Description
This grilled watermelon recipe combines sweet, smoky flavors with fresh herbs and tangy feta cheese for a unique and refreshing summer dish. Perfect as a light appetizer or side, the watermelon is brushed with a zesty lemon-honey glaze before grilling to enhance its natural sweetness and add a caramelized char.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 watermelon (5-6 pounds, cut into 1-inch thick wedges)
- Vegetable oil for grill
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
- 1-2 tablespoons small basil leaves, torn
Instructions
- Preheat grill. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill on high heat, then grease the grates thoroughly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare lemon-honey glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Brush watermelon. Generously brush both sides of the watermelon wedges with the lemon-honey mixture to evenly coat them with flavor.
- Grill watermelon. Place the watermelon wedges on the grill and cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until grill marks appear and the flesh is slightly softened but still firm.
- Serve. Arrange the grilled watermelon on a serving platter, then sprinkle with crumbled feta and torn basil leaves just before serving to add a creamy and fresh finish.
Notes
- Use a ripe watermelon for the best sweetness and juiciness.
- If you don’t have a grill, you can use a grill pan on the stovetop as an alternative.
- Adjust the amount of honey to taste if you prefer a sweeter glaze.
- Fresh basil can be substituted with mint for a different herbaceous note.
- For a vegan option, omit feta or replace with a plant-based cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 236 kcal
- Sugar: 41 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 4 mg
