Watermelon Salsa

Although the idea of a Watermelon Salsa might be a little strange, it is actually quite delicious!

The Mr. and I love watermelon.

And we’re definitely capable of pounding a hefty pile of watermelon in one sitting.

But buying a giant 5 lb watermelon just for the two of us was perhaps a wee bit overzealous.

I had no plans for this watermelon. No barbecue to attend. No company coming over. No need to throw a watermelon onto the concrete and watch it smash into a million juicy pieces (okay, it’d be a little weird if I ever had that need, but it does sound like a great stress reliever, right?)

So the Mr. and I sliced it up and started eating. We ate it for lunch. We ate it for dinner. Then we repeated the watermelon gorge fest the next day.

And that’s when it had to end. I couldn’t eat one more slice of plain watermelon.

And that’s where this watermelon salsa waltzes in and saves the day.

Sounds a little funky, right? The Mr. was skeptical. He generally doesn’t like sweet and savory together (I know, he’s nuts!!). I’ve tried putting fruit on pizza, in sandwiches, or hidden under salad greens, but most of the time he’s not a fan.

But this time, he had to agree with me. This combination is not bad. Not bad at all. In fact, it’s actually quite good!

The watermelon mimics the texture and flavor of tomatoes more than I expected, but it does add a definite sweetness. Still, when I shared this with friends, many of them were surprised this was an all watermelon salsa. Many noticed the sweetness, but assumed there was at least some tomato in the mix.

No sirreee. This is pure, fresh, pink watermelon goodness. Spicy, citrusy, and with that killer sweet/savory combo, this recipe is a welcome addition to your summer dip repertoire.

Oh, and you know what really takes it over the top? Mixing it with guacamole! You may get addicted. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Watermelon Salsa
Serves 8-10
Recipe adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:
4 cups seeded and diced fresh watermelon
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup diced red onion
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
1. In a large bowl mix together diced watermelon, jalapenos, lime juice, cilantro, and red onion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (The longer this sits, the juicier it gets. If too much juice collects just strain it and serve!)

6 Comments

  1. I don’t know why I ever doubt you…I tried a tiny version of this last night, and it was great. I loved the extra liquid when I bit into the watermelon. My onion was very pungent, but I’ll be trying this again soon. Maybe tonight. Glad your high altitude baking was more or less successful. It can be a little tricky. I’m a mess without my mixer, too. Is it weird to fly with it? Maybe I just need to buy one for my mother in-law for the vacations when we’re in Ohio.

  2. I’m kind of skeptical about this, and I’m kind of in love with it. My dad just gave us half of a ginormous watermelon, and I think I’m going to try this tonight. I’m with you…there’s only so much plain watermelon I can eat even though I love it.

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