Watermelon
Watermelon is summer’s most refreshing bite — sweet, hydrating, and endlessly versatile at the table.
In a nutshell
Watermelon is a large, vine-grown fruit with crisp, candy-sweet red (or yellow) flesh and a high water content that makes it naturally cooling and light. It’s one of the lowest-calorie fruits you can eat, yet it delivers real nutrients and a satisfying sweetness. From backyard cookouts to upscale salads, it fits almost every warm-weather occasion.
Nutrition
≈ 4 Calories and 0g fat per tablespoon.
Watermelon is surprisingly nutrient-dense for something so light on calories. Its standout compound is lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that gives the flesh its red color and has been linked to heart and skin health — watermelon actually contains more lycopene per serving than raw tomatoes. It also provides a solid dose of vitamin C for immune support and vitamin A (as beta-carotene) for eye health. Citrulline, an amino acid found in notable amounts in watermelon, is converted by the body into arginine and plays a role in circulation and muscle recovery, which is why athletes sometimes reach for it. Because roughly 92% of watermelon’s weight is water, it contributes meaningfully to daily hydration, and its modest potassium content supports healthy blood pressure. Nutrition per 100g via Spoonacular.
Culinary uses & pairings
Watermelon shines brightest in its simplest role: sliced cold and eaten out of hand. Beyond that, it’s a natural in fruit salads, agua frescas, and blended drinks like smoothies and margaritas. Cubed watermelon tossed with feta, mint, and a drizzle of olive oil is a classic summer salad that balances sweet, salty, and herby flavors effortlessly. It also purées into vibrant chilled soups and sorbets.
Heat transforms watermelon in unexpected ways. Grilling thick slices over high heat caramelizes the sugars and concentrates the flavor, creating a lightly smoky, almost jammy result that pairs well with savory toppings like prosciutto, arugula, or balsamic glaze. The rind is edible too — pickled watermelon rind is a beloved Southern US condiment, and the rind can be stir-fried or braised in Chinese-inspired preparations.
Pairs well with
Substitutions
Buying & storage
Look for a watermelon that feels heavy for its size — that weight signals high water content and ripeness. The skin should be firm and dull (not shiny), and one side should have a creamy yellow or orange field spot where it rested on the ground; a white or pale spot means it was picked too early. When you knock on it, a ripe watermelon gives a deep, hollow thump rather than a dull thud. For cut watermelon at the grocery store, choose pieces with bright, deeply colored flesh and no white streaking near the center, which indicates under-ripeness.
Varieties
- Crimson Sweet: The classic large, striped supermarket watermelon with deep red, very sweet flesh — the benchmark most people picture.
- Sugar Baby: A small, round ‘icebox’ variety perfect for smaller households; dark green rind and intensely sweet red flesh.
- Seedless (triploid hybrids): Bred for convenience without seeds; slightly less complex in flavor than seeded varieties but overwhelmingly popular in US stores.
- Yellow Doll / Yellow Flesh: Pale yellow to golden flesh with a honeyed, slightly milder sweetness; striking on a plate and available at farmers markets.
- Charleston Gray: An heirloom variety with gray-green skin and classic sweet red flesh; prized by gardeners for disease resistance and old-fashioned flavor.
- Mini Seedless: Palm-sized personal watermelons increasingly common in grocery stores; great for solo snacking with no need to store a cut half.
Recipes using watermelon
15 recipes across our recipe sites use watermelon. A few favorites:
Cooking with watermelon tonight?
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History & origin
Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) traces its origins to northeastern Africa, with wild relatives found across sub-Saharan Africa including the Kalahari region. Ancient Egyptians were cultivating it at least 4,000 years ago — seeds and depictions have been found in pharaonic tombs, and the fruit was prized for its ability to store water in arid conditions. It spread through the Mediterranean and into Asia via trade routes, arriving in China by the 10th century and reaching the Americas with European colonizers and the transatlantic slave trade in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the American South it became deeply embedded in foodways, though it was also weaponized as a racial stereotype after the Civil War — a painful history that continues to shape cultural conversations around the fruit. Today the US grows significant commercial crops in states like Florida, Georgia, Texas, and California, while China produces the vast majority of the world’s supply.
How it’s made
Watermelons are warm-season annuals grown from seed in well-drained, sandy loam soil with plenty of sun and heat. Seeds are direct-sown or started indoors and transplanted after the last frost, typically in rows or raised beds with ample spacing — vines can sprawl 6 to 10 feet. The plants are heavy feeders and need consistent irrigation, though growers ease off water near harvest to concentrate sugars in the flesh. Bees are essential for pollinating the flowers, and commercial growers often bring in hives to ensure a good fruit set. Maturity is judged by the dried tendril closest to the fruit, the yellowing field spot, and the hollow thump test; most varieties are ready 70 to 90 days after transplanting. After harvest, watermelons are field-packed and shipped without the need for ripening agents since, unlike many fruits, they do not continue to ripen significantly once off the vine.
Good to know
- Watermelon is about 92% water by weight, making it one of the most hydrating solid foods you can eat.
- Despite its name, watermelon is botanically classified as a berry — specifically a type called a pepo, in the same family as cucumbers and squash.
- The entire watermelon is edible, including the rind and the seeds; seeds can be roasted and salted like pumpkin seeds.
- Watermelon contains more lycopene per serving than fresh tomatoes, making it one of the richest dietary sources of that antioxidant.
- Oklahoma declared watermelon its official state vegetable in 2007, sparking a delightful botanical debate since it is technically a fruit.
