The Best Way to Use Up Leftover Watermelon Is Also the Easiest

Here's how to use the sweet summer fruit to its fullest.

Hot, humid days call for refreshing, juicy watermelon. And while I love the convenience of pre-cut melon, it’s never quite as tasty and satisfying as buying a whole melon at the store. But after selecting the perfect watermelon and slicing it into ready-to-eat pieces, I’m frequently left with the realization that I’ve got a bit more watermelon than I can realistically eat while it’s still fresh.

Once I get to that point, I inevitably turn to one thing: the blender. With its help, I can turn all of that sweet leftover fruit into a perfectly refreshing drink (or cocktail) in no time.

I have two go-tos when it comes to watermelon beverages. I either turn to a Watermelon Cooler Slushy or make a Watermelon Agua Fresca. The recipes are relatively similar, featuring lots of watermelon flavor, a dose of white sugar to amplify the watermelon’s natural sweetness, and lime juice for a touch of tartness.

How to Make a Watermelon Slushy

The primary difference here is textural. If you’re a fan of blended frozen drinks, go for the Watermelon Slushy.

This slushy recipe relies on a combination of watermelon and ice cubes as opposed to frozen watermelon chunks. So, rather than requiring you to plan ahead to give your watermelon time to freeze, with this recipe, you can go from refrigerator to drinking glass in only 10 minutes.

Plus, as far as simplicity, it can’t be beat. There are only five ingredients—cubed seedless watermelon, ice cubes, fresh lime juice, white sugar, and salt—and they all get blended together to create a smooth slushy texture.

While we love that you don’t need to freeze the watermelon ahead of time, don’t be afraid to experiment. Allrecipes' users have had plenty of success making this recipe with frozen watermelon. LoveNCyprus said, "I grew up making watermelon-lime slushies with frozen pieces of watermelon rather than bothering with ice. The flavor turns out better and stronger that way," and merk4 said, "Delicious watermelon limeade drink. I did freeze some watermelon cubes in advance, instead of using ice. We have made it twice and my whole family really like it! Winner!!!"

How to Make a Watermelon Aqua Fresca

If you have a little under a half hour and prefer a smoother texture to a slushy one, go for the Agua Fresca. In this recipe, you blend water and cubed watermelon until smooth and stir in white sugar to the watermelon mixture.

Then, you muddle lime slices and mint leaves in individual glasses, fill the glasses with ice, and pour over the watermelon mixture. If you prefer an even smoother texture and don’t mind dirtying one or two more pieces of equipment, you can strain the watermelon mixture using a fine-mesh strainer before pouring it into the glasses. 

Either one of these delicious drinks will let you enjoy every bit of the sweet, fresh flavor your watermelon has to offer. But, in case you need more inspiration, here are a dozen more ways to use up your summer melon.

Read the original article on All Recipes.