This juicy and spicy watermelon Pico de Gallo is going to be the perfect teammate to your nachos and tortilla chips this summer.
It is sweet, salty, tangy, and spicy all at the same time, and a unique and wonderful take on the classic Mexican Pico de Gallo - one that you’ll surely fall in love with.
I’ve recently been experimenting with a lot of watermelon recipes this summer, and after the huge success of my watermelon Tajin salad and watermelon lime sorbet, I really wanted to try making something refreshing and healthy using the fruit.
And that’s when I thought of making another version of Pico de Gallo.
Jump to:
- What's So Great About the Recipe?
- Ingredients For the Watermelon Pico de Gallo Recipe
- How to Make Watermelon Pico de Gallo
- Substitutions & Variations
- 💭Top Tip
- Equipment
- How to Store Leftover Watermelon Salsa
- Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- How to Serve the Watermelon Pico de Gallo
- FAQs
- Related Recipes
- Watermelon Pico de Gallo
What's So Great About the Recipe?
My favorite part about this salsa recipe, in particular, is how the kick of spice of the jalapenos brings such a nice contrast to the overall flavor.
Plus, it comes together in just under 10 minutes, which makes it a great no-cook summer side to make and enjoy with everyone in the family.
Ingredients For the Watermelon Pico de Gallo Recipe
You’ll need just a few simple ingredients to make this easy watermelon Pico de Gallo.
Watermelon: Choose a juicy, ripe watermelon for this recipe. It is the base of this salsa, so you’ll need to be sure it has that delicious sweetness too.
Jalapeño: I like to keep my homemade salsas spicy, so I used quite a handful of these. You can use as much as you prefer.
Bell pepper: To bulk up this salsa, I also added some bell peppers. Used orange and red ones here, because that’s what I had. You can use green bell pepper or pretty much any color you prefer or have.
Red onion: To balance out the sweetness of the watermelon and bell peppers, I added some red onions into the mix too!
Lime juice: Lime juice brightens up the fresh salsa like nothing else! Add lime zest for extra tanginess.
Cilantro: And of course, some cilantro too, for that added freshness.
Seasonings: To season, I used some salt, crushed black pepper, and a dash of brown sugar.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Watermelon Pico de Gallo
Got everything ready? Here’s what you’ll need to do to make the refreshing watermelon Pico de Gallo.
Step 1: Finely chop and combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2: Add lime juice and seasonings and toss well. Chill for 15 minutes and it is ready to serve.
Substitutions & Variations
- Don’t have cilantro? Use fresh basil or parsley instead or any other fresh herb of your choice.
- If you don’t have lime, you can use lemon juice instead to bring that tanginess and flavor.
- I also like to add a bit of my homemade Tajin seasoning to the salsa when I’m in the mood for something a bit more spicy.
💭Top Tip
To make things easier and quicker, I would recommend using seedless watermelon.
Equipment
How to Store Leftover Watermelon Salsa
Of all the Pico de Gallo recipes I’ve tried (and believe me I’ve tried a LOT), this is one version I would NOT recommend storing for later.
The reason? Watermelon is unbelievably juicy and can start to release water and turn limp even as you’re cutting it.
This is definitely not one of those recipes that you can prep ahead of time or even store for more than a few hours.
If you’re planning to serve it within an hour, make sure you move it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for best results.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Depending on what I have at hand, I also like to add other veggies to the salsa. Cucumbers, tomatoes, white onions, celery, pineapple, and cabbage are all great choices. You can also add avocado if you want to.
- During the hot summer months, I also like to add some fresh mango into the mix and make a nice watermelon mango Pico de Gallo.
- Using fresh ingredients is the key here, so make sure you use the best produce you can, preferably organic.
- If you’re planning to make this watermelon salsa for a potluck or a BBQ party, I would recommend assembling everything right when you want to serve it.
How to Serve the Watermelon Pico de Gallo
This fresh watermelon salsa tastes incredible when paired with your tacos, enchiladas, and other Mexican favorites.
And it's not just that- it also tastes incredible when served on top of grilled chicken or any other grilled meat for that matter.
It is also the perfect side dish for your sandwiches, wraps, and other favorites.
FAQs
The easiest way to make sure you pick a good watermelon is to check for a consistent stripe pattern on its surface. The stripes should ideally be creamy, and pale yellow in color, and the fruit should, overall, look dull on the outside, which signifies that it is ripe.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Watermelon Pico de Gallo
Ingredients
- 3 cup watermelon chopped
- 1 red onion chopped
- 1 cup bell pepper chopped
- 1 teaspoon cilantro chopped
- 2 jalapeno chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Finely chop and combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add lime juice and seasonings and toss well. Chill for 15 minutes and it is ready to serve.