My grandpa Joe – who’s now 90 years old – had quite the reputation as an expert watermelon grower when I was growing up.
His patch always yielded the biggest, ripest, most bright red watermelons in town.
When you cut into them you could hear them crack, and they filled the air with most hypnotizing melon-y scent.
They were loaded with giant seeds that were perfect for long-distance spitting contests. And they were the absolute best treat on hot summer days.
Maybe everyone says this about your grandpa, too. But as far as I’m concerned, Joe will forever be the reigning champion.
If it’s not painfully clear yet, I love watermelons.
But I realized recently that I’ve never tried one in a smoothie. It seems like the perfect fit, especially in summer. I’m so glad my curiosity led me to this tasty treat.
Is it simple? Oh yes. Just 6 ingredients, 10 minutes, and 1 blender. Would I have it any other way?
It starts with ripe watermelon and some frozen ripe strawberries for a tart-sweet twist.
Lime adds a tart kick that offsets the sweetness of the fruit.
Almond milk creates a creamy texture, while banana adds a bit more substance and natural sweetness.
And chia seeds not only add nutrition and texture, but also mock watermelon seeds for more visual appeal. Wowza, that’s one beautiful smoothie.
I think you’ll love this smoothie. It’s:
Cold
Refreshing
Naturally sweet
A little tart
Watermelon-y (Is that a word? It is now!)
Summer appropriate
& So delicious
Make this for breakfast, a snack, or a late-night, summer cool down treat. And if you do, be sure to leave a comment, rate it, and take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers, friends!
Strawberry Chia Watermelon Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh watermelon (cubed // black seeds removed)
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/2 medium ripe banana (previously peeled // chopped and frozen)
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (DIY recipe)
- 1 medium lime (juiced // 1 lemon yields ~30 ml)
- 1 Tbsp chia or hemp seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth, adding more almond milk to thin, or more frozen strawberries or ice to thicken.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more lime for acidity, banana for sweetness, or watermelon for a more intense watermelon flavor.
- Serves 2 (as original recipe is written) – top with additional chia seeds to mock watermelon seeds! Best when fresh, though leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Donna says
Yum! We love it! Made it with cashew milk indeed of almond milk.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Donna. Thank you for sharing! xo
Denise Brewer says
What a delicious smoothie! I halved everything in the recipe as I was using a personal blender, but so good! Not too sweet, not too thin/thick, and you can taste all of the fruit flavors. A new favorite!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Denise! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Callie says
Super tasty smoothie! Light and fresh. I used oatmilk instead of almond and that worked well. I also added spinach and it turned out brown but very tasty.
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing, Callie! xo
Jennie says
Just tried this smoothie, with a couple of small “tweaks”. I used lemon instead of lime, since that’s what I had on hand. I added a small handful of spinach leaves, and used plain soy milk instead of almond. I made a single serving, but ended up throwing in a couple more strawberries and a splash more milk. It is delicious, and helps me use up watermelon. It is just my husband and I, so a watermelon is more than we can handle! :-) I froze about 1/2 of the watermelon in chunks. I will do that again in the future. I think if I spread the chunks out on a baking sheet to “flash freeze” before storing in a baggie, that will work well for future smoothies.
Hi Jennie, we’re glad you enjoy it! Thank you for sharing! A baking sheet (ideally lined with silicone or parchment) works well for freezing watermelon cubes. You can also use frozen in this and this recipe. Hope that’s helpful!
Traci says
Oh wow…this smoothie taste great and is so refreshing. This will definitely be a staple in my house this summer!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Traci! xoxo
June Aloha says
Wow! Adding lime make so different! It refreshes! I love this smoothie! Thanks for wonderful recipe:)
We’re so glad you enjoy it! Thanks for sharing, June! xo
Rayden says
I made this with raspberry’s instead of banana and I little more lime tasted amazing thanks for the recipe
Smart! Thanks for sharing, Rayden!
