This post is also available in: EspaƱol
Grilled watermelon salsa is one of my staplesĀ for grilling season. WatermelonĀ is now in season, it is less expensive and has a yummy sweet flavor toĀ make an out of this world salsa.
Grilling the watermelon brings out the sweetness because the sugar gets caramelized while the grilling process. You can see the caramelization in the grilling marks after searing the watermelon for three to four minutes each side.
Grilled Watermelon Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 slices of grilled watermelon and then diced
- 1 cup chopped purple onion
- 2 chopped jalapeƱos
- 1 green lemon
- 1 bunch ofcilantro
- 2 tablespoons aged Cotija cheese
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the watermelon and cut two thick slices of the fruit. Grill the watermelon on both sides for 3 to 4 minutes until getting the grill marks. Cut into cubes and place in a bowl.
- Add the chopped jalapeƱo, the red onion, the lemon juice and stir.
- Season with salt to taste and add the chopped cilantro.
- Add the salsa to a concave half of watermelon to use as a decorative bowl on the table.
- Finish with the grated Cotija cheese and place on the table.
Notes
I like to use the small size watermelons because those are easy to handle and theyĀ do not occupy a lot of space in the fridge. You can also use them as a serving bowl after carving out the crunchy watery flesh. In the past this type of watermelons were expensive but now those cost the same as the traditional big watermelons.
The grilledĀ watermelon salsa I made with jalapeƱo peppers, purple onions, cilantro, lime juice and finished with grated cotija cheese. The mix of the sweet, spicy, citrusy with the aged cotija cheese makes this watermelon salsa a wonderful option to pair with grilled pork, chicken, or fish.
Mexican cuisine is very well known for its fresh homemade salsas. We make salsas with many different ingredients. Like tomatoes, mangoes, strawberries, tomatillos, and dried chiles. Our Mexican meals are not complete if a salsa to garnish the dishes is not available in the table.Ā We enjoy putting salsa to almost everything, and if the salsa is spicy much better. But don’t be afraid this watermelon salsa you can tame the spiciness by removing the vein and seeds from the jalapeƱo and use only the flesh. The vein and seeds are the ones that provide the kick of spiciness to the pepper.
If you like the combination of sweet, fresh and spicy you need to make this watermelon salsa in your next grilling event. I can bet you will surprise everyone since this salsa it is not a common side dish. However it will become one of your favorites to serve.
Happy grilling season with this grilled watermelon salsa!
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OMG, I’m totally making this for our summer parties!! I love watermelon but I’vent grilled them yet but this sound fantastic and would make a perfect sweet-savory salsa.
I have never grilled anything much in my life, but have heard great things about it. I really need to get over my fear/inhibition and start grilling. Watermelon is such a delicate fruit and I would have never thought to grill it. What a great flavor it would have been!
Grilled watermelon!? That’s a thing? I’m wiping the drool from my mouth over here. LOL. This will be on my summer grilling menu for sure!
I never thought to grill watermelon!! This recipe is amazing .. the sweetness of the watermelon and the char and then spicy jalapenos .. this is a perfect thing to serve as the weather warms up!
Great flavor combination … totally different from the usual salsa I have … this is going on my list of salsas to make this summer. Watch out Taco Tuesday!