon cocktail gets a spicy kick from ginger kombucha. It’s low in alcohol, making it a great brunch drink or lazy day sipper.
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Stephen Hamilton
11/37
Watermelon and Feta With Lime and Serrano Chili Peppers
Watermelon and feta make a great pairing. Toss in some hot chiles and cilantro, and you have a salad to delight everyone who tries it. Try to get seedless watermelon so you don’t have to go on a mini archeological dig to extract all those black bits.
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Photo by Levi Brown
12/37
Watermelon Granita with Blueberries
Think of this like a spoonable slushie, made even more summery with plump blueberries and sweet mint leaves.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
13/37
3-Ingredient Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Tomato Salad
Sometimes the simplest combinations are the best. Here that means tangy feta, ripe tomatoes, charred watermelon, and olive oil.
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Photo by Maren Caruso
14/37
Tomato and Watermelon Salad
Okay, you don’t actually have to tile these cubes in a pattern. Just toss rich, creamy avocados, crisp cucumbers, and heirloom tomatoes with juicy watermelon, and move on with your life. Mixed fresh herbs and coriander seeds boost the flavor.
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Following stints at StarChefs and Saveur, Joe joined Epicurious in 2016 where he’s written about how to make the very best biscuits, the singularity of third-culture cooking, and the ultimate cream cheese frosting. Currently, he works across both BA and Epi as the senior SEO editor for cooking stories, which ... Read More

Senior SEO Editor, Cooking

The Epicurious editorial team develops original recipes, and publishes stories about cooking better, faster, and more creatively, sustainably, and affordably. See our full masthead, here. ... Read More