Watermelon Juice
Fresh watermelon juice is bright, cooling, and easy to make with just a blender. A squeeze of lime and a tiny pinch of salt help the fruit taste even more refreshing.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 4 servings, about 1 cup each
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 10mCook 0mDrinks
Watermelon juice is one of the simplest warm-weather drinks you can make at home. You do not need a juicer, and you do not need added sugar if your melon is ripe and sweet.
This recipe uses cubed seedless watermelon, fresh lime juice, and a small pinch of salt. The salt does not make the juice taste salty. It helps balance the sweetness and brings out the watermelon flavor.
Serve it very cold over ice, or keep a pitcher in the fridge for a quick drink after school, after a walk, or with a weekend lunch.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
4 items · 4 servings, about 1 cup each
- 6 cups cubed seedless watermelon, chilled, about 912 g
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt with no iodine flavor notes, optional but recommended for balance una? wait no;
- Ice, for serving?
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Chill the watermelon
Start with cold watermelon if you can. Chilled fruit makes a fresher-tasting juice and means you will need less ice, which can water down the drink.
2. Cut the fruit
Cut the watermelon flesh away from the rind and chop it into blender-friendly cubes. If you see any large black seeds, pick them out. Small white seeds are soft and usually blend in.
3. Fill the blender
Add the watermelon cubes to a blender. If your blender is small, blend the fruit in two batches so the lid stays secure and the motor can work easily.
4. Blend until smooth
Blend on high speed for 30 to 60 seconds, or until the watermelon has turned into a smooth liquid. Stop and scrape down the sides if any chunks get stuck above the blades.
5. Add lime and salt
Pour in the fresh lime juice and add the salt. Blend for another 5 to 10 seconds. Taste the juice. If your watermelon is very sweet, you may want an extra squeeze of lime.
6. Strain if you like
For a smoother juice, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher. A fine-mesh strainer is a sieve with very small holes. Press gently with a spoon to help the juice pass through, but do not force too much pulp if you want a clear drink.
7. Serve cold
Pour the watermelon juice into glasses over ice and serve right away. Stir before pouring if it has been sitting, because natural fruit pulp can separate.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: You can make watermelon juice up to 24 hours ahead. Store it covered in the refrigerator and stir well before serving.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in a clean jar or pitcher in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. The flavor is brightest on the first day.
- No blender? Mash very ripe watermelon with a potato masher, then strain it through a fine-mesh strainer. The texture will be lighter and a little less full-bodied.
- Flavor swaps: Try lemon juice instead of lime, or muddle a few mint or basil leaves in the glass before adding the juice.
- For a slushy drink: Freeze some of the cubed watermelon first, then blend it with the fresh watermelon. You may need to stop the blender and stir once or twice.
- If the juice tastes flat: Add a little more lime juice or a tiny pinch more salt. If it tastes too sharp, blend in more watermelon.
Cook's note
Nutrition is calculated with 6 cups raw seedless watermelon, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided into 4 servings. Ice is not included because it adds no calories or nutrients.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Do I need to add water to watermelon juice?
Usually, no. Watermelon is naturally very juicy, so it blends into a drink without extra liquid. If your blender needs help starting, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water, then blend again.
Should I strain watermelon juice?
Straining is optional. Unstrained juice has more body and a little pulp. Strained juice is smoother and lighter. Both are good, so choose the texture you like.
Can I make this with seeded watermelon?
Yes. Remove the large black seeds before blending. A few soft white seeds are fine, but too many hard seeds can make the juice taste slightly bitter.
Can I freeze watermelon juice?
Yes. Freeze it in ice cube trays, then store the cubes in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Blend the cubes into smoothies or thaw them for a quick cold drink.
How do I pick a good watermelon for juice?
Look for a watermelon that feels heavy for its size and has a creamy yellow field spot, which is the place where it rested on the ground. A ripe melon should smell fresh and feel firm, not soft.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
4 servings, about 1 cup each
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat0 g
- 0%
- Saturated Fat0 g
- 0%
- Cholesterol0 mg
- 0%
- Sodium75 mg
- 3%
- Total Carbohydrate18 g
- 7%
- Dietary Fiber1 g
- 4%
- Total Sugars14 g
- Protein1 g
- 2%
- Vitamin D0 mcg
- 0%
- Calcium17 mg
- 1%
- Iron0.6 mg
- 3%
- Potassium264 mg
- 6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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