Sweet and spicy Watermelon Salsa. You’ll love the sweet, juicy watermelon and peaches paired with the spicy onion and jalapeño!
Table of Contents
Why This Salsa is Best
Homemade salsa is so easy to make – and enjoy! From your classic pico de gallo to fruit favorites like mango salsa and pineapple salsa, the possibilities are endless.
This fresh and fruity Watermelon Salsa is just perfect for summertime!
All the summer flavors in the salsa make me want to bring it out to the patio with a bag of blue corn chips and a Cherry Margarita while I pretend to be on vacation. Don’t worry, I’ll save SOME to share with my family.
But the flavor combination is definitely addictive.
- Sweet, juicy watermelon and peaches
- A bit of a bite from the red onion
- A tad of heat from the jalapeños
- Fresh, bright citrus flavors from the cilantro
Ingredient Notes
- Watermelon – You’ll want to use a nice, juicy watermelon – and no seeds please! If you’re not sure how to pick a juicy watermelon, start by picking it up to judge the weight. A good watermelon is heavy for its size because it’s full of juice.
- Peaches – Fresh summer peaches are perfect here, but you could also substitute nectarines. Or even use a mango like I did originally.
- Red onion – I love the sharp bite this adds, but you could also substitute a white onion if you prefer.
- Jalapeño – If you want some extra kick, feel free to leave in a few seeds (but go easy, a little goes a long way!) You can also change up the flavors by swapping serrano or habanero pappers for the jalapeño.
- Cilantro – If you’re not a fan of cilantro, feel free to leave it out of the recipe or swap it for chopped parsley.
Easy Instructions
Step 1. Prep the watermelon. Cut the watermelon into quarters, then slice off the rind. Use a sharp knife to chop the melon into bite sized pieces. (Use our guide on how to cut a watermelon for best tips and tricks).
Step 2. Prep the peaches. Use a paring knife or a vegetable peeler to peel the skin off the peaches before you slice them. If the skin is difficult to peel off, try soaking the peach in hot water for a few seconds to loosen it.
Step 3. Assemble the salsa. Add the watermelon and peaches to a large bowl along with the red onion and jalapeños. Sprinkle in some fresh cilantro, salt and pepper and let it chill in the fridge of about an hour before serving.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure your watermelon and peaches are ripe and juicy for the best flavor in this salsa!
- Consistency: You can do a smaller dice for scooping with chips or leave your salsa a little chunkier if you are using it as a topping for tacos or on a salad. Up to you!
- Chill the salsa in the fridge for at least an hour. This helps the flavors to meld and mingle really well.
- Serving ideas: Serve with crunchy tortilla chips as an afternoon snack or party appetizer. It’s also delicious as a topping for Fish Tacos or as an addition to a salad. It would be tasty in a wrap with some chicken or turkey, too!
Recipe FAQs
A ripe, juicy watermelon should feel heavy for its weight; that means it’s nice and full of juice! It should also have a yellowish spot. This is the spot where the watermelon was resting in the field as it ripened. If that spot is white, the watermelon is not ripe. And when you thump the watermelon, it should sound hollow.
Yes! The salsa needs to be chilled in the refrigerator for at least an hour, so it’s a great dish to prep ahead of time and let chill. This makes it a great party appetizer as well!
This salsa can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. It’s best eaten within the first couple of days.
Watermelon Recipes
Looking for more fruity summery recipes to put your watermelon to good use? After you make Watermelon Salsa, try a Watermelon Slush to cool you down or make a Watermelon Salad to go with your dinner.
More Potluck Recipes
Watermelon Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced watermelon no seeds
- 1 small red onion diced
- 2 peaches peeled and diced
- 2 jalapenos seeded and diced
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro snipped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.
- Refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors mingle. Serve with chips and enjoy!
Notes
- Nectarines would make a delicious substitute for the peach here. Or try it with mango like I originally did.
- White onion can be substituted for the red here, but it will definitely lose a little of the sharp bite that I love paired with the fruit.
- If you’re not a fan of cilantro, feel free to leave it out of the recipe or swap it for chopped parsley. You can also change up the flavors by swapping serrano or habanero pappers for the jalapeño.
- Want more heat? Leave some of the seeds in the jalapeño before you chop it. Be careful–a few seeds go a LONG way.
Nutrition
Sweet and fruity with just the right amount of bite, this Watermelon Peach Salsa is a party dip, appetizer or snack that’s guaranteed to impress.
That looks amazing!
Love the sound of this. My 2 favorite fruits. Not a fan of cilantro. Any substitutions?
You can just keep the cilantro out 🙂
This looks so awesome!!
This salsa sounds like the perfect treat, especially since we’re having some sort of a heat wave here! Our farmer’s market is REALLY small and I’m pretty sure they don’t have empanadas. Sounds like a future recipe from you?
I am loving the sound of this refreshing salsa!
Love the idea of spicy watermelon! This looks fantastic.
It’s SO hot here right now, this looks like the perfect, refreshing snack!
I’ve made fruit salsa lots of times but never thought to put watermelon in it! Sounds delicious!
I love fruit salsas! This looks so good!
I do love going to the Farmer’s Market for all the fresh fruits and veggies. What a fun way to dress up a salsa for those chicken and fish dinners! And that Pure Leaf Tea is really so good!!!
YES! Someone else resisting the urge to go all fall-ish! Bring on the watermelon and peaches for as long as possible, as far as I’m concerned 🙂
I’m still trying to find a farmer’s market I love! Usually they are tiny with only a few booths, which is fine but then I don’t seem to find a whole lot of what I want. Never thought of pairing together watermelon and peaches, so I may need to hurry and make this before summer is over!
We have two big farmer’s markets around here that we love. But usually only go to the one because of the empanadas. Yeah, they’re that good.
Oh, so good…I just want to hold on to the salsa and summer flavors forever! This one is so great!
I could probably eat this by the spoonful, love the combination of fruits!
Thanks Matt. This salsa definitely has the potential to be spoon eaten!
Looks so light and refreshing! Lots of flavors!
Oooo! This salsa sounds fantastic! I can’t get enough of peaches and watermelon this summer and this would be the perfect way to enjoy them even more! Pinned!
I have one more watermelon recipe yet this season because I accidentally bought this HUGE watermelon, I made some drinks out of it…I am LOVING this salsa, Aimee! I would babysit this til it was gone, all mine, done 🙂 Pinned!
Dude, we seriously eat about 3 watermelons each week. It would be more than that, seeing that one watermelon is gone in one sitting. It’s crazy, and I’m partly to blame as I eat a third of it while cutting it up. I am obsessed. Thanks for pinning 🙂
I love the idea of this salsa and wish summer didn’t have to end so soon!!
Agreed, missing summer already. But sometimes I feel like I can “bring summer back” with summery recipes like this…even in winter. That and put up a few plastic palm trees.
What a great idea! It looks really yummy!