Watermelon Smoothie Recipe

By
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher is a journalist and food writer who has authored multiple cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/11/24
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Freeze: 60 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Yield: 4 cups

Smoothies are a great way to pack a lot of different ingredients into a glass. If you're pressed for time, a smoothie is a convenient on-the-go breakfast, snack, or post-workout beverage, and there are no limits to what you can add to one. Although watermelon might not be the first ingredient you'd choose to add to a smoothie, it makes for one of the most refreshing drinks.

Our recipe pairs the sweet watermelon with yogurt, milk (or plant-based milk), and maple syrup for a thick and flavorful drink. Watermelons are marvelous ingredients. Since they have 90 percent water content, they are low in calories with just 30 in a 100-gram serving. Look for seedless watermelons, as they're easier to cut for freezing, don't have seeds that need to be removed, and are a lot sweeter.

Because watermelons have that extremely high water content, the best way of ensuring a thick and creamy smoothie is to freeze the fruit beforehand. You can either cube the fruit and freeze it for an hour before blending it or, better yet, cube the fruit, bag it in 3-cup portions, freeze it, and keep it at hand for whenever you want a glass of this easy and tasty recipe. The third option is to use fresh watermelon but add crushed ice instead of using frozen fruit. You'd get a juice-like consistency, not the texture of a creamy milkshake, but with an amazing flavor nonetheless.

Two glasses of watermelon smoothies, garnished with fresh mint and wedges of watermelon

The Spruce Eats / Margot Cavin
What You'll Need to Make This Watermelon Smoothie Recipe
A Sharp Chef's Knife
A Handy Dandy Baking Sheet
A Zippy Blender

"This smoothie had excellent flavor and a slushy, milkshake-like texture. I made it exactly as directed. My watermelon wasn't overly sweet, but the smoothie was still sweet enough with the maple syrup. Blending was easy, but I did have to tamp it down a few times to get the blender moving." —Diana Rattray

Creamy and Rich Watermelon Smoothie with straws and a watermelon garnish
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 medium seedless watermelon

  • 1 cup almond milk , or soy milk, or whole milk

  • 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup

  • 2 small wedges watermelon, garnish

  • 2 sprigs mint, garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Creamy and rich watermelon smoothie ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Loren Runion

  2. Cut the watermelon into small chunks of about 1/2 inch square. This size will be easier to blend into the smoothie. Reserve a few wedges, rind included, for the garnish.

    Watermelon chopped into small pieces on a cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Loren Runion

  3. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place the fresh-cut watermelon on the cookie sheet, leaving space between the pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour. If preparing the watermelon in advance for smoothies later in the week, once frozen, transfer to plastic storage bags and freeze in 3-cup portions until ready to use.

    Watermelon on a rimmed baking sheet lined with wax paper

    The Spruce Eats / Loren Runion

  4. Once frozen, measure 3 cups of frozen watermelon and place in a blender. Top the fruit with milk, yogurt, and maple syrup. Blend until smooth.

    Frozen watermelon chunks in a blender with milk, yogurt, and maple syrup

    The Spruce Eats / Loren Runion

  5. Serve the watermelon smoothies immediately in chilled glasses. Garnish with a wedge of watermelon and fresh mint, if desired.

    Watermelon smoothies in mason jar glasses with mint and watermelon garnish

    The Spruce Eats / Loren Runion

Additions and Substitutions

Try these ideas to switch-up your watermelon smoothie:

  • Replace the maple syrup with agave syrup, golden cane syrup, honey, or an equivalent amount of sugar substitute.
  • Replace 1 cup of the frozen watermelon with 1 cup of frozen strawberries.
  • Use chilled coconut yogurt instead and make a vegan version of the smoothie. Choose coconut milk as the liquid or add coconut water to enhance the coconut flavor.
  • Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chia or flaxseeds to help thicken the smoothie.

How to Easily Clean Your Blender

For a quick cleanup, first flush out your dirty blender with running water. Then fill the blender halfway with warm water and some drops of dish soap. Run the blender on high for 20 seconds. Rinse thoroughly with water and then dry.

Which Fruits Pair Well With Watermelon?

If you're looking to experiment with our recipe and wonder which fruits will pair well, go for tropical flavors like mangoes, pineapples, and coconut (flesh or coconut water). Use frozen fruit to make the smoothie thick. Frozen bananas do add a lot of texture and go well with watermelons, but they could take over the spotlight as they have a very strong flavor. Use a third as much banana as watermelon.


On the other hand, tangier fruits like lime or lemons complement the sweetness of the watermelon. If you're going the citrus route, add herbs such as mint or basil.


Finally, frozen strawberries and raspberries make excellent additions to a watermelon smoothie, as they add sweetness and tanginess at the same time.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
103 Calories
1g Fat
23g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 103
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 24mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 6mg 32%
Calcium 74mg 6%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 188mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)