Looking for a tasty way to reduce food waste? Try making this overnight watermelon rind pickles!
This step-by-step recipe transforms the typically inedible part of the fruit into a sour, sweet, spicy, and refreshing treat.
What are watermelon rind pickles
Watermelon rind pickles utilize the white part of the watermelon rind, which lies between the green skin and the pink flesh. The rinds are cut into small pieces and then pickled in a vinegar-based brine.
The resulting pickles have a flavor similar to cucumber salad – crunchy with a balance of sweetness and tartness – but with a subtle hint of watermelon aroma.
Watermelon rind pickles can be a healthy addition to your diet, offering benefits such as being low in calories and rich in vitamins A, B6, and C, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. They contain antioxidants like citrulline and can aid digestion due to their fiber content.
This summer, as you enjoy juicy, sweet watermelons at home, try this simple recipe to reduce food waste and create some healthy and delicious watermelon rind pickles.
Tips for making watermelon rind pickles
1. Peel the outer green skin
The green skin is very tough and hard to chew. The fibrous nature of the skin can be difficult for the digestive system to break down, potentially causing discomfort. Therefore, we will have to remove it to make watermelon rind pickles.
Instead of cutting the watermelon into wedges and then removing the green skin, I found it safer and easier to use a vegetable peeler to peel off the outer green skin before cutting the watermelon into pieces.
2. Leave a small amount of red flesh attached
I usually leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of red flesh attached to the watermelon rind. This not only makes the dish more visually appealing with the green rind and a hint of pink but also adds some natural sweetness.
However, this is optional – feel free to remove the red flesh entirely if you prefer.
3. Cut the rind into a spiral shape
While I haven’t seen anyone else cutting watermelon rind into a spiral shape, the concept was inspired by the spiral Chinese cucumber salad. I believe it’s an innovative approach to cutting watermelon rind into a spiral shape, as it not only enhances visual presentation but also increases the surface area for the rind to absorb more sauce and flavors during marination.
You can find more detailed steps on how to easily cut them into a spiral shape in my Chinese cucumber salad post. However, it’s optional; you can simply cut the watermelon rinds into thin slices, which will also allow for quick and thorough marination.
4. Marinate with salt
Marinating the watermelon rind with salt before soaking it in the brine serves several purposes:
- Draws Out Moisture: Salt acts as a natural osmotic agent, drawing out excess moisture from the watermelon rind. This prevents the rind from releasing an excess of water into the sauce, while also enabling it to absorb more sauce and intensify its flavor.
- Improves Texture: As the watermelon rind loses water, it becomes tender and easier to chew.
- Basic Flavor: Salt contributes to a basic flavor profile of the dish.
5. Rinse off the salt
The purpose of the salt is to extract moisture from the watermelon rind. Once you observe that moisture has been drawn out, pour off the juice and rinse the remaining salt from the surface using clean, drinkable water to ensure the dish is not overly salty.
After draining the water, use clean hands to gently squeeze out any remaining water from the watermelon rinds, allowing them to better absorb the sauce later on.
EQUIPMENT
INGREDIENTS
- ½ small to medium watermelon (rind only) (or ¼ of a large watermelon)
- ½ tbsp kosher salt (Can also use regular salt)
- 4 garlic cloves (peeled and sliced)
- 2 dried chili peppers (break into small pieces) (Can also use 1 chopped fresh Thai chili pepper or ½ tsp of red pepper flakes or chili oil as a substitute. Skip if you don’t like spicy food.)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsps light soy sauce
- 2 tbsps rice vinegar (Can be substituted with apple cider vinegar. Using both rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar provides a richer flavor, but if you only have one, feel free to use what you have at home.)
- 2 tbsps apple cider vinegar (Can be substituted with rice vinegar. Using both rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar provides a richer flavor, but if you only have one, feel free to use what you have at home.)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Peel the outer green skin from the rind using a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife.
2. Cut the watermelon into quarters. Cut the flesh from the rind, leaving a small amount of red flesh attached. (Note: This recipe uses half the rind from a small to medium watermelon. If you want to use all the rind, double the other ingredients accordingly.)
3. Cut the rind into 1-inch bite size pieces. Or you can cut the rind into ½ x 1 x 2 inch strips, and then cut them into the shape of spiral cucumber: Cut one side of the rind strip at a 45° angle, almost all the way through but not quite, then flip and make straight cuts across. You can put one chopstick on each side to help guide the knife.
4. Place the sliced rinds in a bowl and add ½ tbsp of kosher salt. Toss or stir to coat the rinds evenly with the salt. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. After 1 hour, drain the released juice. Rinse the watermelon rinds with clean water to remove the salt. Using clean hands, squeeze out the remaining water from the rinds so they can better absorb the sauce later.
6. Add sliced garlic, dried chili pepper, sugar, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and sesame oil over the cucumber and mix well.
7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or place the watermelon rinds in an airtight container. Let sit for at least 2 hours (ideally overnight) in the refrigerator. Serve chilled as a side dish.
My other vegetarian recipes you will also like:
Watermelon Rind Pickles
Equipment
- Measuring spoons
- Vegetable peeler
- knife and cutting board
- Chopsticks
Ingredients
- ½ small to medium watermelon (rind only) (or ¼ of a large watermelon)
- ½ tbsp kosher salt (Can also use regular salt)
- 4 garlic cloves (peeled and sliced)
- 2 dried chili peppers (break into small pieces) (Can also use 1 chopped fresh Thai chili pepper or ½ tsp of red pepper flakes or chili oil as a substitute. Skip if you don't like spicy food.)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsps light soy sauce
- 2 tbsps rice vinegar (Can be substituted with apple cider vinegar. Using both rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar provides a richer flavor, but if you only have one, feel free to use what you have at home.)
- 2 tbsps apple cider vinegar (Can be substituted with rice vinegar. Using both rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar provides a richer flavor, but if you only have one, feel free to use what you have at home.)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Peel the outer green skin from the rind using a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife.
- Cut the watermelon into quarters. Cut the flesh from the rind, leaving a small amount of red flesh attached. (Note: This recipe uses half the rind from a small to medium watermelon. If you want to use all the rind, double the other ingredients accordingly.)
- Cut the rind into 1-inch bite size pieces. Or you can cut the rind into ½ x 1 x 2 inch strips, and then cut them into the shape of spiral cucumber: Cut one side of the rind strip at a 45° angle, almost all the way through but not quite, then flip and make straight cuts across. You can put one chopstick on each side to help guide the knife.
- Place the sliced rinds in a bowl and add ½ tbsp of kosher salt. Toss or stir to coat the rinds evenly with the salt. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, drain the released juice. Rinse the watermelon rinds with clean water to remove the salt. Using clean hands, squeeze out the remaining water from the rinds so they can better absorb the sauce later.
- Add sliced garlic, dried chili pepper, sugar, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and sesame oil over the cucumber and mix well.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or place the watermelon rinds in an airtight container. Let sit for at least 2 hours (ideally overnight) in the refrigerator. Serve chilled as a side dish.
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