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Jul 01, 2023

Add watermelon to your ceviche for a refreshing summer meal

I’ve lost track of how many watermelons we’ve devoured this summer. We’ve bought them in grocery stores and at farmers markets. We even stopped while on a vacation road trip and bought two — with

I’ve lost track of how many watermelons we’ve devoured this summer. We’ve bought them in grocery stores and at farmers markets. We even stopped while on a vacation road trip and bought two — with seeds, ka-ching! — from growers selling them on the side of the road.

I can’t get my fill of the big melons this time of year when they are everywhere and so rosy and juicy inside.

When we get it home, we slice the whole watermelon, put it in an airtight container and slip it into the refrigerator. It quenches my thirst better than water, making it my go-to after a long, hot walk or an energetic kayaking trip on the Potomac.

Get the recipe: Ceviche With Watermelon

Perhaps one of the reasons I love them so much is that they remind me of my childhood. We were a big family, and a watermelon was a cost-efficient way for my father to treat us all to something sweet and festive. We’d cover the table with newspapers, and he’d slice the melon into long, slender wedges and dole them out. We’d each get a butter knife so we could flick the dark seeds from the pink flesh as we dug in. I remember the sweet, cool melon on my tongue and the easy banter around the table.

Back then, I don’t recall getting a bad melon. Today, it feels like a gamble when I pick one up.

Why are so many watermelons kind of meh? The key may be that some are picked before they are ripe and shipped. So, if you can, try to get your hands on locally grown ones.

Need guidance? Read my colleague Becky Krystal’s guide to choosing summer melons. Becky talked with author and heirloom produce advocate Amy Goldman, who said watermelons should be heavy for their size, so go ahead and pick up a few to get a feel. Goldman doesn’t recommend thumping the melon, but she did say that if it sounds sloshy when gently shaken, it’s probably overripe.

She also recommends looking for a pale yellow spot on the underside of the melon, and notes that if its dark green stripes are tinged yellow, the fruit might be sunburned and should be avoided.

Ceviche is the refreshing, no-cook fish dish you need this summer

I usually eat my watermelons as is, but it’s such a versatile fruit that it’s fun to find ways to slip it into other dishes, especially when the melon itself is not quite stellar.

We have many watermelon recipes in our Recipe Finder. This summer, we added two more: My colleague Daniela Galarza shared a Grilled Chicken Salad With Corn, Tomatoes and Watermelon that shows off my favorite summer produce in one bowl. In her Nourish column, Ellie Krieger dished out a Watermelon, Blueberry and Feta Salad that beautifully marries two sweet fruits with tangy cheese.

8 no-cook recipes to keep you and your kitchen cool

And when I came across this recipe for ceviche with watermelon from “365: A Year of Everyday Cooking and Baking” by Meike Peters, I knew I had to try it.

Peters makes the ceviche with tuna, which creates a lovely, deep red bowl, but we opted for fresh mahi mahi, and it was delicious, too. Really, almost any fresh, firm, tender fish will do. The ceviche takes about 10 minutes to toss together and gets its zip from red onion, fresh red chile and mint.

Serve it with corn chips or bagel chips, or just eat it up with your fork. With a glass of sparkling water or chilled white wine, the meal delivers a respite from the heat and lets you hit pause on a hectic day.

Get the recipe: Ceviche With Watermelon