Light and refreshing Watermelon Salsa, with watermelon, strawberries, herbs, honey, and jalapeño, offers a sweet and spicy summer appetizer for Cinco De Mayo, or a picnic, party, or potluck!
Pair Watermelon Salsa with crispy tortilla chips for a delicious appetizer, or use it as a topping for tacos, or your favorite salmon, fish, or chicken main dish!
I love using salsas as a dip and as a topping for tacos, fish, and chicken, especially fruit salsas like Peach Salsa, Mango Habanero Salsa, Pineapple Salsa, and now Watermelon Salsa.
When I was in school we always had an end-of-summer band concert and party with watermelon served for dessert. They just cut up slices of watermelon for everyone to enjoy.
However, today watermelon gets transformed into all kinds of recipes like Watermelon Margarita, Watermelon Slush, Grilled Watermelon Salad, Watermelon Pizza, Watermelon Cake, Watermelon Popsicles, and of course, Watermelon Salsa.
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Why You’ll Love Watermelon Salsa
- Sweet and Spicy Flavor. The combination of sweet watermelon and strawberries with spicy jalapenos gives it a great sweet and spicy flavor.
- Fresh Ingredients. Light and Refreshing with fresh ingredients. Perfect for summer.
- Quick and Easy. With only a few ingredients, it takes only 5 minutes to make this salsa.
How To Make Watermelon Salsa
Equipment
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- Chef’s Knife – A good quality knife is an essential item for any kitchen.
- Cutting Board – This one is a highly rated, sustainable bamboo cutting board set.
- Salsa Bowl – Fun, colorful bowls to serve your watermelon salsa.
- Spoon – Serving spoons to serve the salsa.
Watermelon Salsa Ingredients
Below I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions in case you don’t have a specific ingredient on hand. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.
- Watermelon – Try to find a seedless watermelon as that works the best.
- Time-Saving Tip: Buy watermelon at the grocery store that is already diced.
- Strawberries – Use fresh strawberries for the best results.
- Jalapeño – Add another jalapeño if you like your salsa a more spicy.
- Onion – I prefer red onion for this salsa, but any type of is fine.
- Cilantro – If you don’t like cilantro, you can use parsley if you prefer.
- Basil – This adds an Italian flair to this watermelon salsa.
- Mint – Mint takes this salsa over the top.
- Lime juice – Serve watermelon salsa with extra slices of lime for those who prefer more.
- Honey – If you like it sweeter, add more honey. If you like the salsa less sweet, reduce the amount of honey. You can use a bit of sugar, if you prefer.
Directions
- Place all the ingredients together in a bowl.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Refrigerate for a couple of hours until ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Dice everything small so you can get a lot of salsa on a chip.
- Let this marinate for a couple of hours before serving for the best flavor.
- Add another jalapeño or two for more spicy flavor.
- Omit the honey if you don’t like it quite so sweet.
- You can add a splash of balsamic vinegar or lime juice for another bit of flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When selecting a watermelon, look for the green color, and no bruises. Also, try thumping the watermelon. You should hear a deep, hollow sound.
You can make it 2 hours before you plan to serve, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Watermelon Salsa does not stay fresh for that long. I recommend using it within a day or two.
Yes, you can freeze it, but you may not want to because it will likely be mushy when it thaws out.
What To Serve With Watermelon Salsa
- Homemade Tortilla Chips
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- Blackened Fish Tacos
- Oven Baked Chicken Breast
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos
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Watermelon Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups watermelon, diced
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
- 1 jalapeno, destemmed, seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon mint, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey, optional
- 3 tablespoons red onion, diced small
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients together in a bowl and stir gently to combine.
- You can serve immediately or place in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.
- Serve with chips, crackers or on tacos.
Video
Notes
- Dice everything small so you can get a lot of salsa on a chip.
- Let this marinate for a couple of hours before serving for the best flavor.
- Add another jalapeño or two for more spicy flavor.
- Omit the honey if you don’t like it quite so sweet.
- You can add a splash of balsamic vinegar or lime juice for another bit of flavor.
Sara says
This salsa is the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy; easily, a new favorite recipe. So unique and tasty, indeed!
Vicky says
So many yummy watermelons this time of year. Love how you have incorporated them into this salsa. Bet it would be a wonderful bruschetta topper too!
serena says
I love this salsa when watermelon is in season. So great for a summertime salsa
Angela says
Love sweet salsas! The combo of watermelon and strawberries is absolute perfection. YUM!
Anjali says
Love the idea of using watermelon and strawberries instead of tomatoes in salsa!! Can’t wait to make this as a side for our family taco night this week!