Watermelon and Tajin Salad
Sweet, spicy, and tart all at the same time, this watermelon and
Just like my mango con Tajin, you'll be using the best of summer produce and jazzing it up with some Mexican condiments. With just 10 minutes of hands-on kitchen time to whip it up, it really is one of the best summer BBQ and potluck sides you'll try.
I have recently been experimenting with a lot of Mexican foods. My Mexican street corn casserole and Mexican roasted potatoes received so much love, and I also went on a roll, trying my hands at a lot of different Pico de Gallo recipes.
This time, I had some extra watermelon leftover after making my watermelon Pico de Gallo, and I thought of using it up to make a quick side salad. And so I did!
Quick Look: Watermelon and Tajin Salad
- 🔪 Prep time: 10 minutes.
- ⏲️ Cook time: 0 minutes.
- 👪 Servings: 2.
- 📋 Main ingredients: Watermelon, Tajin, Chamoy sauce, honey, lime, jalapenos, cheese.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Prepare the drizzle 🡢 chop watermelon 🡢 drizzle the sauce 🡢 toss, finish up and serve.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy.
- 🥣 Serving ideas: For an extra bit of flavor, sprinkle some jalapeno infused salt over the watermelon and Tajin salad right before serving.
Jump to:
What's So Great About the Recipe?
- It packs in a lot of contrasting flavors and textures. The salad is juicy, fruity, and spicy all at the same time- just like my mango Pico de Gallo.
- It's effortless, versatile, and comes together super quick.
Recipe Ingredients
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.
Jalapenos: I added just a couple of jalapenos too, for that extra kick of heat. You can use fresh or canned jalapenos, or even some dried jalapeno flakes if that's what you have.
Cotija cheese: For that creamy, cheesy deliciousness.
Cilantro: To garnish.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- 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. I love using my Air Fryer dried mint powder.
- 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 Cotija cheese over the top, but you could use feta cheese or totally skip adding that, or even use some vegan cheese if you want to.
How to Make Watermelon with Tajin and Chamoy
Step 1: Cut the watermelon into bite sized chunks, add them to the bowl and give it a good mix. Top with chopped cilantro and sliced jalapenos.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the Tajín® aka chili lime seasoning, Chamoy sauce, honey, lime and sea salt.
Step 3: Transfer the cubed watermelon to a serving bowl.
Step 4: Top with a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese.
💭Top Tip
You can chop the watermelon in any way you like- sticks, wedges, cubes and even into balls using a melon baller. Watermelon slices are great too, when you’re looking for a no-fuss option.
Loved this tangy and delicious snack? Also try my cucumber and Tajin salad and Tajin and Chamoy strawberries recipe.
Shahida's Tips & Tricks
- 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. I love using my homemade Mexican chili oil.
- 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.
- Just like my Mexican caviar, this salad is best made and served fresh.
How to Serve Watermelon Tajin Salad
This watermelon and Tajin salad is the perfect summer treat to whip up and serve with some Tajin shrimp tacos or Carne Asada. 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.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
If you have any leftovers, you can transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to a day. I wouldn't recommend storing them beyond that point.
Tajín® is a delicious Mexican spice blend made using dried chili peppers and some dehydrated lime rind.
More Tajin Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this watermelon and
Watermelon and Tajin
Ingredients
- ½ watermelon cubed
- ⅓ cup Chamoy
- 2 tablespoon Tajin
- 1-2 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 limes juiced
- 1-2 jalapeños thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon crumbled Feta cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the Tajín®aka chili lime seasoning, Chamoy sauce, honey, lime and sea salt.
- Cut the watermelon into bite sized chunks, add them to the bowl and give it a good mix. Top with chopped cilantro and sliced jalapenos.
- Transfer to a serving bowl.
- Top with a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese.
Notes
- You can chop the watermelon in any way you like- sticks, wedges, cubes and even into balls using a melon baller. Watermelon slices are great too, when you’re looking for a no-fuss option.
- 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.
- If you have any leftovers, you can transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to a day.
