Don't Fear the Giant Watermelon—Use Every Last Slice with These 15 Juicy Ideas

Summer means watermelon. Juicy, pink-fleshed, and ever-so-tasty, this pepo is a seasonal sensation. But while cost effective, purchasing a whole, large watermelon can lead to melon monotony and maybe even a rotting rind in the fridge. To keep that from ever happening, here are 15 creative ways to use up that wondrous watermelon. Waste not, want not!

1. Chocolate-Dipped Watermelon

Dark chocolate, wedges of watermelon, and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. That's all you need to create this sweet 'n' salty treat from Compassionate Cuisine.

Don't Fear the Giant Watermelon—Use Every Last Slice with These 15 Juicy Ideas — *Image by Linda/Compassionate Cuisine*

2. Watermelon Mint Sorbet

This watermelon mint sorbet from Cookie + Kate is essentially a mojito in sorbet form. They added some white rum and lime juice to the mix to make a grown-up version of this childhood treat.

3. Watermelon Salsa

The folks at Keep Your Diet Real have mastered the watermelon salsa by combining watermelon, papaya, red onion, cucumber, jalapeño, and lime juice.

4. Honey Grilled Watermelon

Throw those watermelon steaks on the grill and add some honey while you're at it. How Sweet Eats uses theirs to dress up caprese salad. The smoky char from the grill is a perfect complement to the sweet, sticky honey.

5. Watermelon Milkshakes

A creamy, dreamy way to use up your watermelon: mix it into a milkshake! Make it vegan with almond-coconut milk or substitute your non-dairy milk of choice.

6. Watermelon & Grilled Halloumi Salad

This savory sweet sensation from Molly at Yes to Yolks balances the juicy, sweet melon flesh with bites of smoky grilled halloumi cheese, spicy arugula, crunchy croutons, and a dressing of basil-mint pesto. It's a flavor explosion in your mouth that will turn lunch into an event!

7. Watermelon Margaritas

Soak up the flavors of summer with this super refreshing fruity margarita from Sweet Life Bake. A bit sweet, a bit salty, and filled with citrus, it's the perfect beverage for your barbecue.

8. Watermelon Gazpacho

Here's an image from our cookbook Living the Mediterranean Diet that features one of our favorite things to make in the summertime: watermelon gazpacho. We like to add fresh rosemary to ours for an extra kick.

9. Watermelon Caprese Salad Skewers

Caprese skewers made with tomatoes are wonderful. Caprese skewers made with watermelon are beyond wonderful. That added succulent sweetness from the melon makes this appetizer a next-level stroke of culinary genius.

10. Watermelon Feta Skewers

Similar in skewer form to their Italian caprese counterpart, these watermelon skewers from Bites of Bri are given a Greek twist with feta cheese and mint. Unlike the creamy mozzarella on the caprese skewers, the feta has a salty flavor and crumbly texture that also meshes well with the juicy watermelon.

11. Watermelon Pizza

Give your pizza a mouthwatering watermelon makeover for the ultimate summer dinner on the patio. No, we're not talking about pizza with watermelon on it—we're talking about a pizza made from a slice of watermelon. There are a bunch of variations on how to make it for dinner or dessert!

12. Boozy Watermelon Pops

Get everyone buzzing with boozy watermelon pops! They're actual fruit soaked in the makings of a margarita (tequila, triple sec, and lime juice) then frozen on a stick to create a grown-up treat that's sure to start your pool party off right.

13. Watermelon Sangria

And just when you think you've seen it all in the sangria world, a recipe pops up for watermelon sangria. Sweet watermelon mixed with white wine, simple syrup, citrus, and blueberries is the perfect combo for a refreshing sipper. Summer just got a whole lot better—we just wish we'd heard about this sooner!

14. Watermelon Bars

Sick of lemon bars? Try your baking hand at watermelon bars instead. Not only do these adorable cookies look like watermelons (check out those chocolate chip "seeds" and the shortbread crust "rind"), but they're flavored with actual watermelon juice or purée.

15. Watermelon Mojitos

Martha Stewart does it again with this magic recipe for watermelon mojitos. The muddled mint and the sweet rum go together with the rosy watermelon like they were made for each other. It's a good thing!

As we quite literally sit here eating a piece of watermelon, we are feeling inspired to get a little more wacky with our watermelon creations in the future! Our hope is that this list of 15 unique ideas has your imagination stirring, too.