Can You Freeze Watermelon? Yes – And Here’s How

Watermelon is refreshing and great for snacks and desserts. Although it’s found across the U.S. in summer, you thankfully can freeze watermelon and enjoy it year-round.

Watermelon is a delicious, juicy summer fruit. But, as it’s seasonal, can you eat it outside of the summer months? You can, if you freeze it. Frozen watermelon can be used in a range of summery dishes, giving you that sweet, juicy taste whenever you want it.

Loaded with vitamin C and made up of over 90 percent water, watermelon is a breeze to freeze. Just don’t try to freeze a whole watermelon, as that would take a very long time to defrost.

How to Freeze Watermelon

Freezing watermelon takes only a little preparation. If stored properly, it can last up to 8 months. You can choose to use the frozen watermelon in your recipes, or defrost it for a softer texture.

1. Slice the watermelon and remove all the seeds and the rind.
2. Cut into cubes.
3. Place on a parchment paper substitute on a baking tray and freeze for a few hours.
4. When solid, place in eco-friendly containers (see below for a guide to plastic-free food containers).
5. To thaw, place in the fridge for a short time to maintain a firm texture. When fully thawed it is more like a puree, which is suitable for juice or popsicle recipes.

1. Watermelon Juice

Yield: 3

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cubed and seeded frozen watermelon, thawed
• 2 tbsp. lime juice

Instructions:

1. Blend the watermelon and lime juice well in a blender.
2. Serve immediately.

2. Watermelon Berry Popsicle

Yield: 12 popsicles

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cubed and seeded watermelon frozen watermelon, thawed
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup cherries, pits removed
• 1 tbsp. lime juice

Instructions:

1. Blend watermelon, raspberries, cherries and lime.
2. Pour into reusable popsicle molds and insert popsicle sticks.
3. Freeze overnight.
4. To remove from the molds, run under warm water for a few seconds to loosen.
5. After you remove the frozen popsicles from the molds, put them in a reusable container and return to the freezer.

3. Summer Fruit Salad

Yield: 10 portions

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cubed seeded frozen watermelon, partially thawed in the fridge
• 10 cups assorted prepared seasonal fruits such as cantaloupe and honeydew melon balls, de-pitted cherries, halved strawberries, sliced nectarines and seedless grapes
• 1 cup organic fruit juice
• 1 cup water

Instructions:

1. Place cubed watermelon and other fruit in a large serving bowl.
2. Mix 1 cup of water with 1 cup of organic fruit juice and pour into the bowl.

4. Watermelon Sorbet

Yield: 10 portions

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 6 cups cubed and seeded frozen watermelon
• 2 tbsp. lime juice

Instructions:

1. Mix sugar and water in a saucepan. Slowly boil over a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool for about 45 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
3. Blend watermelon and lime juice in a food processor.
4. Whisk in the sugar water mixture.
5. Pour the watermelon mixture into a shallow metal pan and freeze until ice crystals form around the edges. Stir the ice crystals into the center of the pan and return to the freezer; repeat every 20 minutes until all the liquid is frozen.
6. Serve immediately or transfer to a food container and let it harden in the freezer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Serve in cooled dishes.

5. Watermelon Gazpacho

Yield: 4 portions

Ingredients:

• 8 cups finely cubed and seeded watermelon
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tbsp. red-wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. minced shallot
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tsp. salt

Instructions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Puree 3 cups of the mixture in a food processor to the desired smoothness; transfer to another large bowl.
3. Puree another 3 cups and add to the bowl. Stir in the remaining diced mixture. Serve at room temperature or chilled, with crusty bread or corn bread.
4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Suitable Containers for Freezing Watermelon

To be as sustainable as possible it is best to avoid plastic containers, especially single-use. For when you don’t need a certain shape of container, like a popsicle mold, stainless steel and glass containers are usually a great choice.

To know more, check out our guide with 6 sustainable household hacks on how to freeze foods without plastic.

Read more:

• Watermelon Rind: Why You Should Eat Watermelon Rind and How to Prepare it
• Juice Pops: Healthy Homemade Popsicle Recipes
• Quick Fruit Salad Recipe

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Tags: Guide recipe Vegan Vegetarian