Watermelon and Tajin Salad

Sweet, spicy and tart all at the same time, this watermelon and Tajin salad is the perfect refreshing summer treat. 

This easy appetizer features fresh and juicy watermelon as the hero ingredient, along with some Tajin seasoning and Chamoy sauce. 

This Mexican inspired dish, with its delicious sweet and spicy flavors, is sure to be a total hit on your family lunches, brunches and potlucks.

I have recently been experimenting with a lot of Mexican foods.

My Mexican street corn casserole and a variety of Pico de Gallos were all big hits, but I was really looking to try something that represented the best of summer produce. 

And then I thought, what could be a better way to enjoy watermelon than to team it up with a nice and salty Mexican seasoning blend. 

What's So Great About the Recipe?

My favorite part about this recipe has to be its flavor. It’s honestly unlike anything I’ve ever come across that packs in so many contrasting flavors and textures. 

Plus, it is a great way to get some of that delicious summer fruit in your body. Best of all, it takes about 5 minutes to make and is incredibly fun to eat too!

Watermelon: We’ll start with some freshly cut watermelon cubes. You can cut them up into whatever size you prefer. 

Chamoy sauce: Chamoy sauce is a classic Mexican sweet, spicy and tangy sauce made using hibiscus flowers. I used my homemade Chamoy sauce here, but you could use the store bought one instead. 

Tajin: I used my homemade Tajin seasoning blend for this recipe. It has the perfect amount of heat and saltiness, and is a pantry staple you must try if you’re into Mexican food. 

Honey: A drizzle of honey can balance out the heat with a beautiful sweetness. You can skip this, or use maple syrup or agave if you want to keep the dish vegan. 

Lime juice & zest: Some fresh lime juice and a little sprinkle of lime zest can work wonders, and really balance the flavors of the other ingredients. 

Jalapeno: I added just a couple of jalapenos too, for that extra kick of heat. 

Feta cheese: Mexicans typically use Cotija cheese for this one, but I used some feta cheese, which is the next best thing. 

Cilantro: And of course, don’t forget the fresh cilantro to garnish! 

See recipe card for quantities.

• You can also bring some variation to his watermelon and Tajin salad by adding other fresh fruit like papaya, apples (apples with Tajin), cucumbers, melons, mangos (mango con Tajin) and jicama into the mix. 
• Instead of the cilantro, you could also use some chopped fresh mint to garnish this tasty summertime treat. 
• Another great variation to try is to use different kinds of chili peppers- not just the jalapenos. Of course, try this at your own risk, because things can get pretty spicy from there on. 
• If you don’t have the Mexican seasoning blend, you can make do with any other Mexican spice of your choice, or even just some chili powder. 
• I used a little crumbled feta cheese over the top, but you could totally skip adding that or use some vegan cheese if you want to make a vegan version of this dish. 
• If you don’t have fresh limes that the recipe calls for, use a couple pinches of dehydrated lime juice instead to get that perfect tangy and tart flavor to the salad. 

How to Store the Leftovers

If you have any leftovers, you can transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to a day. 

This watermelon with Tajin is one summer salad you won’t be able to store for too long, as the spices and salt will all cause the fruit to release water as you store it. 

You can, however, blitz up the leftovers into a smooth mixture, strain it and team it up with some sparkling water to turn it into a nice virgin watermelon margarita. 

Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe

• If you can get your hands on seedless watermelon, I would highly recommend doing that. It just makes the entire experience of enjoying this dish. You should be able to find it at your local farmers market.  
• Also make sure you choose ripe and sweet watermelon. The juiciness and sweetness of the watermelon balances out the Mexican spice blend perfectly, and also brings in some wonderful citrusy notes. 
• If you’re not able to get your hands on any of the Mexican condiments, you could just use a sprinkle of some mildly spicy chili powder and your favorite hot sauce along with the lime juice and chopped mint.

How to Serve Watermelon Tajin Salad

This watermelon and Tajín salad is the perfect summer treat that's super easy to make, and great as an appetizer or side dish to make for a poolside BBQ party or just a little get-together at your home. 

You can enjoy the spicy watermelon as a salad just like I did, or put it on skewers (use wooden skewers) to make it look fancy. 

In fact, you can also put them all into small cups and serve them individually to your guests! 

You could actually also grill these watermelon skewers and turn them into next level delicious. Serve them with some Mexican broccoli and Mexican grilled onions to turn it into an entire feast. 

And of course, my watermelon lime sorbet to finish it all up!

My favorite way to enjoy it is to serve it as a delicious snack to beat the summer heat.