Megan says
Refreshing, delicious, and perfect for summer! I’ll definitely make it again.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Megan! xo
Elena says
Delicious and refreshing. My watermelon wasn’t super sweet, but it still did the trick. Will be making this again :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Elena! Thanks for sharing!
Jim says
This is absolutely delicious!
The only thing I did differently was add a scoop of Vega almond coconut protein powder.
This is definitely going into the rotation.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Jim!
Kelly van Bronkhorst says
Delicious and refreshing! The lime have it a great tart taste. I will be making this frequently.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kelly! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Kerry says
I made this today and loved it so much. Added a few more strawberries as I have an abundance, plus I adore them, and some plain Greek yogurt for thickness. I’d never have thought to add lime juice but it was key. Perfect to keep cool on this sunny memorial day. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kerry! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications!
Karin says
I was given a whole sugar watermelon but it wasn’t the sweetest. I didn’t want to toss it and luckily found this recipe. I already had the other fruits frozen so I made it this morning. It was delicious! I mean really delicious. I had a lemon instead of a lime so I used that and I added a scoop of collagen powder and a scoop of vanilla protein powder to it. So good! I’m making it again tomorrow morning!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Karin!
Andrea says
Ok wow this smoothie is so delicious!! Had some frozen watermelon in the freezer and had no idea what to do with it. Now I know! I added spinach and it was still amazing. New favorite smoothie, will be making this on repeat!
Cee Jay Kay says
I had some watermelon on hand and felt like making a smoothie, so I Googled and stumbled on this recipe. It was tasty, but not quite as thick as I like my smoothies. I’ll have to play around a little more to see if I can thicken it up. Loved the lime in this. Yummy!
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Aps says
I think adding rolled Oats will thicken the smoothie
Andrea Petaccio says
Delicious. Added in a hand full of spinach and couldn’t even taste it with the delicious combo of everything else. Thanks!!
Denise Morrison says
Used a whole frozen banana and added some protein powder. Delicious smoothie on a sunny morning. Recommend any time on a hot day.
Nu says
Tasty & refreshing! I substituted Oat milk instead of Almond and was lovely. And yes, the lime is vital!
Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Nu. Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xxoo
Diaunna says
I’m so glad I searched up “watermelon smoothie” and found your recipe. It’s so simple yet very refreshing. I love how it’s extremely nutritious.
Colleen says
I made this to use up some watermelon that wasn’t as crisp as I like. This recipe was a perfect find!! It was really easy and quick. I substituted 2% milk for the almond milk. And now I have a use, other than banana bread, for frozen bananas! ?
Woot woot!
Zane Campbell says
No almond milk so i used cream and skim milk. Still tasted amazing with the ingredients lime was a good choice!
Thanks for sharing your subs, Zane!
Brenda says
Made this and love it! So simple and refreshing. I added more lime and am thinking of making some popsicles!
Great idea, Brenda!
Jen says
you are amazing!!! this is the perfect morning drink during the summer :) i substituted water for the almond milk and it was so light and hydrating! thank you for all of your amazing recipes!
Whoop! Glad to hear it, Jen!
Phoebe says
This is so helpful for my project on watermelon I had to wright out a recipe for watermelon thanks, also I will totally make this looks so delicious! and i give you 5 stars even though I didn’t make it because it looks soooo good!
Loups says
Tried this yesterday and have to say it’s the first smoothie I’ve made that I haven’t had to chug or pour away. I liked it so much, after I finished one (I initially made half the amount) I made another! I did swap Almond milk for Soya though as I can’t stand Almond milk. Tasted like a milkshake!
I can’t thank you enough for putting actual weights of ingredients too; so many I’ve tried are in cups, which makes no sense to me as a Brit. I’ll look for more of your recipes and maybe I can make a green smoothie that doesn’t taste like pond water!
