Watermelon is one of those delightful, juicy, cool treats for hot summer days. And with its high water content, the fruit is guaranteed to quench your thirst. But watermelon cutting can seem like a bit of a challenge. Do you start down the middle or at the sides? Should you cut slices or chunks? Whether you prefer cubes, batons, or triangles, find out how to produce a tasty snack with our top watermelon cutting tricks.
- When discovering how to cut a watermelon, it’s best to wash it thoroughly under running water first. You can scrub it a little with your hands.
- Pat it dry or allow it to air-dry. Place the fruit on your cutting board and slice off both ends. Make sure you use a big sharp knife because watermelons are thick-skinned and not easy to cut with smaller knives.
- Once you’ve chopped off the sides, turn it onto one of the flat ends and cut the melon in half. By turning it over, it will be much easier to cut down the middle. Tip: If you’re going to cut batons or cubes, it’s easier to peel your fruit first.
You don’t necessarily have to peel a watermelon, but if you’re going to cut it into cubes or batons, it’s a little easier when the melon is already peeled.
- To peel a watermelon, omit step three above. Simply wash your melon and cut off the ends.
- Place it on the flat side on your chopping board and cut away the thick skin in strips. Just follow the shape of the melon and rotate it as you go along to avoid cutting yourself.
- Cut the watermelon in half at the center.
Watermelon cubes are ideal to snack on in-between meals. Thankfully, the tasty treats are easy to prepare!
- Take one half of your pre-peeled melon and lay it on the chopping board.
- Slice the melon half into 1-inch chunks.
- Stack a few and repeat the cutting in the other direction so you’re slicing cubes along a grid.
- Place in a bowl and serve right away or store them in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Batons are even easier to cut than cubes.
- Take one half of your pre-peeled melon and lay it on the chopping board.
- Cut a grid into the melon half keeping around 1-inch between cuts.
You can just as easily cut batons using the unpeeled melon.
- Lay one melon half flat on the chopping board.
- Now cut it vertically at 1-inch intervals.
- Then cut across at 1-inch intervals.
- Arrange the batons on a plate or in a bowl and serve fresh.
When you’re in a bit of a hurry, you’ll want to cut the watermelon into triangles. It’s the quickest option, but just as tasty.
- Prepare the watermelon by washing and slicing off the ends.
- Half it and lay out one half on your chopping board.
- Half it again and then cut 1-inch slices.
- Serve on a platter or plate.
There are your tips for how to cut a watermelon, but keep in mind that because these fruits are perishable, it’s best to eat them immediately. Unless you’re serving melon at a party, the fruits are usually too big to be eaten in a single day. If you’re not going to eat all of it, avoid cutting the whole fruit.
If you’re storing your cut watermelon, put the pieces into an airtight container and store them in the fridge. Cut watermelon can last up to three or four days in the fridge. See our tips for preserving fruit!
Want more fruit cutting tips? Read our advice on how to cut a pineapple and even how to cut a mango for the ultimate fruit salad!