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I love watermelon. It’s one of the best things about summer. This in-season fruit is sweet, refreshing, low-cal, low-carb, and inexpensive. Buying a whole watermelon is the best value, but invariably only half of it gets eaten. Then what? Well, there are several easy watermelon recipes, including watermelon salsa and watermelon gazpacho. However, there’s one SUPER SIMPLE recipe with just two necessary ingredients (watermelon and lime juice) – Watermelon Sorbet!

Sorbet is a beautiful way to use up almost any fruit, but there are even more reasons to make sorbet with watermelon. All sorbets, by definition, are dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan. Watermelon sorbet has the added benefit of being naturally low-calorie and keto-friendly, and yet it is sweet enough that no added sugar or sweetener is required. However, if you have a watermelon that isn’t to your degree of sweetness, you can add honey, sugar, or sweetener. I’ve never found it necessary, but it is an option. I usually serve sorbet as a dessert or a treat on a hot summer day. However, sorbet is one of the most popular and widely used palate cleansers during a multi-course meal. It’s highly effective at cleaning the tongue of any flavors left in the mouth — especially watermelon. So, there you go – one recipe, two uses. Enjoy it as dessert when you want a delicious frozen treat or when you want to be fancy and serve it between dinner courses as a palate cleanser.

Regardless of the use, this sorbet couldn’t be more simple or easier to make. This recipe calls for 3-4 cups of watermelon, cut in chunks, roughly a quarter of a full-size melon. Using more or less watermelon is no problem! You make as much as little as you want. The only other ingredient is lime juice. Adjust it according to the amount of watermelon.

No lime juice? No problem! Lemon juice works just as well. Use freshly squeezed or bottled juice. The citrus brightens up the flavor and helps keep the color vivid. After the watermelon is cut up, place the chunks in a ziplock bag and into the freezer, it goes. It takes about 4-6 hours to freeze. However, you can leave the watermelon in the freezer for months (up to 10 months!) When the watermelon is frozen, remove it from the freezer and let it sit out on the counter for 5 minutes until it thaws enough to break the chunks apart.

Place the watermelon in a food processor or blender. (I’ve used both, and it makes no difference.) Add the lime juice to the watermelon and blend until smooth. Be patient, as it takes a couple of minutes. Use a spatula to loosen and move the mixture around. If it locks up, add a little warm water. When the mixture is smooth, do a taste test. If necessary, this is the time to add a little honey, sugar, or sweetener. Serve the sorbet or immediately, or it can go into the freezer to firm up. If desired, garnish with mint leaves. Enjoy!

Watermelon Sorbet
Course: Dessert, Palate CleanserCuisine: Keto-friendly, VeganDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes4
minutesMake this easy sorbet with frozen watermelon blended with a bit of lime juice in a food processor or blender. Delicious, refreshing, and cooling, this sorbet can serve as a dessert or mid-meal palate cleanser.
Ingredients
3 cups fresh seedless watermelon chunks, (about 1/4 medium watermelon)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup warm water, as needed
Optional: Sweetener, per taste (honey, sugar, sugar substitute)
Directions
- Prep: Cut the watermelon in chunks.
- Place the watermelon chunks in a ziplock plastic bag and freeze the watermelon (4-6 hours or overnight).
- Remove the watermelon from the freezer and allow to rest for five minutes to slightly thaw, break apart the chunks. Place the frozen watermelon chunks in a food processor or blender, along with lime juice. Blend until smooth, using a spatula to scrape and redistribute the mixture as needed. If necessary add a little warm water. It will take a few minutes for the mixture to become soft and smooth. Taste test and if desired blend in the optional sweetener
- Serve immediately for a softer texture or freeze for 3-4 hours until firm.
Notes
- Lime juice: Lemon juice can be substituted
- Depending on the natural sweetness of the watermelon, an additional sweetener (sugar, honey, or artificial sweetener) may or may not be needed.
Try these sorbets…
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