On sweltering summer days, this Whole30-friendly Mexican Watermelon Salad is like a welcome splash of cool water. Refreshing and sweet, with a punch of spicy pepper and tangy lime, this dish will have you clamoring for more. Besides, it pairs well with just about anything you throw on the barbecue this grilling season!
My Mexican Watermelon Salad recipe comes from our new cookbook, Ready or Not!, and it’s one of my favorite hot weather side dishes. You won’t heat up the kitchen by making this tasty crowd pleaser—a win-win in my book.
Not a fan of Mexican flavor?
Just leave out the ancho chili powder and use more cayenne (to make it spicier) or smoked paprika (to make it smokier). The combination of watermelon, zingy lime juice, fresh herbs, and crunchy and smoky pepitas is truly magical.
Make-Ahead Tips
Pro tip: If you’re making this salad ahead of time, don’t add the olive oil, herbs, and pepitas until you’re ready to eat—otherwise, the olive oil can solidify in the fridge and the pepitas can get soft. Also, this recipe calls for toasting more pepitas than necessary for this dish, but you’ll thank me later when you have leftover crunchy smoky salad toppers on hand for the rest of the week!
Time to make Mexican Watermelon Salad!
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the Smoky Lime Pepitas
- 1 cup raw pepitas
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or ancho chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Juice from 1 medium lime
For the Mexican Watermelon Salad
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onions
- 1 small seedless watermelon (about 5 pounds), cubed
- 1 English or Japanese cucumber, cut into ½-inch slices
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 medium limes, finely grated zest and juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
Equipment
- Medium bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Silicone spatula
- Parchment paper
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Microplane zester/grater
- Large bowl
Method:
Let’s make the spiced pepitas first! Preheat the oven to 325°F with the rack placed in the middle position. In a medium bowl, combine the pepitas, olive oil, salt, paprika, cayenne, and lime juice. Mix well.
Spread the seasoned pepitas in a single layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Toast the seeds for 12 to 15 minutes in the oven, stirring at the halfway point, until fragrant and crunchy.
Cool to room temperature. Reserve ¼ cup for this recipe, and keep the rest in a sealed container for up to 1 week to munch on.
While the pepitas are in the oven, soak the onions in a bowl of ice water for about 10 minutes to take the bite off ’em.
In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, cucumber, drained onions…
…olive oil, chili powder, salt…
…cayenne pepper, lime zest, and lime juice. Toss to mix. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary.
Garnish with fresh mint leaves and toasted pepitas.
Serve immediately!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Mexican Watermelon Salad
Ingredients
- For the Smoky Lime Pepitas
- 1 cup raw pepitas
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or ancho chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Juice from 1 medium lime
- For the Mexican Watermelon Salad
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onions
- 1 small seedless watermelon about 5 pounds, cubed
- 1 English or Japanese cucumber cut into ½-inch slices
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 medium limes finely grated zest and juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Let’s make the spiced pepitas first! Preheat the oven to 325°F with the rack placed in the middle position. In a medium bowl, combine the pepitas, olive oil, salt, paprika, cayenne, and lime juice. Mix well.
- Spread the seasoned pepitas in a single layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Toast the seeds for 12 to 15 minutes in the oven, stirring at the halfway point, until fragrant and crunchy.
- Cool to room temperature. Reserve ¼ cup for this recipe, and keep the rest in a sealed container for up to 1 week to munch on.
- While the pepitas are in the oven, soak the onions in a bowl of ice water for about 10 minutes to take the bite off ’em.
- In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, cucumber, drained onions, olive oil, chili powder, salt, cayenne pepper, lime zest, and lime juice. Toss to mix. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary.
- Garnish with fresh mint leaves and toasted pepitas. Serve immediately!
Video
Notes
- Not a fan of Mexican flavor? Just leave out the ancho chili powder and use more cayenne (to make it spicier) or smoked paprika (to make it smokier).
- Pro tip: If you’re making this salad ahead of time, don’t add the olive oil, herbs, and pepitas until you’re ready to eat—otherwise, the olive oil can solidify in the fridge and the pepitas can get soft. Also, this recipe calls for toasting more pepitas than necessary for this dish, but you’ll thank me later when you have leftover crunchy smoky salad toppers on hand for the rest of the week!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Packed full of flavor! I just made this salad, and it was so refreshing, with a nice heat from the spiced pepitas! Should have made sure I bought a SEEDLESS watermelon–oops. But the flavors were terrific!
Found this recipe several summers ago and make it all summer. As soon as the bowl is empty I make more! Don’t forget the.mint, it just makes it so good!