How Watermelon Mint Granita Became My Summer Lifesaver
Honestly, I first started making Watermelon Mint Granita because my ancient blender couldn't handle ice cream (long story involving a very sad motor). Anyway, one July afternoon, after practically melting on my porch, I decided to try something different. I'd seen granita recipes all over the place, but they always looked so... precise. But you know what? This is the dessert I make now whenever it's so hot my freckles start merging. My niece calls it 'fancy snow.' And you know what? She's not wrong. Oh, and once my cat tried to steal a lick—probably best for cats to skip this one, but that's another story.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Granita
I make this when I've got way too much watermelon languishing in the fridge (or, okay, when I bought one on sale and forgot just how enormous they are). My family goes wild for this because it's not as heavy as ice cream—though honestly, half the fun is scraping the icy bits every hour or so. My partner sometimes complains about the mint bits, but I secretly love the way they pop up like little green confetti (plus, I always win them over with a bit of extra lime juice). And when I'm feeling lazy, it's just toss-blend-freeze-scrape, so you can still call it homemade. Well, mostly.
Here's What You'll Need (and a Few Substitutes I've Used)
- 4 cups of cubed watermelon (seedless is easiest, but I swear by the old trick of just picking the seeds out as you go; you can use pre-cut stuff in a pinch—but it's not as juicy)
- Big handful of fresh mint leaves (about ⅓ cup, but it's never exact; I've subbed basil once and it was… interesting, in a good way?)
- Juice of 1 lime (or lemon; my grandmother always said Sicilian lemons were best, but any old lime does the trick)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar (sometimes I use honey, especially if the watermelon isn't super sweet; if you're avoiding sugar, just skip it—it'll be more like a frozen salad, but who am I to judge?)
How I Actually Make Watermelon Mint Granita
- Blend it all up. Toss watermelon, mint, lime juice, and sugar into a blender. Blitz until it's as smooth as you can get it. (This is where I sneak a taste—don't skip this bit, you get to see if it needs more mint or sugar.)
- Strain—if you feel fancy. Pour the mixture through a mesh sieve into a shallow dish. Or just skip straining if you don’t mind it a bit pulpy. Sometimes I can't be bothered. It’s still tasty.
- Freeze & scrape. Stick the dish in the freezer. After about 30-45 minutes, scrape it all over with a fork to make those icy crystals. Repeat every 30 minutes or so for 2-3 hours, until it’s all fluffy and granita-like (don’t worry if it looks weird at first—after a couple scrapes, it sorts itself out).
- Scoop and serve. I like to pile it up in little glasses with extra mint. Or eat it straight from the dish at midnight. Both are valid life choices.
Notes from My Kitchen Fiascos
- If you forget to scrape for an hour, it still works—just hack away at it a bit more. I once left it for three hours and, yep, it was icy but still delicious.
- Actually, I find it works better if you use a metal dish (freezes faster), but plastic’s fine too—it just takes a bit longer.
- Don’t skimp on the lime; it really makes everything sing! Once I tried without, and it just tasted… flat. Like a watermelon with stage fright.
Variations I’ve Tried (Including a Fail or Two)
- Added a splash of vodka for a grown-up version—works great at BBQs, but don’t give that one to the kids, obviously.
- Pineapple instead of watermelon? Surprisingly good. Pineapple and mint is a wild combo.
- Once I tried blending in cucumber. Regretted it. Not my finest hour. It tasted like spa water gone rogue.
What You’ll Need, Plus My MacGyver Solution
- Blender or food processor (if you don’t have either, just mash it with a potato masher and a bit of elbow grease—I did this at my cousin’s place once, and, well, it’s not pretty but it does work)
- Fine mesh sieve (totally optional, and sometimes I skip it; if you don’t have one, a colander lined with cheesecloth works in a pinch)
- Shallow freezer-safe dish (metal is ideal, but plastic is grand too; I once used an old glass lasagna dish—no shame)
- Fork for scraping (seriously, don’t try a spoon—learned that the hard way)
How to Store It (Though It Never Lasts Long Here)
Keep it covered in the freezer for up to three days, but honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! If it gets too solid, just let it sit out for five minutes before scraping again. Or, if you forget about it and it turns into a watermelon ice brick, smash it up and call it granita anyway. Who’s judging?
How I Like to Serve Watermelon Mint Granita
I usually serve this in little jam jars with some extra mint on top—feels a bit fancy for a Tuesday. Sometimes, if we’re having friends over for a barbecue, I’ll put the granita in hollowed-out lime halves. That always gets a few ‘oohs’ (and a few questions about cleanup—don’t worry, the ants will deal with the rest if you’re outside, ha!).
Lessons Learned the Hard Way (My Pro Tips)
- I once tried rushing the scraping step and regretted it—ended up with a giant watermelon ice puck. Just go with the flow; slow and steady wins this race.
- Don’t over-blend the mint or it’ll go a weird grey color. Pulse it in at the end, or just stir in finely chopped mint. Trust me—learned this one form a particularly odd-looking batch.
- If you use honey instead of sugar, it can freeze a bit softer, but sometimes it clumps up. If that happens, just break it up with a fork as best you can.
Questions I Actually Get Asked (Believe It or Not)
- Can I make this ahead of time?
- Oh totally—just fluff it up with a fork before serving. Sometimes I like it better the next day, but that’s me.
- Do I have to use fresh mint?
- Fresh is best, but in a pinch, a little mint extract (just a drop!) works. Don’t go overboard or it’ll taste like toothpaste. Been there.
- Is it vegan?
- Yep, unless you use honey. Then it’s just plant-forward, I suppose?
- Where did you learn to make granita?
- Mostly from trial, error, and the internet (I love reading Serious Eats' granita guide for inspiration; also Bon Appétit’s granita round-up is a goldmine). But my neighbor Carla swears she taught me, and honestly, maybe she did?
- Can I use frozen watermelon?
- Sure, but thaw it first or your blender might have a meltdown. Ask me how I know.
- Can kids help?
- Absolutely—scraping with a fork is weirdly fun for them. Just don’t let them do the blending bit, for obvious reasons.
And that’s it! If you try this Watermelon Mint Granita, let me know how it turns out—or if you discover a genius hack I should steal. Stay cool, friend.
Ingredients
- 4 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup water
- Pinch of salt
- Lime zest, for garnish (optional)
- Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
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1In a blender, combine the watermelon cubes, chopped mint leaves, granulated sugar, fresh lime juice, water, and a pinch of salt.
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2Blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
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3Pour the blended mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a shallow baking dish to remove any pulp.
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4Place the dish in the freezer. After 45 minutes, use a fork to scrape and break up any ice crystals forming around the edges.
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5Continue to freeze, scraping with a fork every 30 minutes, until the granita is fully frozen and fluffy, about 3-4 hours.
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6Scoop the granita into serving glasses and garnish with lime zest and fresh mint sprigs if desired. Serve immediately.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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