Grilled watermelon shines in this easy, unique salsa recipe! The subtle smokiness and sweet, caramelized watermelon makes this salsa irresistible!
Note: This recipe was originally published on July 9, 2012 and updated on June 7, 2021.
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If you've never tried grilling summer fruit like watermelon, it's time to give it a try! Throwing fruit on the grill gives it a subtle, smoky flavor and caramelizes the natural sugars in the fruit, elevating its sweetness to the next level.
Grilled watermelon can be added to many different recipes, but one of my favorites is salsa! The sweet/spicy/savory combo that results is perfect for adding an interesting twist to an otherwise standard appetizer. This recipe would be a great thing to bring along to a summer cookout!
Looking for more mouthwatering salsa and pico de gallo recipes? Try my Pineapple Pico de Gallo, Avocado & Grapefruit Salsa or Mango Pico de Gallo!
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.
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Ingredients
- Watermelon
- Olive oil
- Cayenne pepper
- Sea salt
- Shallot or onion
- Jalapeño pepper
- Cucumber
- Roma or plum tomatoes
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime juice and zest
How to Grill Watermelon
Once you get the hang of grilling watermelon, you might just find yourself adding it to the grill right along with the rest of your summer grub! Here's how to do it:
- Cut your watermelon into ½ inch thick wedges; this will make them thick enough to turn without falling apart and small enough to make them easy to handle. Leave the rinds on until you're finished grilling them to make them sturdier.
- Preheat the grill to high. You want the grates hot to create a nice, caramelized sear. If you don't have an outdoor grill, you can do this indoors using a grill pan.
- Lightly spray or brush watermelon with a bit of oil. Sprinkle with seasoning. In this recipe, I use a simple combination of sea salt and cayenne pepper, but feel free to play around with salt, sugar, citrus zest and different types of ground pepper such as ancho or chipotle.
- Place the seasoned watermelon wedges directly on the grill, giving each one their own space. Don't move them, just let them sear for 2-3 minutes on each side and allow those pretty grill marks to appear!
- Take them off the grill and place on a cutting board to remove the rinds. You can chop or dice the watermelon depending on what you'll be using it for. In this salsa recipe, it's going to be pulsed in the food processor, so a rough chop will do.
Instructions
Unlike pico de gallo, most salsa recipes are thinner with more liquid. This is due to the fact that they are often either cooked down, pulverized or chopped in the food processor.
Once you've grilled the watermelon for this recipe, the rest is super easy: Simply toss all the ingredients in a food processor or a blender and pulse until the desired consistency is reached!
Note: The ingredients in this salsa contain a lot of water, so there will be a lot of liquid once it sits and chills. You can easily remove some of the liquid by straining the salsa using a fine mesh sieve, or if you don't mind the extra liquid, enjoy it as-is.
That's all it takes to whip up this delicious take on a summer favorite!
FAQs
Yes! Make this as directed and store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to a day.
I don't see why not! I think grilled pineapple, mango or peaches would work well as a substitute for watermelon. I suggest selecting fruits that are just ripe so that they hold their shape and don't become mushy on the grill.
Serve chopped grilled watermelon in salads (watermelon & feta is a classic!) or even as dessert over a scoop of vanilla ice cream finished off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze!
What to Serve with Grilled Watermelon Salsa
I don't know about you, but I could eat salsa of just about any kind by the bowlful. It's so fresh and makes an ideal accompaniment to so many dishes.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy this watermelon salsa is with homemade tortilla chips. Using store-bought corn tortillas, I create my own spicy lime seasoning to sprinkle over the top after baking. Together with the watermelon salsa, the flavor is reminiscent of Tajin sprinkled on fruit and it's incredibly addictive!
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a large sheet pan with foil and set aside.
- Spray {or brush} front and back of tortillas lightly with olive oil. Cut tortillas into 6 wedges each. Spread out onto sheet pan {try not to stack so each gets crispy}. Bake them for10-12 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden.
- While the tortilla chips bake, combine about 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt with about 1 teaspoon lime zest and ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or chipotle powder) in a small bowl. Rub the mixture together with your fingers to infuse salt with lime oils.
- When tortilla chips are done, remove from oven and sprinkle with spicy lime salt while warm.
If you're not up for making your own chips, store-bought will do just fine, of course. Try serving this salsa over grilled chicken or fish, over shrimp tacos or even as a "dressing" for a salad.
More Watermelon Recipes
If you bought a giant watermelon or just can't get enough of the sweet and juicy goodness, I've got you covered! Give these other recipes a try:
Grilled Watermelon Salsa
Ingredients
- 6 ½ inch thick slices of seedless watermelon or enough to make about 2 cups when rind is removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot or onion
- 1 small jalapeño pepper seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
- ½ cup cucumber seeded and roughly chopped
- 2 Roma or plum tomatoes roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice and zest
Instructions
- Heat grill {or grill pan} to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Spray or brush the watermelon slices with olive oil to lightly coat. Sprinkle all slices with cayenne pepper and sea salt.
- Place watermelon slices on grill, about 1-2 minute per side until light grill marks are visible. Remove and set aside to cool.
- When watermelon is cool enough to handle, cut flesh from rind and cut into chunks.
- In the bowl of a blender or food processor, add grilled watermelon, shallot, jalapeno, cucumber, tomato, cilantro, and lime juice. Pulse until slightly processed and combined, but still chunky.
- Pour into a medium bowl and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. (You can eat it right away, too, but the flavors develop when you let them sit and get cold.)
[…] Grilled Watermelon Salsa – The Kitchen Prep Chips and dips are such a classic combo, but this salsa is anything but ordinary. So many flavors from the sweet watermelon, to the savory shallot, and spicy jalapeno. I don’t even need to have friends over to make this, it never goes to waste. […]