Dressing up watermelon fruit salad with a honey-lime syrup and toasted pistachios is an easy way to make summer melon into something truly party-worthy.
Watermelon is one of my favorite summer fruits; it’s juicy, refreshing, and naturally sweet, which means it really doesn’t need much to shine. In this recipe, I pair with cantelope for a color contrast, and drizzle the whole thing with a honey syrup infused with citrusy brightness from fresh lime, a pinch of brown sugar, and a crunchy, nutty bite from toasted pistachios. It’s a quick upgrade that makes fresh fruit sing.
I love serving it as a refreshing side for a backyard gathering or as a light, colorful dessert after a grilled meal. And if you have leftovers? They’re wonderful for breakfast the next day with a scoop of creamy Greek yogurt.
Table of Contents
What’s in Watermelon Fruit Salad?
You don’t need many ingredients to make this sweet, tart, and crunchy watermelon fruit salad. Feel free to use any color watermelon or swap in other types of melon for the cantaloupe!
- Pistachios add a salty-sweet crunch and a beautiful nutty flavor. You can start with either roasted, salted pistachios if you like a hit of savory flavor in sweet dishes, or start with raw ones and toast them in the pan before adding the syrup ingredients.
- Honey sweetens the syrup and adds a lovely aroma that complements the melon. Any honey will do, but I like to use a floral acacia or wildflower honey for this recipe.
- Dark brown sugar adds a deep molasses note to the syrup for the fruit.
- Lime: Both the zest and juice from fresh limes add brightness and zing, balancing the sweetness of the syrup. You’ll need about 2 large limes, or about 1/4 cup of juice for this recipe. Feel free to substitute lemon instead.
- Watermelon: Refreshing and hydrating, watermelon is the star of this fruit salad. To pick a sweet watermelon, try to find one that feels heavy for its size with a yellow field spot. This means it’s ripe. You can use a melon baller to make neat little balls, or dice into bite-sized cubes. If you do use a melon baller, use the scraps to make this watermelon lemonade!
- Cantaloupe adds a slightly firmer, velvety texture and extra sweetness to balance the watermelon.
How to Make Watermelon Fruit Salad
This fruit salad comes together quickly, so it’s perfect for last-minute gatherings. I recommend serving it while the syrup is still warm.
- Toast the pistachios. Set a small nonstick pan over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup roughly chopped pistachios and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until fragrant.
- Make the honey-lime syrup. Add 3 tablespoons honey and 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar to the pistachios and warm, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, or until the brown sugar fully dissolves. Turn the heat off and stir in the grated zest and juice of 2 large limes (about 1/4 cup juice). Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Taste and, if needed, stir in more honey.
- Finish and serve. Combine 5 cups cubed seedless watermelon and 3 cups cubed cantaloupe in a large, shallow serving bowl. Spoon the pistachio and honey syrup all over and serve.
What to Serve with Watermelon Fruit Salad
This sweet and juicy watermelon fruit salad makes the perfect refreshing side for any warm weather meal. Pair it with grilled favorites like our grilled chicken souvlaki, salmon skewers, or lamb burgers.
It would also make a lovely and refreshing addition to a brunch spread of Greek-style tomato-feta scrambled eggs, breakfast pita pizza with za’atar, or our spanakopita-inspired spinach frittata.
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Watermelon Fruit Salad with Pistachios, Honey, and Lime
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup roughly chopped pistachios
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- Grated zest and juice of 2 large limes (about 1/4 cup juice)
- 5 cups 1-inch seedless watermelon cubes or melon balls
- 3 cups 1-inch cantaloupe cubes or melon balls
Instructions
- Toast the pistachios. Set a small nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the pistachios and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until fragrant.
- Make the honey-lime syrup. Add the honey and brown sugar and warm, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, or until the brown sugar fully dissolves. Turn the heat off and stir in the lime zest and juice. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Taste and, if needed, stir in more honey.
- Finish and serve. Combine the watermelon and cantaloupe in a large, shallow serving bowl. Spoon the pistachio and honey syrup all over and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Honey from The Mediterranean!
Indulge in the delicate sweetness of Italian Organic Acacia Honey, sourced from the lush acacia woods of the Pre-Alps and other regions of the Italian peninsula.
