How to Cut a Watermelon (Into Cubes & Slices)

5 from 7 votes
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Curious how to easily cut a watermelon into cubes and slices (triangles)? Here’s the best method!

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Coming inside after a day out in the summer heat, there’s nothing quite like a cold slice of watermelon or poppable watermelon cubes to cool you down. Knowing how to pick the perfect ripe watermelon, easily cut it and then store it, is a summer essential!

Whether you’re looking to keep cut watermelon in the fridge for a snack, or as part of a Watermelon Salsa or Watermelon Balsamic Salad, you’ll never struggle with an unwieldy watermelon again!

How to Pick a Watermelon

The best way to pick a ripe watermelon is to look for a large, light orange field spot on the melon. A field spot is where the watermelon rested on the ground in the field!

Also look for webbing, which is a brown cluster of lines on the watermelon. The more webbing, the sweeter the watermelon.

How to Cut a Watermelon (Into Cubes)

Learn how to cut a watermelon into cubes in a few easy steps, with photos to help you along the way!

  1. Place your watermelon on a large cutting board on its side, lengthwise (stem on the left or right, not on the top or bottom).
Place Watermelon on a Cutting Board
  1. Use a large, sharp knife to cut your watermelon half.
Cut your watermelon in half.
  1. Work with one-half of the melon and place it, cut-side down, on the cutting board. Use your knife to shave away the green skin and white rind so you’re left with just the pink flesh.
Use your knife to shave the rind off the watermelon.
  1. Slice the pink flesh across into slices. Then cut slices in the opposite direction, to form a crisscross pattern. You now have watermelon sticks!
Cut watermelon across into sticks
Cut watermelon in a criss cross pattern.
  1. Stop there, or stack a few stick together and cut them into cubes. Repeat for the other watermelon half.
Cut your watermelon sticks into cubes.

How to Cut a Watermelon (Into Slices)

Cutting a watermelon into slices only takes a few minutes! Follow these easy steps, with photos to help you along the way!

  1. Place your watermelon on a large cutting board on its side, lengthwise (stem on the left or right, not on the top or bottom).
  1. Use a large, sharp knife to cut your watermelon in half.
Cut your watermelon in half.
  1. Place both halves, cut-side down, on the cutting board. Cut your watermelon halves into quarters.
Cut watermelon halves into quarters.
  1. Cut your quarters into slices (triangles).

Watermelon Storage Tips

  • An uncut, whole watermelon lasts about 10 days at room temperature.
  • Keep cut watermelon in an airtight container (like Ziploc bags) in the refrigerator.
  • Slices (triangles) typically last about a week whereas cubes typically last about 4 days!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can you freeze cut watermelon?

Yes, you can freeze cut watermelon for fun popsicles, watermelon ice cubes, or for smoothies (like my Watermelon Peach Smoothie) or other frozen drinks. Once watermelon is frozen, I don’t recommend thawing it. Thawed watermelon is mushy.

When is watermelon season?

The peak season for fresh watermelon is June through August!
Is watermelon skin and rind edible? Yes, both the green skin and white rind of a watermelon is edible and loaded with nutrients!

Watermelon Recipes You’ll Love On Tastefully Grace!

5 from 7 votes

How to Cut a Watermelon

Curious how to easily cut a watermelon into cubes and slices (triangles)? Here’s the best method!
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
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Equipment

  • Large cutting board
  • Large, sharp knife

Ingredients 

  • 1 watermelon, personal watermelons are smaller and easier to work with

Instructions 

How to Cut a Watermelon Into Cubes

  • Place your watermelon on a large cutting board on its side, lengthwise (stem on the left or right, not on the top or bottom).
  • Use a large, sharp knife to cut your watermelon in half.
  • Work with one-half of the melon and place it, cut-side down, on the cutting board. Use your knife to shave away the green skin and white rind so you’re left with just the pink flesh.
  • Slice the pink flesh across into slices. Then cut slices in the opposite direction, to form a crisscross pattern.
  • You now have watermelon sticks! Stop there, or stack a few stick together and cut them into cubes. Repeat for the other watermelon half.

How to Cut a Watermelon Into Slices (Triangles)

  • Place your watermelon on a large cutting board on its side, lengthwise (stem on the left or right, not on the top or bottom).
  • Use a large, sharp knife to cut your watermelon in half.
  • Place both halves cut-side down on the cutting board.
  • Cut your watermelon halves into quarters.
  • Cut your quarters into slices (triangles).

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • Photos of each step are in the post above!
  • Keep cut watermelon in an airtight container in the fridge. Slices last about a week whereas cubes last about 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1600IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish, Snack, tips & tricks
Cuisine: American
Calories: 84
Keyword: summer
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About Grace Vallo

Hi, I’m Grace Vallo! Welcome to my kitchen! Here you’ll find kitchen-tested recipes and step-by-step tutorials with videos, giving home cooks the knowledge and confidence to cook and bake the most flavorful recipes for every season. Featured on the Food Network, Food & Wine, Taste of Home and more.

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