16 Watermelon Recipes You’ll Crave All Summer Long
Make the most of the season’s favorite fruit.
There’s something about biting into a juicy slice of watermelon over summertime. Sweet, hydrating, and refreshing, watermelon has a way of helping you beat the heat while leaving you perfectly satisfied. “They’re just what everyone wants on a hot day, and let’s be honest, you can’t really have a summer celebration without them!” Ree Drummond says. Watermelon is a staple at backyard cookouts, park picnics, and pool parties, and it makes one of the best summer snack, especially after spending all day in the sun.
Watermelon is perfect on its own, cut into thick wedges, but you can also have some fun with it. Toss it in a summer salad, throw it on the grill, or transform it into watermelon drinks. If you’re looking for energizing breakfast ideas, blend up cubes of watermelon into a smoothie. Need a quick, crowd-pleasing appetizer for your cookout? Bite-sized skewers with melon and feta will tide people over until the main course is served. For a fun family dinner, you can even use fresh watermelon to sweeten a classic gazpacho.
But before you make one of these watermelon recipes, you’ll want to pick a ripe watermelon or you could grow a watermelon in your own backyard if you have a green thumb! Any way you slice it, these recipes will be a major highlight of your summer!
Watermelon Gazpacho
Brighten up your gazpacho by adding fresh watermelon. This cold soup is light and refreshing without tasting overly sweet.
Get the Watermelon Gazpacho recipe.
Melon Feta Skewers
Serve these bite-sized skewers at your next summer get-together, and watch them disappear! Featuring salty feta, basil, and sweet balsamic glaze, these apps come together in just 15 minutes!
Get Ree’s Melon Feta Skewers recipe.
Watermelon Margarita
Sweet, tart, and a little spicy, this spin on a classic margarita is basically made for hot summer days! Garnish each glass with a lime wedge, watermelon slice, and a spiced sugar rim for the ultimate seasonal cocktail.
Get the Watermelon Margarita recipe.
Watermelon Feta Salad
Ree calls this summer salad “magical,” and it’s easy to see why. Packed with juicy watermelon, crisp cucumber, and tangy feta, this watermelon recipe is cool, crunchy, and the perfect mix of sweet and salty. Plus, the recipe calls for just a few ingredients!
Get Ree's Watermelon Feta Salad recipe.
Watermelon Sweet Tea
When you need an afternoon pick-me-up, a glass of this watermelon-infused sweet tea will do the trick! The mild flavor of the green tea and the fresh taste of the mint leaves offset the sweetness of the watermelon, so the drink is more revitalizing than overpowering.
Get Ree's Watermelon Sweet Tea recipe.
Watermelon Pizza
A watermelon "crust," sweetened Greek yogurt for your sauce, and all the delightfully fruity topping you can dream of make this watermelon "pizza" the most fun summer treat!
Get Ree's Watermelon Pizza recipe.
Melon Spritzers
A honeydew mocktail and watermelon skewers for garnish? Yes, please! These spritzers are fun, fruity, and just the thing to sip on while you sit in the shade.
Get Ree's Melon Spritzers recipe.
Watermelon-Feta Orzo Salad
This fresh twist on pasta salad starts with orzo, then gets loaded up with sweet watermelon, salty feta, and peppery arugula. It's light, flavorful, and perfect for warm-weather gatherings.
Get Ree's Watermelon-Feta Orzo Salad recipe.
Watermelon Smoothie
Need something fast, cold, and kid-approved? This smoothie blends watermelon with frozen berries and creamy Greek yogurt for a refreshing treat that works any time of day.
Get the Watermelon Smoothie recipe.
Grilled Watermelon
Grilling watermelon might sound funky, but trust us—it's worth the experimentation and extra effort. The heat brings out a caramelized sweetness, and a sprinkle of lime zest and cilantro makes it feel downright gourmet.
Get the Grilled Watermelon recipe.
Watermelon Wine Coolers
This cocktail is made with watermelon three ways: pureed watermelon, watermelon-flavored seltzer, and watermelon balls for garnish.
Get Ree's Watermelon Wine Coolers recipe.
Sunrise Fruit Salad
This colorful bowl is basically sunshine in salad form. Watermelon, mango, pineapple, and orange slices get topped with toasted coconut and a quick homemade syrup for a tropical finish.
Get Ree's Sunrise Fruit Salad recipe.
Watermelon Sangria
A big batch of this summer sangria is perfect for 4th of July parties or any pool party for that matter. In fact, with only three ingredients and 15 minutes of prep, you'll want to make this sangria all summer long.
Get Ree's Watermelon Sangria recipe.
Watermelon Salsa
It's the perfect balance of refreshing and spicy—this fruit salsa is just as delicious on top of grilled chicken or fish as it is in a bowl with tortilla chips for dipping.
Get Ree's Watermelon Salsa recipe.
Watermelon-Raspberry Frozen Sangria
This recipe is basically like a wine slushy made with watermelon and raspberries. If it doesn't cool you down on a hot day, we don't know what will!
Get Ree's Watermelon-Raspberry Frozen Sangria recipe.
Watermelon Granita
A granita might sound fancy, but all you need is a spoon or fork to scrape the icy mixture as it freezes. Ree says it's the perfect treat for those " unbearably hot months of summer."
Get Ree's Watermelon Granita recipe.
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