Watermelon all by itself is pretty good. At a barbecue, picnic or just sitting “on the stoop” as we used to do, watermelon hits the spot. After all, there is nothing nicer than a slice of cool watermelon on a hot summer’s day.
But I can never resist getting adventurous. With dried herbs and spices, as well as fresh herbs, I set out to pair it with flavors not normally associated with watermelon.
Originally, I intended to do just a few pairing. But then I couldn’t stop myself. As the post title indicates, I kept going until I had more than 50 pairings.
My list of 58 herbs and spices to pair with watermelon took research. Beginning with anise hyssop and ending with vanilla, they run the gamut from ones I use frequently to others, such as asafoetida, that I had to look up. I began with Wikipedia and then kept going.
In the end, my list might not be yours exactly. Plus, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a few that skipped my attention. Still, it’s pretty comprehensive. For details on most of the herbs and spices below, check the descriptions in The Kitchn’s Herb and Spice Guide.
Then I looked for recipes that use the specified herbs and spices with watermelon. What began as a random stroll soon turned into a rather obsessive hunt. Think of this as the Flavor Bible gone mad. Or maybe it’s a crazy woman’s quest to find the end of the watermelon section of the internet.
And so, here is my definitive watermelon herb & spice pairing guide. Use this compilation to enjoy watermelon in every course and with every herb and spice.
Here you’ll find recipes from famous chefs and others from little-known bloggers. Besides condiments, appetizers, soups, and main courses, there are beverages and desserts. Some of the recipes are incredibly simple, while others take more culinary experience. If you want to experiment, you’ll certainly find recipes to entice you on this list.
Watermelon Herb & Spice Pairing Guide
Anise Hyssop – Fancy Watermelon Appetizers with Chevre and Anise Hyssop
Anise Seeds – Watermelon Pudding
Asafoetida – Watermelon Rind Morkootu (morkootu is a tamil buttermilk stew. This one uses yogurt)
Achiote – Achiote Salmon with Quinoa, Watermelon & Arugula
Allspice – Alton Brown’s Watermelon Rind Pickles
Annatto Seeds – Dunham’s Grilled Shrimp with Annatto Seeds, Watermelon & Watercress
Basil – Marcus Samuelsson’s Watermelon Basil Salad
Bay leaf – Tuna Watermelon Crudo
Black Sesame Seeds – Watermelon with Dry Toasted Black Sesame Seeds
Caraway Seed – The Splendid Table’s Arugula Watermelon Salad with Israeli-Style Spices
Cardamom – Grilled Watermelon Caprese Salad with Cardamom Balsamic Reduction
Cayenne Pepper – Real Simple’s Spicy Watermelon with Pistachios
Chervil – Watermelon Chervil Candy
Chia Seeds – Chia Seed Juice
Chile Pepper – Watermelon with Chile Pepper, Salt & Lime
Chives – Asparagus, Potato, and Watermelon Salad with Garlic Chive Dressing
Cilantro – Watermelon Mint Salsa (with Cilantro)
Cinnamon – Cinnamon and Watermelon Granita
Cloves – Watermelon Relish
Coriander Seed – Chilled Papaya and Watermelon Soup with Lemon Coriander Cream
Cumin – Food52’s Watermelon Tomato Salad with Cumin and Fennel
Curry Leaves – Watermelon Rind Salna (curry)
Dill – Tyler Florence’s Watermelon Gazpacho
Fennel Seed – Coriander, Fennel and Pepper Crusted Tuna with Watermelon Salsa
Fenugreek – Watermelon and Sprouted Fenugreek Pappu (dal)
Garlic Powder – Chili Calamari with Watermelon and Cucumber Salad
Ginger – Watermelon and Ginger Limeade
Gochugaru (Korean red pepper) – Watermelon, Feta, Watercress Salad with Gochugaru Vinaigrette
Grains of Paradise (taste like cross between cardamom, citrus & black pepper) – Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad with Grains of Paradise
