How To Grill Watermelon

Meghan Splawn
Meghan Splawn
Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.
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updated Sep 9, 2022
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How To Grill Watermelon

Grilling watermelon caramelizes the melon's sweetness and gives it a subtle, smoky flavor.

Serves6

Prep15 minutes

Cook4 minutes to 6 minutes

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(Image credit: Jeff Roffman)

Once you’ve had your fill of cold, refreshing watermelon in everything from salads to aguas frescas, it’s time to turn your attention to the grill. Grilled watermelon sounded strange to me at first too, but the grill caramelizes the melon’s sweetness and gives it a subtle, smoky flavor. Paired with a sweet and spicy seasoning, grilled watermelon can be an intriguing side dish or a surprising dessert.

(Image credit: Jeff Roffman)

Wedges, Not Steaks

Watermelon for grilling should be cut into triangles with the rind attached, as steaks of watermelon tend to fall apart when flipped and turned with tongs on the grill. A mini watermelon (something under five pounds) provides the perfect amount of watermelon for four to six people.

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More on watermelon picking: The Best Way to Pick a Watermelon

Sweet and Spicy Seasoning

A slightly sweet rub helps give the watermelon beautiful grill marks. Flavor the sugar with salt, some lime zest, and red pepper flakes, and sprinkle this on the watermelon before and after grilling. You can mix up the seasoning however you see fit — brown sugar, lime, and cumin is another one of my favorite combinations.

Serving Grilled Watermelon

Grilled watermelon alone is a stand-out side dish. But you can also chop it up and toss it with crumbled feta and mint, serve it with thick Greek yogurt for dipping, or go completely sweet for dessert with a scoop of ice cream.

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How To Grill Watermelon

Grilling watermelon caramelizes the melon's sweetness and gives it a subtle, smoky flavor.

Prep time 15 minutes

Cook time 4 minutes to 6 minutes

Serves 6

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1

    personal-sized watermelon (about 3 pounds)

  • 1/4 cup

    granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon

    finely grated lime zest (from 1 to 2 limes)

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    red pepper flakes

  • Lime wedges from zested lime, for serving

Equipment

  • Knife

  • Cutting board

  • Measuring cups and spoons

  • Gas or charcoal grill

  • Tongs

Instructions

  1. Heat the grill to high. Heat an outdoor gas grill to high, or prepare a charcoal grill for high, direct heat grilling.

  2. Cut the watermelon. Trim the ends off the watermelon. Stand the watermelon on one cut end, cut in half, then cut each half in half again. Cut the quarters into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

  3. Season the watermelon. Combine the sugar, lime zest, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Sprinkle the watermelon slices on both sides with the sugar mixture, then rub the sugar mixture in to create an even coating.

  4. Grill the watermelon. When the grill is hot, add the watermelon slices in a single layer and grill until warmed through and grill marks appear, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

  5. Serve. Serve the grilled watermelon on its own with lime wedges, topped with feta cheese or Greek yogurt, or as dessert with a scoop of ice cream.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Grilled watermelon is best eaten immediately.

Filed in:
Cooking Methods
Dairy-Free
easy
Gluten-Free
Grilling
Healthy Living