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.