Loretta says
Made this using frozen mixed berries as that was all I had on hand. Omg delicious and soothing on a sore throat!
Wrenbird says
This is a delicious smoothie, perfect for warm summer days. Although I never really like the texture of watermelon, I like flavor of it and this smoothie is a great way to enjoy it. I left out the chia seeds and just eye-balled the measurements.
Don S says
Wonderful! I love watermelon. Super for Lo Cal breakfast. And adding nutrition info is really great idea, My fitness Pal app. found it also.
Lynn Mounier says
Made this for breakfast this morning, it was Delicious! Light and refreshing, so yummy. I like the idea to add greens next time for an even healthier treat.
Irene says
delicious put it in my cook book for my children
Irene says
so yummy and healthy i put it in my cook book
Renee says
This was awesome!!!
AmandaA says
We had two watermelons sitting on the counter so I was searching for what we could do with them other than eating them raw. THIS SMOOTHIE IS A WINNER. I made it exactly how Dana has it written and it turned out perfectly. Granted, I love her recipes and they always turn out great for me so maybe I’m a little bias. Either way, this is great and you should absolutely make it. It’s refreshing and light. Perfect for a summer day or for when you’re in the mood for a treat that your body will thank you for.
Aw, thanks so much for the lovely review, Amanda! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! xo
Ellie says
wow! Your strawberry chia watermelon smoothie recipe looks is awesome. I think it is very effective for making smoothie…! thanks for share…
Dean Dancer says
Wow, that looks really tasty. Im not a huge lover of water melon but I’ll definately have to try this out – Dean Dancer
Nikky says
yum! so watermelon-y and just so yum! and so easy!
Tika says
I made this last night. I must say, I had little faith in this concoction, but it was really good! I used sweetened almond milk (cashew/vanilla flavor). It was perfect.
Amber says
This was delicious. I had gallons of frozen watermelon and fresh strawberries in the fridge, so I used frozen watermelon and fresh bananas and strawberries. I also added 2 cups of kale and increased the chia to 1/4 cup (I use these smoothies as breakfast). I love the way the lime complements the watermelon?
Kym says
Hi Dana, I used this recipe as our feature smoothie of the month for my work’s Healthy Worker Program and everyone loved it, it was an absolute hit! Thank you!
nAcgsri says
3994 479100I like this post, enjoyed this 1 regards for posting . 546468
Sarah-kate says
This is amazing :) great for the hot summers of the prairies. I make one in the morning and throw it in the freezer for an hour before hubby goes to work and he gets to enjoy it during lunch! Just a heads up, chia and flax make it “pudding like” if left till lunch, so i put hemp in it and send him with chia in a tiny tupperware for topping. Thanks for this recipe!
Amber says
Flax has never done that in my experience, but chia does. That’s how they do overnight chia puddings. I probably would have just turned it into a smoothie bowl and eaten it with a spoon. My smoothies go in the fridge overnight on days I work early, so I use flax unless I want to take a spoon to it. Nutrition is nearly identical
sarah-kate says
Ahh i meant to leave a 5 star review, dont know why it says 3 stars :( flax does the jelly thing, thats why we use it for egg :) my flax does that anyways. Sorry for the 3 star review, i loved this recipe.
Ashley says
The kids were requesting a watermelon smoothie so I gave this recipe a try. SOOO YUMMY!! I added 1 tbsp lime juice to keep it from being too tart for the kids and they loved it!
Erin B says
I came into a bit of leftover watermelon from a picnic and came upon your recipe after googling “watermelon smoothie”. I had all the ingredients on hand and the only one I added was a handful of spinach–the kids didn’t even notice, haha! This was fantastic! Thank you for sharing!
linda says
Amazing. My famioy loved it.
Dulcie says
YUM
Kathir says
We loved it.. We didn’t use the milk instead added half cup water and added all other ingredients.
