Fresh & Easy Watermelon Pico de Gallo 🍉 This spicy, sweet, and refreshing combo of fresh watermelon, cucumber, lime and mango will brighten up any patio party, potluck, or picnic. Oil-free & gluten-free.
I love this recipe. Years ago, when I was introduced to fruit salsa, I wasn't sure what I thought of it. I remember thinking "What a fantastic combo of flavors - sweet, sour, hot, spicy, bitter, savory, salty?" And the more I tried it, the more I wanted it. Especially this one.
Some people would call this salsa, but really, it's more like a chunky pico de gallo, or even a zesty watermelon salad. It's a perfect side dish to serve with my favorite vegan potato enchilada casserole, California breakfast burritos, and of course, tacos!
There's nothing quite like this fresh and easy watermelon pico de gallo when the summer heat is in full swing. Juicy cubes of watermelon and mango mingle with crisp cucumber, bright lime, a hint of chili spice, and fragrant herbs for a burst of cool, zesty flavor in every bite. It's the kind of snack or side that instantly revives you on a hot day - sweet, tangy, lightly spicy, and ultra-refreshing. I like to scoop a spoonful into a ripe avocado and make it my lunch!
Table of Contents
🍉 Why you'll love this dish
- It's so fresh and easy to prepare!
- Super versatile - use ingredients you have on hand or substitute as needed
- That color! It's as appealing to look at as it is tasty to eat
- Perfect for parties as a simple side or relish with spicy dishes
- Makes a healthy snack
Ingredients
The beauty of this recipe is you can make it your own. As you'll see from the photos, I've made this with and without onion, basil, cilantro, parsley - even mango. It's easy to swap out or omit some ingredients, depending on your preferences or what you may have on hand.
Fruits/Veggies
- Watermelon
- Mango
- Cucumber
- Red onion - or scallions
- Fresh jalapeño pepper - or red pepper flakes
- Fresh herbs - fresh basil, cilantro, mint, or parsley (choose one)
Dressing
- Lime juice
- Lime zest
- Maple syrup - substitute with agave nectar or vegan honey
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Chile lime salt or Tajin
Instructions
🥕See the recipe card below for quantities and complete details
- In a large mixing bowl, combine watermelon, mango, cucumber, onion, jalapeño, and fresh herbs.
- In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together lime juice, lime zest, maple syrup, black pepper, and salt.
- Pour over fruit combo and gently toss.
- Cover and refrigerate.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle with Tajin or chile lime salt.
- Serve with fresh tortilla chips.
🍉 Helpful Hints
Use the freshest fruits. It's easy to select the ripest sweetest watermelon by following these simple tips:
- Pick up several watermelons of equal size. Find the heaviest.
- Look for the yellow spot. Ripe watermelons have a yellow spot where they have sat on the ground, unexposed to sunlight.
- Tap on the watermelon. Ripe watermelons have a hollow sound.
Mango not in season? No problem! Have fun adding your own fresh fruits to this fabulous pico de gallo! Use whatever you have on hand like oranges, tangerines, pears, nectarines, peaches. You really can't go wrong. In a hurry? Not to worry! This recipe takes just a few minutes to prepare.
🍉 FAQ's
We typically think of salsas, or pico de gallo (also know as salsa fresco) as spicy sauces or condiments that are served as toppings for appetizers and entrees. The term "salsa" refers to the word "sauce". Salsas and pico de gallo are often prepared from similar ingredients. Salsas, however, are thinner and contain more liquid. Pico de gallo is chunkier, and can be made with fruit as well as vegetables and peppers.
Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container until you're ready to serve. This dish is best enjoyed within 4-8 hours, while the watermelon and cucumber are still fresh and crisp.
This watermelon mango pico de gallo is quick and easy to prepare. It is best enjoyed fresh, so I suggest preparing it just before you plan to serve it.
🍉 Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this fresh & easy watermelon pico de gallo on top a halved avocado, salad greens, or with any of these delish dishes:
If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Fresh & Easy Watermelon Pico de Gallo
Equipment
- Knife
- large bowl
Ingredients
- 3 C watermelon seeded and cubed in small pieces
- 1 mango peeled and cubed in small pieces
- 1 cucumber seeded and cubed in small pieces
- ½ small red onion finely diced
- 1 whole jalapeño pepper seeded and finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped (substitute with cilantro or parsley)
- ¼ C lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup (substitute with agave nectar or vegan honey)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon Tajin or chile lime salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine watermelon, mango, cucumber, onion, jalapeño, and basil.
- In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together lime juice, lime zest, maple syrup, black pepper, and salt.
- Pour over fruit combo and gently toss.
- Cover and refrigerate.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle with Tajin or chile lime salt.
- Serve with fresh tortilla chips.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
If you've enjoyed this recipe, please consider rating it using stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in the comments below. It helps other readers and allows more people to find it online. I love hearing from you! Let's keep in touch!
Hope says
I am thinking about doing this with cucumber and not peppers for the littles. Looks yummy.
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
You can definitely skip the added spice to keep it nice & kid friendly.🍉 Enjoy!
Liz McCarthy says
Made a big bowl of this to use with some other recipes and my husband and I ended up eating the whole bowl! It was delicious and refreshing and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. I think I will make it again for a friend who is coming for lunch next week. Thanks for the really excellent recipe.
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Hi Liz! You’ve made my morning! I’m so glad you & your hubby enjoyed the Watermelon Pico de Gallo! It’s one of my favorite un-guilty pleasures!🍉🌱🥭