Beat the summer heat with this cool, refreshing watermelon granita. Icy cool granita is the perfect summertime treat to keep yourself cool and refreshed.
It’s no secret that watermelon is one of my favorite fruits, my favorite being watermelon feta salad, and also love watermelon mojito, the best summer cold soup watermelon gazpacho, spicy watermelon margarita, frozen watermelon smoothie. Do try this delicious watermelon slushie.
Recipe originally posted on May 2016. Updated in May 2019 with new photos.
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Why does this recipe work?
- Move aside ice cream, and enter simple low-calorie watermelon granita.
- Seasonal watermelon is juicy and best quality, you can’t afford to miss the chance to feast on it.
- One of the best light and refreshing summer treats!
- By far one of the simplest desserts you’ll make, all you have to do is chop, blend, freeze, and relish!
- The secret ingredient – mint leaves! For fresh and flavor-packed granita use mint leaves.
Ingredients
- Watermelon – Seedless fully ripe watermelon is the best choice. If you do have seeds in the watermelon, don’t worry too much, you can try removing a few, it’s ok to have a few seeds on. I did not bother to remove the seeds from the watermelon, as watermelon juice will be passing through a fine mesh strainer. If you have frozen watermelon in your freezer, feel free to use it.
- Secret ingredients – mint – Fresh mint adds flavor, taste, and amazing freshness to granita. You can swap mint with fresh basil as well.
- Lime juice – always use freshly squeezed lime juice. Lime juice adds freshness and tang to the granita.
- Sugar (optional)– for a sweeter granita you can add sugar to watermelon when juicing it. If watermelon has enough sweetness skip sugar. Sugar can be substituted with honey or maple syrup.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Simple way to cut watermelon into cubes – first cut watermelon into discs.
Step 2: Remove the outer green rind. Cut watermelon into smaller square cubes. If you have frozen watermelon feel free to use it.
Step 3: You can use watermelon cubes as it is or freeze them and use them as frozen watermelon granita. Add watermelon cubes into a food processor or blender.
Step 4: Pulse it a couple of times to make it into juice.
Step 5: Add sugar for added sweetness. This is optional. IF watermelon has enough sweetness, skip sugar.
Step 6: Pour freshly squeezed lime juice.
Step 7: the secret ingredient – fresh mint leaves. Adds wonderful flavor. This step is an option, but you’ll love the flavors of mint leaves in granita, have trust.
Step 8: Blend everything until everything blends well. Filter out watermelon juice and pour it into a shallow dish.
Step 9: Set it in the freezer for a couple of hours. Once set a bit, remove it from the freezer and scrape it well. Place it back in the freezer to set it again. Repeat this a couple of times to make the consistency better.
Step 10: Once it fully sets scrape it and break it down well. Scoop it and serve it immediately garnished with mint leaves.
To help you cool off the heat try strawberry mango popsicles, blueberry frozen yogurt, and pineapple dole whip.
Best tips
- Best use seedless watermelon or remove the seeds from watermelon before you go ahead.
- The secret ingredient – mint. Add a twist to the regular granita and make it fresh and flavorful.
- Use a blender to juice watermelon. Food processor works too.
- Strain the juice through a fine mesh strainer to get fine clear watermelon juice.
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📋Refreshing Watermelon Granita
Ingredients
- 1 medium size watermelon (about 4 cups watermelon cubes)
- ¼ cup sugar or honey or stevia
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 10 to 15 fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Remove the green rind, and cut the watermelon into discs.
- Add watermelon cubes into a food processor or blender.
- Pulse it a couple of times to make it into juice.
- Add sugar for added sweetness. This is optional. If watermelon has enough sweetness, skip sugar.
- Add lime juice. Lime juice brings out the sweetness of watermelon and tastes better.
- Add fresh mint leaves. Mint leaves add amazing fresh flavors to the granita. This step is an option, but you'll love the flavors of mint leaves in granita, trust me.
- Blend everything until everything blends well. Filter out watermelon juice and pour it into a shallow dish.
- Set it in the freezer for a couple of hours. Once set a bit, remove it from the freezer and scrape it well. Place it back in the freezer to set it again. Repeat this a couple of times to make the consistency better.
- Once it fully sets scrape it and break it down well with a strong fork.
- Scoop the shavings and serve them immediately garnished with mint leaves.
Video
Notes
- Best use seedless watermelon or remove the seeds from watermelon before you go ahead.
- The secret ingredient – mint. Adds a twist to the regular granita and makes it fresh and flavorful.
- Use a blender to juice watermelon. Food processor works too.
- Strain the juice through a fine mesh strainer to get fine clear watermelon juice.
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
Thank you for stopping by.
I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2014 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
Comments & Reviews
Jeannette (Jay Joy) says
I have never heard of Granitas before. Where I grew up in the Bronx, they sold piraguas (what we called them) that look just like this.
jyothirajesh says
It’s perfect fit for summer
Swathi says
Watermelon granita looks delicious simple summer treat I am going to give it try for kids as their summer vaccation started.
jyothirajesh says
Thank you Swati
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
This looks so refreshing and delicious! I love cool treats like this one that I can enjoy with my kiddos during the heat of summer!
jyothirajesh says
It was absolutely delicious! Kids loved it too
Pinelopi Kyriazi says
I just LOVE watermelon! as a kid it was the only thing i was eating! 🙂 i will try your recipe, for sure!
jyothirajesh says
Hope you like this granita
Ramona says
I cannot wait for the granita weather to arrive. I am saving this recipe now as we definitely must have this beautiful granita. Kids will jump up with joy – what a beautiful colour this has! AMazing!
jyothirajesh says
My kids were super excited too. They ate too many servings and have asked to me remake some more granita this weekend 😀
Danielle says
Fantastic recipe for this summer. They say it is going to be extremely hot here, so this granita will really work like nothing else!
jyothirajesh says
Stay cool and refreshed Danielle
Dipti says
It looks fabulous! Have a little doubt about , scraping it with a fork. Will it be that easy once its frozen?
jyothirajesh says
A good fork will make the scarping easy Dipti.
hem lata says
Easy and superb
jyothirajesh says
Indeed. Thank you Hema