Mima says
We substituted the lime for half of a lemon, and used yogurt instead of almond milk. It’s very good, and a great way to get the picky members of our family to have some fruit!
ATa says
We make mango strawberry smoothies all the time. But the watermelon was a nice change. Kids loved it. Me too.
TC says
Had some left over watermelon chunks from a personal watermelon in the refrigerator and needed a good smoothie recipe. This was awesome. I found your site and in less than 10 minutes I had made this smoothie. I keep frozen bananas on hand, so this was perfect. So delicious! Thank you
Niky Jackson says
looking so yummy. can you suggest me something else rather then strawberries. my baby have allergies with it.
Simon says
Does Grandpa Joe have a banjo?
April says
This was just what I was looking for, very refreshing. I added extra watermelon and left out the banana, because I didn’t want it too sweet. I already had chia seeds today, so I left those out. I didn’t juice the lime. Instead, I cut it up, and threw in the whole thing with part of the skin. I only had frozen mixed berries, so I used those. I also added coconut water. This made for a thin, cold, thirst-quenching smoothie. We are having a hot day, so I am trying to drink a lot. This was very good, and I really like the lime and watermelon combination. Thank you.
Sabrina says
OMG this respie is so good can you continue to make more its amazing ???????
Jackie says
I love smoothies ! they have been my to-go breakfasts for close to 30 years ..i also use this delicious fruit to create the liquid base required for smoothies.. i read though that because water melon digests faster than any other food, it should not be eaten with any other fruit as it can rot and ferment .. “eaten” but what about smoothies – would like your thoughts on this .. thanks
Jacqueline says
Made this today – Totally awesome!
Didn’t have any milk so used about 1/2 c plain greek yogurt (6% fat) and added both hemp hearts and chia seeds. My kids thought it was amazing!
Sara says
I used plain yogurt and frozen mixed berries as well. It was what i had on hand. It was a delightful smoothie. Thank you!
Brigid says
This smoothie is AMAZING. It tastes like candy! I made it during Ramadan and first tasted it after a long, hot day of fasting. I can’t tell you how good it was!! I almost cried. And since then I’ve made it a load more times and it’s always as good as the first time.
I use fresh banana rather than frozen and I leave out the almond milk. Usually the watermelon is juicy enough that I don’t need to sub the milk with anything but if it’s a bit thick I add a splash of Pom juice. I also have to leave out the chia seeds as they cost a bomb here in the UK (sad face).
Lauren says
I would love to make this smoothie, but is there anything else that would go good in there as a substitute for banana? my husband is allergic to banana so its hard to find smoothie recipes, what could i put in instead of banana?
I’d double up on watermelon in that case and see how it goes without! You can use this slushie as a guide :D
Larry says
I am a fan of avocado for consistency.
Mom says
Avocado is an excellent substitute for banana, I find it creamier and more substantial.
Amy says
hmm I tried this, the whole family enjoyed it :D Thank you rely relieving for a hot summer day!
Wonderful! Glad you all enjoyed it, Amy! xo
Maggie Watkins says
I tried this recipe tonight and loved it! The lime juice is an essential element as are the bananas to compliment the strawberries and watermelon. Strawberry and watermelon juice would be wonderful, but this takes it to another delicious creamy level!
Thanks Maggie! Another watermelon recipe coming tomorrow – stay tuned!
Myrtice Stevens says
I’ve been eating chia non-stop for a straight week. This is an incredible food. Thank God, i found your blog. I’ve been looking for some inspiration for my chia cook book. Definitely have to make it ASAP. Thank you for sharing and inspiring the food lover out there!
So kind! thanks Myrtice!! xo
Tara says
Do you think that vanilla almond milk instead would still taste fine in it? Love this website and all recipes!
Of course! Thanks Tara!
Heather Foust says
That looks so good! I’m totally going to try it. The first time I tried your recipe, I nearly choked on that hard-green crusty bit and I was shooting black seeds out of my nose.That looks so good! I’m totally going to try it.
serwis says
I love that kind of smoothies on hot summer days!! This is awesome :)
Cornelia says
I love it!
