A plump and ripe, fresh watermelon is one of the highlights of summer. They can be sliced into wedges and gobbled up right from your hands on a hot day, or scooped into balls and added to a fruit salad.
If you are looking for a new way to enjoy watermelon while it is in peak season, consider making a unique watermelon salsa. A combination of diced watermelon and cucumber make up the bulk of this sweet and refreshing salsa. It comes together with chopped red onion, minced jalapeño peppers, and fresh mint to cool it all down. If you prefer a very mild salsa, you can use poblano peppers in place of the jalapeño. Alternatively, if you really want to turn up the heat, serrano peppers or even habanero peppers are good options. We toss it with a light dressing of honey, lime zest and lime juice, then finish the salsa with a sprinkle of salt to balance out the flavors.
Watermelon salsa tastes great when served in a big bowl alongside tortilla chips for dipping. However, there are many other uses for this exciting salsa. Try spooning the watermelon salsa over grilled white fish or chicken. It can be served as an elegant side with thinly sliced grilled flank or skirt steak. Feel free to really make this recipe your own and adjust the heat to suit your palate or the menu for your backyard barbecue.
Ingredients
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3 cups diced seedless watermelon
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1 cup diced peeled cucumber
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1/4 cup chopped red onion
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1/4 cup minced jalapeño pepper, seeds removed
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1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
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2 tablespoons honey
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1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest
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2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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Tortilla chips, for serving
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
Kristina Vanni
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In a large bowl, combine the diced watermelon, diced cucumber, chopped red onion, minced jalapeño pepper, chopped fresh cilantro, and chopped fresh mint.
Kristina Vanni
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In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime zest, lime juice, and salt.
Kristina Vanni
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Add the dressing to the large bowl and gently toss to coat the watermelon salsa.
Kristina Vanni
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Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld together. The salt will help draw out moisture from the watermelon and cucumber to make it the perfect saucy situation.
Kristina Vanni
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Serve immediately with tortilla chips or over grilled protein. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Kristina Vanni
Drain the Watermelon
As you cut the watermelon into a small dice for this salsa, it will release quite a bit of liquid. To avoid a watered-down salsa, allow the diced watermelon to drain before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. This can be done using a mesh colander or a slotted spoon.
