All parts of the watermelon are edible, so enjoy them in this easy weeknight stir fry watermelon rind recipe! The rind tastes like a cucumber and is perfectly complemented with a satisfying peanut sauce. Reduce food waste and have dinner ready in just 20 minutes!
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Did you know you can eat watermelon rind? It's delicious and super simple to prepare! I love using it in a "clean out the fridge" stir-fry, using whatever ingredients you have on hand. Today, we're coating watermelon rind and vegetables in a delicious peanut sauce that is super customizable. I love peanut sauce stir fry and peanut quinoa, so today's post is great new twist. Read on for the full watermelon rind recipe!
Watermelon Rind Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can eat watermelon rind! Both the white rind and green skin of a watermelon are completely edible. The green skin can be a bit tough, so some people prefer to peel it prior to consuming. This is also an important consideration if you are not able to purchase a pesticide-free fruit.
It tastes like the combination of a jicama, carrot, and cucumber. Watermelon rind is fairly crunchy, with a mildly refreshing flavor. Given that it is from the same plant family as a cucumber (the cucurbits/gourd family) this tracks.
Outside of stir fry (detailed in the recipe below), watermelon rind can also be pickled or used in a gazpacho soup. Anywhere you can use a cucumber (like this cucumber salad), a watermelon rind would also be appropriate!
Watermelon rind can upset a dog's stomach, so it's a good idea to avoid feeding it to them.
Ingredients Needed
For base:
- 2-3 cups of watermelon rind, pink flesh removed (and eaten, obviously)
- 1 cup of carrots, thinly sliced into matchsticks
- 2 scallions
For peanut sauce:
- 3 TBS peanut butter
- 1 inch knob of fresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 TBS maple syrup
- 2 TBS soy sauce or tamari
- Juice from ½ medium lime
- 1 TBS rice vinegar, optional
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 TBS sesame oil
- Water to thin
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To serve the stir fry, add:
- Lime wedge
- Fresh basil and/or mint
- Sesame seeds
- Cooked grain of choice (I like white or brown rice)
You can absolutely get creative with how you serve this dish. I love adding a ton of fresh herbs and often will just prepare some rice in my instant pot.
Possible Substitutions
When making the base of the recipe, if you don't have enough watermelon rind to complete the full dish, carrots and celery are an easy swap. Scallions can be omitted, or replaced with a bit of onion.
When making the sauce, almond butter is a very tasty switch if you do not have peanut butter (or, if you just prefer if). If you have a nut allergy, sunflower butter would also work. Lemon juice works in place of lime juice. Coconut aminos, tamari, and soy sauce all can be used in each others place (you may want to adjust based on your personal sodium preference. Any liquid sweetener can be used in place of maple syrup, and rice vinegar is delicious but can be left out.
Other Simple Watermelon Recipes to Try Next:
Looking for a way to use up your watermelon, so you can try this recipe with the rind? Try these Salted Watermelon Margaritas.
I would also consider trying this Watermelon and Cucumber Salad with Vegan Feta. Perfect for a picnic, alongside many of these other summer dinner favorites!
I do not have a recipe for pickled watermelon rind yet but would love to try it. Always remember, if you can't use all of your rind in one recipe, check our this guide to Small Space Composting.
Watermelon Rind Stir Fry
Ingredients
For stir fry base:
- 2-3 cups of watermelon rind pink flesh removed (and eaten, obviously)
- 2-3 large carrots
- 1 TBS neutral high heat oil (like avocado)
- 2 scallions
For peanut sauce:
- 3 TBS peanut butter
- 1 inch knob of fresh ginger grated (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 TBS maple syrup
- 2 TBS soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- Juice from ½ medium lime
- 1 TBS rice vinegar optional
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 TBS sesame oil optional
- Water to thin
To serve:
- Lime wedge
- Peanuts
- Fresh basil and/or mint
- Sesame seeds
- Cooked grain of choice I like white or brown rice
Instructions
- Wash all produce. Next, begin preparing watermelon. Use a sharp knife or Y-peeler to remove the dark green rind. While this is edible, it can be a bit tough to chew through so I recommend taking most of it off. Slice the white part of the rind into matchstick shapes. Next, slice the carrots in the same shape. Set aside. Slice scallions into rounds, dividing the green and white portions (we'll use both).
- Add oil to a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add rind and carrots and begin to cook, stirring a few times, for 5-6 minutes or until slightly softened. Add white portion of chopped scallions to the stir fry, saving the green tops for garnishing.
- While vegetables are cooking, make the peanut sauce by combining in a medium bowl peanut butter, ginger, maple syrup, soy sauce/tamari, lime juice, rice vinegar if using, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil if using. Stir to combine and add a splash of water to help it come together (you want it to be fairly loose as it will thicken when cooked).
- Once watermelon and carrots are starting to soften, pour peanut sauce over mixture and reduce heat to medium low. Let cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce becomes a bit sticky and clings to the vegetables. Remove from heat.
- Serve stir fry with reserved green scallion pieces, lime wedges, peanuts, fresh herbs, sesame seeds, and cooked rice. It will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about a week.
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Angela says
Great recipe! Made it twice this week because the whole family enjoyed this stir-fry, including the 4 year-old. It's versatile; I added diced pork and used 1 cup of watermelon rind, 1 cup of zucchini, and 1 cup of carrots. I used the rice vinegar and sesame oil both times.
The second time I added diced onions but I don't think they made a difference. I would skip them next time.
I would double the dish next time as well.
Emily says
Thank you for leaving this note, Angela! I am really happy this worked for you, those sound like great additions. - Emily
Rose Chow says
Tastes great and so easy to prepare. Especially glad that the watermelon rind is not wasted. Thank you.
Emily says
Thank you very much, Rose! I truly appreciate your comment and am glad this recipe worked for you. - Emily
Isabel says
I just made this for lunch. So yummy!! I shared the recipe with my family and friends as we all LOVE watermelon and eat it often when it’s in season. Now we have a way to use the rinds instead of tossing them. Thank you!
Emily says
This just made my day - thank you, Isabel! I am so glad to hear that and totally agree - watermelon is the best!- Emily
Tina says
My husband couldn’t get enough of this recipe! We have since tried it with almond butter too - delicious both ways! What a great use for watermelon rinds, thank you so much for the idea.
Emily says
This make me so happy, Tina! thank you for this tip!
Michael says
This is an excellent recipe. It is delicious and rich in nutrients. Thank you so much Emily
Emily says
Hi Michael, thank you so much for trying this recipe and leaving this kind comment. I am glad you enjoyed it! - Emily
Carly says
I couldn’t believe how tasty this was - I’m so glad I was able to not throw away all my watermelon rinds! Definitely will be making again 🙂
Emily says
Thank you for trying + commenting, Carly!!
Shannon says
I never thought to use watermelon rind in a stir fry recipe - thank you for this idea! My kids loved it!
Emily says
Glad to hear, Shannon!!