I love watermelon in the summertime. It brings back childhood memories of summer vacation, swimsuits and fun in the sun. But there’s a lot more you can do with it than slicing it into a wedge and enjoying it poolside.

Watermelon has a surprisingly wide variety of recipes and flavor combinations that go way beyond the wedge. It wasn’t until adulthood that I realized you could do with with watermelon that took it into spicy or savory flavor territories.

And it. Is. Amazing.

So today, we’re going to look the three fun ways to level-up your watermelon game this summer.

Watermelon Pizza

Quick and easy, this winning fruity combo is a fun snack for the kids and eye candy for the grub table at BBQ’s and summer dinner parties. It’s so simple to throw together, it’s barely even a recipe if I’m being honest. With a few simple prep work steps and you’re ready to dig in!

Watermelon Pizza

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Small watermelon
• 1 Container of low-fat feta cheese
• 2 or 3 of your favorite fruits, chopped (I used strawberries and blueberries)

Simply turn your watermelon on its side lengthwise and cut into flat, even “pizza pie” sized slices. Next, sprinkle each pie with your fruity toppings of choice and chop away into 4 bite-sized slices.

If you’re worried about blueberries rolling off and away into those dark, creepy crevices of your kitchen, you can slice them in half to help them stay in place. (You know. If you have that kind of patience. )

All you have to do from there is sprinkle your toppings over your base, slice and dice it all together like a pizza pie and you’re ready to go.

If you are eating it immediately, go ahead and give it a nice dusting of the feta. If you are serving it as a side dish, set the feta in a bowl beside it so that guests can add it as they want to prevent the cheese from getting soggy as it sits an extended period of time on the fruit.

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Watermelon-Basil Salad

Some people like mint with their watermelon. I’m more of a basil girl. There’s just something delightfully crisp and satisfying about freshly harvested basil in a recipe that makes me want to do a happy dance after every bite.

(And honestly, if your food isn’t making you want to dance, what quality of life are you really living?)

This recipe is sweet, tangy and simple to throw together. Top it off with a smooth balsamic vinaigrette dressing and you’ll be on your way to choreographing your own dinner-time happy dance.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small (5-pound) seedless watermelon, cubed
• 3 Mini cucumbers, sliced
• 1 Small red onion, sliced and quartered
• 4 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1/4 Cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1 Cup low-fat feta cheese
• 1/2 Cup red wine vinegar
• Your favorite balsamic dressing

Mix onions, 2 tablespoons lime juice and vinegar in a bowl and allow to soak for 10-15 minutes. Drain onions from the mixture and combine in a mixing bowl with the watermelon, cucumbers, basil and the rest of lime juice. Mix together and then pour into a serving dish.

Add the feta cheese either right before serving or simply in a bowl beside the salad for people to add to their salad as they serve themselves. Once again, you just want to avoid allowing the cheese to soak up a bunch of liquid from the fruit to prevent sogginess. I also prefer to set my favorite balsamic dressing out alongside this salad for guests are summer cookouts and BBQ’s to drizzle on their salad as needed!

Makes about 12 servings.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• You can swap regular feta cheese in place of the fat-free feta and lemon juice in place of lime if that’s what your heart desires.
• If you aren’t a fan of pickled onions, raw onions are a tasty option too!
• When making substitutions, just keep in mind that your macro count may slightly vary from this specific recipe. If you’re counting macros, just make sure to adjust the recipe macros in a macro calculator based on the ingredients you use.

MACROS (without dressing): 

• Calories: 80
• Carbs: 15g
• Fat: 0g
• Protein: 6g

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Watermelon Salsa

Last, but not least, is easily one of my favorite uses for watermelon in the summertime: Watermelon Salsa!

It’s sweet. It’s spicy. And packs the perfect punch guaranteed to make you the life of the party at your next neighborhood cookout.

Okay, I can’t actually guarantee it will make you the life of the party at cookouts, but it will definitely make your side dish the life of the party at the snack table. For best personal life-of-the-party results, combine salsa with a winning personality, gold chain and handfuls of cash to “make it rain” when you enter the room.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Small seedless watermelon, cut into small cubes
• Two large tomatoes, diced
• 2 Jalapenos, deseeded and minced
• 2 Large Limes
• 1 Small red onion,
• 1 Cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1-2 Teaspoons Sea salt

Grate your limes to harvest 1 1/2 tsp of lime zest. Pour the zest into a small bowl, along with the juice from both limes (about 4 tablespoons); whisk together and set aside. In a large bowl, combine watermelon, tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, and cilantro. Pour the lime juice in and mix everything together. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and sprinkle your sea salt over the salsa right before serving.

Makes about 15 servings

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• You can swap out or even add in different kinds of peppers to suit your desired level of spiciness. Craving a little more heat? Use a couple more jalapenos or even throw a habanero pepper in there. Not a fan of the spiciness? Substitute sweet green peppers instead.
• When making substitutions, just keep in mind that your macro count may slightly vary from this specific recipe. If you’re counting macros, just make sure to adjust the recipe macros in a macro calculator based on the ingredients you use.

MACROS: 

• Calories: 23
• Carbs: 5g
• Fat: 0g
• Protein: 0g

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And there you have it! Your three-recipe watermelon trifecta. Get out there ans start acing this summer and wowing your friends and family in all kinds of wonderful, watermelon-y ways!

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Other Recipes You May Enjoy

Don’t go away just yet. We’re still getting to know each other! Here are a few more of my summery posts and recipes that I think you’re going to love.

Easy Mango Salsa 

 

Southwest Black Bean Burger

6 Signs That You’re Dehydrated

Fruit-Infused Water: The Benefits, Myths and 20 Fruit Water Recipes

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Originally published 7-7-17. Updated 7-3-19.

All writing and images copyright © 2018 Rachel Elise Weems Woods