The Cleverest Way to Cut a Watermelon into Bite-Sized Pieces

There are certain foods that just scream “summer,” and watermelon is definitely one of them. From its bright-colored flesh to it sweet, refreshing taste, this fruit is a summer essential.

While there’s not one right way to cut a watermelon, there are certain ways that are faster and less messy. Here’s my favorite.

Whole watermelons can be tedious to cut up. They’re large, kind of awkward to work with, and super messy. It’s just a matter of minutes before your countertop is covered in a sea of watermelon juice.

There’s certainly more than one way to cut a watermelon. This is my favorite method. It’s super fast and relatively tidy, since most of the juice stays in the melon, rather than on the counter.

Like any new method, this may feel a little awkward at first. But it gets easier and faster every time you do it. This method works whether you have a whole watermelon, or one that’s already been halved or quartered.

This method is about efficiency and keeping the juice inside the watermelon, rather than on your counter. It’s not about precision, and that’s totally okay. This method yields watermelon chunks that are roughly the same size, rather than perfect cubes.

You might not cut all the flesh away from the rind using this method. It’s okay. Just don’t be quick to toss it away. There are a lot of delicious sweet and savory uses for that remaining flesh, as well as the white rind that sits just below the flesh.

→ Read more: 5 Reasons to Reconsider Trashing Your Watermelon Rind

1 whole watermelon
Cutting board
Large, sharp knife
Large bowl or plate

1. Place on a cutting board: Start with a whole, half, or quarter watermelon, and place it on a large cutting board.
2. Cut the watermelon in half: If you’re using a whole watermelon, cut it in half lengthwise.
3. Quarter the watermelon: Cut each half in half again, so the whole watermelon is now quartered.
4. Slice into wedges: Working with one quarter at a time, make slices 1 to 2 inches wide, across the melon, cutting just down to the white rind. Do not slice all the way through the bottom of the melon.
5. Make lengthwise slices along the melon: Starting on the side of the watermelon about an inch below the peak, insert your knife with the tip pointing down. Make a lengthwise slice across the quarter, cutting down so the tip of the knife runs along the rind. Do not cut through the bottom of the watermelon.
6. Repeat: Make another lengthwise slice 1 to 2 inches below the slice you just made. Again, slice along the length of the quartered watermelon, with the tip of the knife angled down so it runs along the rind, without cutting through the bottom of the melon. For larger melons, you may need to repeat this step a third time.
7. Turn and repeat: Turn the watermelon around and repeat on the other side.
8. Slice to remove the flesh from the rind: Use a sweeping motion to slice between the watermelon flesh and rind. Hold the top pieces in place, if necessary.
9. Turn the watermelon into a bowl: Turn and pour the watermelon into a large bowl or plate.