For me few ingredients say ‘summer’ better than watermelon! I can eat so much of this juicy and refreshing, sweet fruit in just one sitting. Every summer when we visited family in Madrid and did our annual trip to El Mercado de Maravillas – the local market, our eldest daughter would always insist on trying to pick up the enormous watermelons proudly sitting behind the more modestly sized fruit. She would of course not be able to pick them up but would still be rewarded by a slice of fresh watermelon courtesy of the generous fruit grocer. This slushy IS the most refreshing way to cool down in the heat of summer. It’s sweet and juicy but zesty and vibrant from the addition of fresh lime. Kids adore this drink, especially that completely natural vibrant red color! Even better, you can adjust and control the sugar according to the sweetness of your watermelon. 

Watermelon and Lime Slushy

Watermelon and Lime Slushy

  • Cook Time: 15 mins prep 4 hrs freeze
  • Persons: 4 full glasses
  • Difficulty: Easy

  • Ingredients
  • Half a large watermelon (or 1 small whole one)
  • Juice and zest of 2 generous limes
  • 1/3 cup of sugar
  • 1/2 cup of water
  1. Instructions
  2. Wash the outside of the limes well and dry with a paper towel.
  3. Zest and juice the 2 limes into a pan ready to heat.
  4. Add the sugar and water in the same pan.
  5. Turn up the heat to medium/high. Simmer for around 5 minutes until sugar has dissolved and the mixture has reduced to a lime syrup.
  6. Take off the heat and leave to cool down.
  7. Remove the skin from the water melon and remove as many seeds as you can.
  8. Place watermelon in a blender and blend on high until smooth.
  9. Once the lime syrup is cooled then add to the blended watermelon.
  10. Put the entire slushy mixture into an air tight container and place in freezer.
  11. After 1 hour remove the mixture from the freezer and break up any big piece of ice with a fork or whisk. 
  12. Continue to do the same after every hour until you are happy with the slushy texture. This usually takes 4 hours.
  13. Serve with a straw or a spoon and enjoy!

Top Tips

  • If you are a big fan of watermelon then try ‘Gazpacho de Sandia’ Watermelon Gazpacho. Just as refreshing as this juicy slushy!
  • When you zest the limes try to get only the green part of the skin. The white underneath of the green skin is very bitter.
  • Don’t have any fresh limes lying around? Then substitute fresh lemons for the limes. Or do you have juicy lemons and limes just waiting to be squeezed? Then use both! The combination is delicious.
  • Adults only here! This recipe makes a wonderful cocktail or refreshing sweet end to a meal when a shot (or 2!) of tequila is added along with 1 tbsp of sherry before freezing. Salt and add lime zest to the edge of the glasses before serving.

Watermelon and Lime Slushy – Granizado de Sandia y Lima

What could be more refreshing than watermelon in the height of summer? I have the answer: ‘Granizado de Sandia y Lima’ A Watermelon Slushy! Sweet and cooling from the frozen watermelon, zesty and aromatic from the lime juice and zest. I ask for nothing more when the suns out and the heat is on!