Cool off this summer with these refreshing watermelon skewers. Topped with a mint lime oil and paired with crisp cucumbers and salty olives, they’re perfect for a light snack or pre-dinner bite.
There’s been a lot of watermelon on the menu lately at my house. Crisp and cooling, it’s a welcome respite from the rising heat. An essential during the summer months, juicy, sweet watermelon is delicious in savory or sweet dishes as well as cooling drinks, but one of my favorite ways to enjoy it is as an easy appetizer.
Watermelon skewers with mint lime oil are one of the easiest and most refreshing appetizers to prepare. It’s a simple summer bite that’s sweet and savory and perfect on a hot summer day when you just want a light snack or pre-dinner nibble.
They’re fresh, not too filling and can be prepared ahead of time. Served chilled they make a nice accompaniment to a crisp glass of wine before dinner or a refreshing afternoon snack after a day in the sun.
The combination of watermelon and cucumber is a classic crowd-pleaser, both refreshing on a hot day, but instead of turning the two into a salad, they are threaded on a small skewer along with a salty olive and a drizzle of minty lime oil for a one-bite summer starter that’s gluten-free, vegan and paleo.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Watermelon – You’ll need about ¼ of a watermelon cut into 1-inch squares.
- Cucumbers – You can use either Persian cucumbers, zucchini or English cucumbers, peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler for the skewers.
- Olives – I’m using Kalamata olives but you can your favorite olives, (just skip the canned ones).
- Mint – You’ll need fresh mint leaves.
- Lime – You’ll need the zest of ½ a lime.
- Olive Oil – Use your favorite extra-virgin olive oil.
- Skewers – You’ll small Bamboo cocktail skewers.
How to Make Watermelon Cucumber Skewers:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Cube your watermelon ahead of time and keep it chilled until needed. This ensures that your skewers are at their most refreshing when you serve them as well as allowing you to do some prep work ahead of time.
- Next make your lime mint oil. Quickly blanch the mint leaves in boiling water then chill them in an ice bath. Pat them dry and whiz them together in a small food processor with the olive oil, lime zest and a pinch of salt. (Blanching the mint before blending sets the color and prevents your oil from turning brown after blending.) You can also make the oil ahead of time and refrigerate it until needed.
- When you are ready to assemble create strips of cucumber (or zucchini works as well) with a vegetable peeler or a mandolin and thread them onto a small wooden skewer along with the chilled watermelon cubes and a small black olive. Drizzle the skewers with the lime mint oil, top with a pinch of salt and enjoy!
More Watermelon Recipes:
- Watermelon Salad with Chili and Mint
- Fresh Mint Granita with Watermelon and Raspberries
- Raspberry Watermelon Lemonade
Watermelon Skewers
Sweet watermelon and crisp cucumbers make these watermelon skewers with minty lime oil a simple and refreshing summer appetizer.
Ingredients
For the Lime Mint Oil:
- 0.5 oz/14g fresh mint leaves (plus more for serving)
- Zest of ½ a lime
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt (plus more for serving)
- 3 Tablespoons/45ml extra-virgin olive oil
For the Watermelon Skewers:
- 24 Bamboo cocktail skewers
- 24 Kalamata olives for threading onto skewers
- 24 fresh mint leaves
- 2-3 Persian cucumbers or 2-3 zucchini or 1 English cucumber, peeled into ribbons lengthwise
- About ¼ watermelon, cut into 24 1-inch squares
- Lime mint oil for drizzling
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Make the Lime Mint Oil:
- Prepare an ice bath and set aside.
- Blanch mint leaves in small saucepan of boiling water for 10 seconds. Transfer to ice bath to cool then drain and pat dry before transferring to a mini food processor (or mortar and pestle).
- Add lime zest, salt and olive oil and process until smooth. (Oil can be made ahead of time and kept refrigerated until needed.)
Make the Watermelon Skewers:
- Thread olive, mint leaf, folded cucumber strip and watermelon cube onto skewer; repeat.
- Arrange skewers on a serving platter drizzle with lime mint oil, sprinkle with a pinch of additional sea salt if
desired and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
Notes
Blanching the mint before blending will prevent it from oxidizing and losing its color. Lime mint oil can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge until needed.
Watermelon can be cubed and chilled ahead of time.
Create strips of cucumber (or zucchini works as well) with a y-peeler or a mandolin.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 58Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 11mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 0g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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