This fresh watermelon salsa pairs sweet melon with lime, jalapeño, and cilantro for a zingy dip! Great with perfect with chips or grilled proteins, this easy recipe is a fun summer appetizer that’s also vegan and gluten-free.
One summer Alex’s mom served watermelon salsa at a family barbecue and at first I was a little skeptical—but one bite changed everything! The combination of sweet, juicy watermelon with zesty lime and spicy jalapeño was magical. She suggested Alex and I make our own spin on the recipe: and I’m so glad she did.
Now this fresh watermelon salsa is a summer appetizer staple at my house! It’s easy to make, requires no cooking, and always disappears within minutes at parties. It’s obvious with tortilla chips, but it’s also great for serving with grilled fish, chicken or tacos. Just make sure to serve it with a slotted spoon, because it’s super juicy!
Key ingredients in watermelon salsa
Salsa simply means “sauce” in Spanish, and refers to a wide variety of sauces in Mexican cuisine that can be made with or without tomatoes. The most popular salsa is with red tomatoes, but there are dozens of popular variations like corn salsa, peach salsa, and mango salsa.
This watermelon salsa uses the same concept as a fresh tomato salsa but uses cubed watermelon instead! I like cutting the cubes pretty small to make it an integrated texture, but you can also leave them in bigger cubes for a larger, chunky look. The ingredients you’ll use are:
- Fresh ripe watermelon: The star of the show
- Tomato: Adds traditional salsa flavor (optional but recommended)
- Red onion: I prefer this over white onion for its milder bite
- Jalapeño pepper: Start with half and adjust to your heat preference
- Fresh cilantro: Essential for that authentic Mexican flavor
- Fresh lime juice: Never use bottled—fresh is crucial
- Granulated sugar: Balances the acidity and enhances the fruit
- Kosher salt: Brings all the flavors together
How to cut a watermelon into cubes
Often we used to feel daunted when making watermelon recipes because this melon is notoriously tricky to cut. But here’s a method for how to cut a watermelon that makes it quick, simple and painless:
- Cut in half through the middle. Use a large Chef’s knife to slice the watermelon in half through the middle (not lengthwise).
- Cut into slices. Flip the half over onto the flat base, then cut it into slices.
- Slice off the rinds with a paring knife. Switch to using a small paring knife (using a smaller knife gives you more control). Slice off the rind of each slice.
- Cut a grid pattern to make cubes. Switch back to the knife. Make a grid pattern to cut the watermelon into cubes.
Pro tips for watermelon salsa
Watermelon salsa is like any fresh salsa: the only time consuming part is chopping all the fruits and vegetables! But there are a few things to note about adjusting the flavors. Here are a few notes on the method:
- Adjust the heat level to taste. This watermelon salsa recipe comes out mild since we’ve called for removing the jalapeño seeds. But if you like spicy salsas, use some of the seeds: or you can even use the entire pepper.
- Add sugar or salt to taste. Depending on the ripeness of your melon, you may want to add additional sugar to the salsa. It also may need a pinch or two more salt: make sure to taste and adjust as necessary!
Storage information
This watermelon salsa tastes best the day it is made. However, it stores up to 2 days refrigerated. It will gather liquid during refrigeration so you may need to drain or use a slotted spoon for serving. I prefer eating it day of, though: with lots of extra tortilla chips!
Ways to serve it
The best way to serve watermelon salsa? Add a big bag of tortilla chips and you’re in business! It also works great with plantain chips or your favorite dipper of choice. But don’t stop there: it’s a zingy sauce to serve with grilled fish and more. Here are some ideas for serving:
Dietary notes
This watermelon salsa recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Watermelon Salsa
This fresh watermelon salsa pairs sweet melon with lime, jalapeño, and cilantro for a zingy dip! Great with perfect with chips or grilled proteins, this easy recipe is a fun summer appetizer that’s also vegan and gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
- 2 cups finely diced fresh ripe watermelon
- ½ cup diced tomato (optional)
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced and seeded
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar (optional or more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Tortilla chips, for serving
- Prepare the watermelon, tomato, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro as listed above.
- In a bowl, mix all ingredients gently together with the lime juice, sugar and salt. Serve immediately or wait 5 minutes to let the flavors meld. Taste and add more sugar or salt to adjust the flavor as desired. Serve with chips or with grilled fish, shrimp or chicken, using a slotted spoon to drain juices before serving. Tastes best the day it is made, but it stores up to 2 days refrigerated (it will gather liquid during refrigeration so you may need to drain or use a slotted spoon for serving).
Other watermelon recipes
When it’s watermelon season, you’ve got to take advantage! Here are a few watermelon recipes to try:
