Thereโs many ways to cut watermelon which means many ways to eat watermelon. And honestly? I love that for us. But cutting oneโฆ can leave your kitchen looking like a crime scene.
So I got some mess-free tips and tricksโฆ you ainโt gotta be Dexter!
Here are over 35 different ways to slice, dice, and enjoy watermelon. Plus why you should keep dental floss n the kitchen. You’ll also learn how to buy it, store it, the best knife to use and so much more.
Why & How to Wash a Watermelon
You should always wash your produce so you gotta wash that watermelon. Dirt and bacteria on the rind can hitch a ride on your knife when you cut into the flesh.
Eww, David.
- Place the watermelon in a clean sink
- Rinse it with cool water, not cold, not warmโฆ cool
- Gently scrub the rind using a produce brush
- Dry it with a clean towel before cutting into it
No soap or fancy produce wash required, just water.
Best Knife for Cutting a Watermelon
Now, if you google watermelon knives, you’re going to find a lot of gadgets and options. Trust me, you do not need anything fancy. The best knife for cutting a watermelon, and the safest, is the one you are most comfortable using. Whatever you choose, youโll want a knife thatโs 8-inches or longer.
These common knives are great options.
Using a Chef’s Knife
A chef knife is broad, sturdy, and provides great leverage. Using a little rocking action while pushing straight down, it slices and dices.
Using a Carving Knife
Long and thin, and with some give, carving knives allow you to better trace the curve of the rind.
Using a Bread Knife
Watermelons are big, heavy, and awkward. Serrated knives, like a bread knife, grip and saw, which help keep the blade from slipping. This is a great safety feature.
Knives to Avoid
Short knives, like a paring knife, are not a great option for those initial cuts. Dull knives should also be avoided.
Best Setup for Cutting Watermelon
But before you begin, letโs go over how to avoid that crime scene. A sturdy cutting board with a juice groove or drip tray is great if you have one. You definitely do not need one.
Simply place a cutting board inside of a rimmed baking sheet to capture the juice. This works great!
The important thing, no matter what you use, is that itโs steady and secure, and does not slip. A cutting board that slides around is how accidents happen. You can use a silicone mat or a damp towel to keep things from slipping.
No slipping, no sliding, no trips to the ER.
Because watermelons are big, heavy and a little awkwardโฆ and so am I.
How to Cut Watermelon Over 35 Ways
Most every cut of watermelon starts with one of these four paths:
- Crosswise halves
- Crosswise rings
- Lengthwise halvesย
- Or a peeled watermelonย
But real talk, you can get to most any cut from one of these starting moves. Just like knife choice, itโs what youโre comfortable with.
Try em all because youโll get to eat so much watermelon. And that doesnโt suck
Starting with Crosswise Halves
- Cut across the equator, creating two round halves
Quick and contained.
A popular starting point for bowls, balls, sticks, cubes and more.
The Crosswise Serving Bowl
Looking for a fun way to serve fruit salad or some gazpacho?
This crosswise serving bowl is a festive option.
- Cut the watermelon widthwise
- Hollow out the halves, removing the flesh
- And fill her up
Cute, right? Very demure. Very mindful.
The Mess-Free Cubes
As I said, cutting a watermelon can be a crime scene. But you don’t have to be Dexter! This mess-free method for cubes keeps the juice in check.
- Cut the watermelon across widthwiseย
- Place the crosswise half cut-side down
- Cut parallel lines 1-inch apart, half way through
- Rotate and repeat, careful not to cut it into rings
- Flip the melon cut-side up
- Cut the flesh into a 1-inch grid, all the way through to the rind
- Run the knife around the inside, following the rind, a carving knife works great here
- Scoop out the cubes
The Melon Baller
Watermelon balls are so pretty and fancy.ย I dunno why but they remind me of croquet, popped collars and John Hughes films.
- Cut the watermelon across the middle
- Place the crosswise half cut-side up
- Push the baller completely below the surface, this is key
- Then twist as you scoop up to release the ball
- Continue this across the fleshย
The Grid Sticks/Spears
Now keep this party trick in your back pocket all summer long. Grid sticks with the rind are a quick, mess free finger food with a lot of options.
- Cut the watermelon across the equator
- Place the crosswise half cut-side down
- Cut parallel lines about 1-inch apartย
- Turn the half 90 degrees
- Cut another set of parallel lines 1-inch apart
From the backyard to your next tailgate, all you need is some flaky salt, chili powder, and lime juice to make these spears a DIY appetizer. Or some tajin. Dips work too. Heck, turn them into ice pops.ย
So many options!
Oh, you could also cut them into cubes too, but youโre taking the scenic route
Starting with Crosswise Rings
This cut serves so many finished cuts.ย
The Crosswise Rings & Rounds
The rounds can be the finished form or the start of something.
Sorry, there is no one ring to rule them all.
The Half Moons
Of course, what is cut watermelon without those classic curved forms.
- Begin with 1-inch-ish thick rings
- Simply cut the ring in half
There you go, two half moons.
The Wedges
And you can easily make wedges this way too.
- Begin with a 1-inch-ish thick ring
- Cut the ring like a pizza, into even wedges
The Triangles
Same for triangles.
- Begin with 1-inch-ish thick rings
- Cut into the ring in half, like the half moons
- Cut the halves into quarters
- Then cut the quarters into small triangles
The distinction here is portion size. Wedges are larger, pizza-style portions. Triangles are smaller, snack-size pieces.
The Popsicles
Popsicles are a fun way to enjoy watermelon, fresh or frozen.
- Begin with 1-inch thick rings
- Cut the ring into either wedges or trianglesย
- Insert a popsicle stick through the rind in the middle
- If you are freezing them:
- Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheetย
- Donโt let them touch
- Freeze for at least 4 hours
The Sticks from Rings
Itโs the long road, but you can get sticks from rings.
- Start with a 1-inch thick rings
- Cut the rounds into parallel strips
- Cut them in half or trim off the rind on one end
- Or cut the rounds in half first for shorter sticks
The Cubes from Rings
And if youโre committed to the scenic route, cross cut the sticks further into cubes.
- Start with a 1-inch thick rings
- Cut the rounds into parallel strips
- Rotate
- Cross cut into cubes
The Fries
Cutting watermelon into fries is just another example of how versatile this fruit is.
- Start with a ยฝ-inch thick rounds
- Cut the rounds in half
- Using a crinkle cutter, cut the half moons into ยฝ-inch fries
- Or just use a knife
- You can leave the rind on or cut around the curve of the rind
You can serve them with a dip or, as I prefer, a platter with a drizzle bc I fancy like that.
The Planks
Planks or slabs are visually striking rind-free cuts. Like stacks, they are great for salads.
- Start with a 2-inch thick ring
- Trim off the rind
- Cut the flesh into broad rectangular portionsย
Like stacks, this cut is the cheat code for making your watermelon salad fancy.
The Shaved Ribbons
Shaved watermelon ribbons are another way to fancy up many dishes with a hint of sweetness.
- Start with a 3-inch thick ring
- Trim off the rind
- Cut the flesh into broad rectangles
- Cut very thin slices with a knife, peeler, or mandoline
The Steak Cut
The steak cut works best with thicker cut crosswise rounds and the rind left on for grilling.
- Begin with 2-inch thick rings
- Keep it whole, leaving the rind on makes it easier to flipย
- Pat it dry
- Lightly brush each side with oil and seasonย
- Grill the whole round for 2 minutes on each sideย
- Trim off the rind
- Cut into rectangular rindless steaks
You can of course get to plank and slab cuts from the steak cut too.
The Pizza Slices
Watermelon pizza is just a fancy fruit salad, and I am here for it! Yogurt, feta, whipped cream, fruit and herbs all make great toppings.
- Begin with a 1-inch thick ring
- Keep the rings whole
- Pat the top of the ring dry
- Slice the ring into pizza slices
- Add your toppings
The Cookie Cutter Shapes
This is probably one of the more festive ways to cut watermelon because there are so many options.
- Begin with 1ยฝ-inch thick rings, whatever height your cookie cutters are
- Press the cookie cutters through the flesh
From stars and hearts to letters, there are so many options!
The Layered Stacks
Not too different from making cupcakes, thinner rounds make for great layered stacks.
- Begin with 1-inch thick rings
- Use a biscuit cutter to punch out uniform roundsย
- Layer the rounds with fillings and toppings
This is great for savory or sweet salads
The Cupcakes
For watermelon cupcakes, you donโt quite need as thick of a round. You barely need an appetite. These treats are tasty!
- Begin with 2-inch thick rings
- Use a biscuit cutter to punch out uniform roundsย
- Place the cuts in cupcake liners
- Pat the tops dry
- Top and decorate them like cupcakes
The Single Layer Cake
It’s your birthday, it’s your party. And for a watermelon cake, you need a very thick crosswise ring. Plus some yogurt or whipped cream, and some fruit for the cake topper.ย
- Start with a 3-inch thick ring from the center of the melon
- Completely remove the rindย
- Trim and shape the round into a circular disk
- Pat the top dry
- Add those toppings
I would love to hear what toppings you would use.
The Classic 3-Tier Tower Cake
The watermelon tower cake is the single layer cakeโs cousin whoโs a little extra. You will likely need more than one watermelon. But the classic 3-tier cake is a showstopper.
- Begin with a 5-inch thick ring
- Completely remove the rindย
- Trim and shape the round into a circular disk
- Repeat this 2 more times
- Trim and shape them to be progressively smaller in diameter
- Pat them dry
- Stack the layers vertically, from largest to smallest
- Secure them with wooden skewers in the center
- Use toothpicks to decorate the cake with fruit
- Add your cake topper
Subtle? Absolutely not. Worth it? Obviously.
Starting with Lengthwise Halves
The Lengthwise Halves
Cutting lengthwise only saves time for a few specific resultsโmainly traditional wedges, boats, and cubes cut directly from the rind.
- Cut from the stem to the opposite side, into two long halves
The Lengthwise Serving Bowl
To quote one of my favorite horror movies, youโre gonna need a bigger boat.ย Because this cut is more boat than bowl.
- Cut the watermelon lengthwise into halves
- Hollow out the halves, removing the flesh
- And fill her up
The Lengthwise Wedges
For cutting a lot of wedges quickly, lengthwise is your cheat code.
- Cut the watermelon lengthwise into halves
- Cut the halves into quarters
- From one side to the other, cut the quarter into wedges
The Rind Free Wedge Boat
Looking to serve up some rind free wedges. Well get that dental floss ready!
- Cut the watermelon lengthwise into halves
- Cut the halves lengthwise into quarters
- From the center, cut the flesh into wedges
- Do not cut through the rind
- Take your knife, or better yet, use unflavored dental floss to free the wedges
Hashtag #FreeTheWedge, am I right? You can stagger the pieces to add some flair.
The Lengthwise Mess-Free Cubes
This cut is quick watermelon calculus for cutting cubes.
- Cut the watermelon lengthwise into halves
- Cut the halves lengthwise into quarters
- From the center, cut down like cutting wedgesย
- Do not cut through the rind
- Now cut lengthwise on one side, parallel to the other side
- This cut should be the same size as your wedge cut
- Repeat for that side
- Now do the other side
- Take your knife, or again, use dental floss to free the cubes
Starting with a Peeled Watermelon
When the final cut requires repeated cuts to remove the rind, it saves a lot of time to peel the watermelon first.ย
The Peeled Watermelon
You have two options for peeling the watermelon.
- Trim both ends
- Stand up the whole watermelon
- Cut downward following its curve until only the red flesh is left
- Or:
- Cut it crosswise
- Place the crosswise half cut-side down
- And again, cut downward
Depending on the size of the melon and your knife skills, pick the method you feel safest doing. This really saves you time when cutting the whole watermelon into:
- Cubes
- Rind free sticks
- That classic 3-tier cake
- Planks
- Shaving it into ribbons
- Fries
- Or any dice cut
- Small dice
- Medium dice
- Large dice
The Watermelon Keg
Now if there is one fruit thatโs made to party, itโs the watermelon.ย From sticks to steaks, it is so versatile, like this keg.
- Trim the end for the base, so it stands up
- Do not cut too far into the rind
- Cut off the other end for the opening
- Loosen up some of the flesh
- Using just one beater with your hand mixer, work as far down as you can
- Pulse slowly to break up and juice the flesh
- Keep the beater away from the rind
- Remove the juice leaving a few inches of flesh on the bottom for the spigot
- Cut a circle a few inches from the base using an apple corer
- Screw the spigot into place
- Place the keg on a plate
- Fill it with the watermelon juice, punch or a cocktail recipe
You can simply scoop out the flesh or use an immersion blender. If you donโt have an apple corer, a paring knife works just fine.
And that officially concludes the cutting portion of this masterclass.
How to Pick a Watermelon
Look, lift and turn!
Look for a watermelon without cuts, major bruises, soft spots, or deep dents.ย That damage can indicate rough handling or spoilage.
Watermelons are 92% water, so a juicy watermelon will be heavy for its size. Compare melons of a similar size. The heavier one is generally the better bet.
Turn the watermelon over to find the field spot.ย This is where it sat on the ground.ย A creamy yellow spot generally indicates a more mature watermelon than a white or pale-green spot.
How to Store Watermelon
Store whole, uncut watermelon at room temperature in a cool dry place, away from any direct sunlight and it will keep for up to 7 days. However, if you bought it refrigerated, keep it refrigerated.ย You donโt want to break what is called the cold chain. That is when the watermelon has been temperature controlled from the farm to you.ย
Store cut watermelon in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy it within 5 days.
Watermelon is 92% water so it freezes quite easily but defrosting it can change the flavor, texture and color.ย However, frozen watermelon can be a festive addition to your favorite beverages. Try it in iced tea, lemonade or a cocktail.ย Or blend it into a smoothie or a granita.ย For the best quality, use it up within 6 months.ย
There you have it!
Over 35 ways to cut a watermelon from cubes to cakes to kegs.
And apparently, dental floss is now a kitchen tool. Who knew?
