Watermelon Salsa

5 from 18 votes

Watermelon salsa or pico de gallo is made with great with cucumbers and a lime tajin dressing. Try it with chips, tacos, or grilled chicken

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Comments
4

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Large bowl of the watermelon salsa garnished with cilantro and lime slices with small bowl or tortilla chips to the side.
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Make salsa with Watermelon!

Instead of only using tomatoes to make salsa, I love making fruit-based salsas like this watermelon salsa and my peach salsa. This has all the essence of a regular tomato salsa recipe but made with sweet juicy watermelons instead! Some people call this watermelon pico de Gallo, but regardless what you call it, it’s a delicious refreshing dish to make during the summer when watermelon is in season. Try it on its own like a salad or serve it on top of grilled shrimp, grilled fish or grilled chicken.

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

Watermelon Salsa Ingredients

Ingredients for salsa recipe before being prepped: fresh cilantro, cucumber, lime, jalapeno, half watermelon, spices, red onion, and avocado.
  • Watermelon: Depending on how much watermelon salsa you want to make, you can use a personal-sized seedless watermelon or half a large seedless watermelon.
  • Cucumber: I like to use Persian or English cucumber because they are less watery than regular cucumbers and have smaller seeds.
  • Jalapeño pepper: Remove the seeds from the jalapeño if you don’t want your salsa to be too spicy. If you like your salsa on the spicy side, add a second jalapeño.
  • Onion: Red onion is less pungent than a white or yellow onion and more common in salsas, but you can also use green onions or shallots.
  • Cilantro: For a tex mex inspired salsa, cilantro works really well in this recipe. However, fresh basil or mint also works really well with these flavors!
  • Avocado: Chop it really small and make sure to add it right before you serve the watermelon salsa.
  • Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice is best, but you can also use bottled lime juice.
  • Tajín seasoning: Tajín is a Mexican seasoning made with chili peppers, lime, and salt. It’s usually found in the Hispanic section of the grocery store. If you can’t find it, you can substitute it with chili powder.

How to Make Watermelon Salsa

Step 1: Place the watermelon, cucumbers, red onion, jalapeno pepper, avocado, and cilantro in a large bowl.
Step 2: Add the lime zest and juice on top of the ingredients and sprinkle with the tajin seasoning.
Step 3: Toss gently to combine.
Step 4: Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Watermelon Salsa

Author: Yumna Jawad
5 from 18 votes
Watermelon salsa, also called watermelon pico de gallo, is a fun change from tomato salsa during the summer. Serve it with chips, fish tacos, or grilled chicken!
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Servings6 servings
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Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups seedless watermelon diced
  • ½ English cucumber diced
  • ½ red onion diced
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and diced
  • 1 avocado diced
  • ½ cup cilantro leaves chopped
  • 1 lime zested and juiced
  • 2 teaspoons tajin seasoning

Instructions

  • Place the watermelon, cucumbers, red onion, jalapeno pepper, avocado and cilantro in a large bowl.
  • Add the lime zest and juice on top of the ingredients and sprinkle with the tajin seasoning. Toss gently to combine.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with tortilla chips.

Notes

Storage: This salsa is best enjoyed the day it’s made. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. The watermelon will release more liquid as it sits so it won’t be as fresh after the first day.

Nutrition

Calories: 94kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 5mg, Potassium: 354mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1095IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

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Recipe Tips

  1. Learn how to cut a watermelon properly. They can be intimidating at first, but my tutorial shows how to cut it in half and remove the rind easily so you can enjoy it as a salsa.
  2. Soak the onions. Even though red onions have a milder taste than regular white or yellow onions for the watermelon salsa, you can still soak them in water for 30 minutes or rinse them well to make their taste less potent.
  3. Use a chopper. I linked below my favorite chopper for making recipes like this salsa that require everything to be evenly and finely diced. You’ll chop much faster this way, and the result is a beautiful presentation!
  4. Eat it within 24 hours. You’ll notice that every hour after preparing the salsa, the watermelon will release more and more liquid. The avocado may start to brown after the first day as well, so enjoy it immediately for the best freshness and texture!
Hand holding tortilla chip loaded with watermelon salsa with large bowl of salsa below.

Serving Ideas

FAQs

How do I store watermelon salsa?

This salsa is best enjoyed the day it’s made. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. The watermelon will release more liquid as it sits so it won’t be as fresh after the first day.

Can I make watermelon salsa ahead of time?

I wouldn’t recommend making this more than a few hours in advance because the watermelon will release more liquid, and the avocado may start to brown. If you need to make it ahead of time, wait to add the avocado until right before serving.

How can I tell if my watermelon is ripe?

Use these tips to pick a ripe watermelon. The watermelon should be heavy for its size and have a dull, not shiny, appearance. The more yellow on the ground, the riper it is. You should also be able to hear a dull thud when you tap on it. Avoid watermelons with bruising, cuts, or soft spots.

Close up of watermelon salsa on a chip.

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Comments

  1. Brenda says:

    Looks delicious. Substituting the cucumber for celery so my husband will enjoy ❤️

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Awesome, I hope you and your husband like the salsa! You’ll have to let me know how your substitution turns out.

  2. Hollis Ramsey says:

    Instead of tajin seasoning I’d use a little chaat masala. And I’d add feta to make it more of a salad than a salsa. I mean, who needs chips to enjoy this?

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      That sounds like a delicious twist!