Juniper Berries – “Curiously Strong” Watermelon Balls
Kaffir Lime Leaves – Watermelon Infused with Kaffir Lime Vodka
Lemon Grass – Thai Spiced Watermelon Soup with Crabmeat
Lemon Thyme – Watermelon Lemon Thyme Martinis
Loomi (also known as dried or Black Limes or Black Lemons or Omami Lemons) – Watermelon, Cherry and Mint Salad with Rosewater, Dried Limes and Pistachio
Lovage – Crab and Watermelon with Cucumber Ketchup and Lovage Gel
Mace (same plant as nutmeg) – Watermelon Ketchup
Marjoram – Watermelon Feta Salad with Cracked Pepper and Marjoram Vinaigrette
Mint – Watermelon Agua Fresca
Mustard Seeds – Williams Sonoma’s Watermelon Rind Pickles
Nigella Sativa (also called onion seed or kaloji) – Tuna Watermelon Ceviche
Oregano – Maple Glazed Watermelon, Oregano, and Feta Salad
Paprika – Minty Watermelon and Paprika-Spiced BBQ’d Halloumi Salad
Parsley – Easy Watermelon Gazpacho
Peppercorns – Watermelon CousCous Salad with Peppercorn Crusted Scallops
Pink Pepper – Grilled Watermelon
Rosemary – Sangria with Watermelon and Rosemary
Saffron – Curried Crab and Watermelon Salad with Arugula
Sage – Sage and Lemon Butter Baked Cod with Citrus Rice and Watermelon Salad
Shiso (Member of mint family) – Watermelon-Shiso Cooler
Smoked Paprika – Watermelon Sashimi with Sweet and Spicy Cilantro Dipping Sauce
Star Anise – Watermelon, Lime, Ginger, and Star Anise Jam
Sumac – Flatbread with Watermelon Panzanella, Halloumi, and Sumac Dressing
Summer Savory – Watermelon Goat Cheese Toast
Tarragon – Watermelon Grape Tarragon Salad
Thai Basil – Watermelon, Chili and Basil Ice Pops
Thyme – Watermelon and Strawberry Granita with Thyme-Infused Cream
Turmeric – Watermelon Curry
Vanilla – Red, White, and Blue PopsiclesRed, White, and Blue Popsicles
Besides the watermelon jam pictured at the top of this post, I tried another one on the list and it was amazing. I’ll blog about it next week. Which recipe caught your fancy?
Disclosure – This post is sponsored by the National Watermelon Promotion Board. All opinions expressed and all editorial decisions are my own.
Stephanie B. says
This is an AMAZING list of watermelon pairings. WOW! Can’t wait to test my taste buds on some of the less known ones. Also the juniper and the fennel.
motherwouldknow says
Stephanie – My favorite so far is the watermelon and toasted black sesame seeds. But I’ll wait until I try each one before rendering a “final verdict” on my favorite:)
Amy Malik says
Laura,
The star anise pairing sound intriguing. I love the combo of star anise & ginger in the jam. Well done!
motherwouldknow says
Amy, I knew about star anise and had used it in Asian cooking, but the jam was my first foray into star anise as part of a sweet and spicy dish. I’m intrigued and hoping to experiment with it some more.
marye says
You missed my fav. Sprinkling a little chile powder on it. Here in Texas chile powder is sprinkled on watermelon, mango, and other fruits… it’s awesome…
motherwouldknow says
Yup, you’re right Marye – just added it in. thanks for having such an eagle eye, though you probably headed right to where chile pepper should have been:)
Gail says
Yum! Watermelon is my favorite fruit. Can’t wait to try the granita and the gazpacho first. I just got a Nutribullet and I’ve been using it to make all kinds of concoctions (was slightly worried that it would just gather dust, but nope!) Now, you’ve inspired me to make these watermelon recipes. Also, lol, what with the watermelon and the MHz ads promoting my favorite show, “A French Village,” you’ve got all my obsessions covered in one post! (well, except for chocolate!).
Laura says
Haha! Glad to be of service. Hope to uncover more of your culinary obsessions soon (can’t believe these are all of them:)