It’s refreshing AND delicious.
I added instead of lemon juice – yl lemon essential oil.
thank you for the wonderful idea
Amy @ Cultivate Beauty says
Ahh you’ve got me craving watermelon!! :) Can just imagine how yummy and refreshing this would be, not to mention that colour! <3
Kirsten says
Wow! Sooooooo delicious and refreshing! Thanks for another amazing recipe:)
Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet says
I’m in love. These look so refreshing and delicious! Great post!
Allen Vergakis says
The first time I tried your recipe, I nearly choked on that hard-green crusty bit and I was shooting black seeds out of my nose. (Have you ever noticed, there are no labels on watermelons? Then, again, I’m rather “august.”) Seriously, I “cantaloupe” wait to try this excellent-looking treat. “Cantaloupe?”…Say? (Do you feel I might face the same difficulty using cantaloupe? My throat and nose are mostly healed.) God bless you and yours, Allen a.k.a. “The Crazed Gourmet.” Excuse me–the HOME is calling.
Evans says
Nice comment by Alexa: ” Oh my. Watermelon is my favorite fruit this time of year! I love that you added strawberries to this, too! What a fun and colorful combination!”
Thomas | SmoothieBio says
I adore smoothies with melone in the summer, it’s so refreshing.
The style how you wrote this post is amazing :) Nice to read and wonderful pictures.
Leiram says
This is minor, but I just wanted to point out that you wrote “6 ingredients, 10 ingredients, and 1 blender” when I think you meant “6 ingredients, 10 minutes, and 1 blender.”
That said, thank you for always posting such gorgeous pictures and such accessible recipes. I’m a long-time lurker but I talk about your blog all the time!
Ha, that was my miss. Thanks for pointing it out Leiram!
amanda @ on the corner of brodhead says
everything about this is perfect!!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
This looks so refreshing! Yum!!!
Lucy @ cheatingvegan.com says
That looks so good! I’m totally going to try it. I tested a recipe for a watermelon cucumber smoothie this morning but it didn’t work out. In retrospect I should have added 1/2 a banana!
It adds that extra punch of sweetness and creaminess!
Amanda @ Sweets and Greens says
Looks amazing. Frozen watermelon is good too because it makes it more like an ice slushy!
Agreed! Working on a frozen watermelon recipe that I’m SO excited to share!
Amanda @ Sweets and Greens says
Ooh, I can’t wait to see it!
Anna says
This looks super refreshing! Sadly it’s raining here, so I’m going to wait until the sun comes out to make this one!
JAN KRASSNER says
Thank you so much for including nutritional information, and for giving metric measurements. It is so much more accurate than, i.e., 1/2 a banana, or even 1 cup of strawberries. Some people cram as many strawberries as they can into a cup; others loosely pack them. Many years ago I lived in Norway for 2 1/2 years. I quickly came to appreciate the metric system for its accuracy.
Of course!
Esther says
Yum. This looks delicious. Pinned ready for a hot summer’s day.
Daniela says
Delizioso!!!!!!!
Kaitlin @ Heaps of Me says
Yum!! This sounds amazing! I’m not a super huge fan of almond milk, I’ll have to give it a try with coconut milk! Xx
That would be an awesome substitution! Best of luck
Toni says
Coconut milk totally works here! I used it instead of almond milk due to allergies. ;) Toni
Millie | Add A Little says
HELLO SUMMER!
Anna says
watermelon is one of my favorite summer foods!! yumm and the color of this smoothie is gorgeous :)
Abby says
Oh, I love watermelon! And in a smoothie like this?! Amazingness. <3
Lisa @ Strum Simmer Sip says
Great post! I love blended watermelon in the summer. So refreshing! I’m definitely going to make this when it warms up in San Francisco :)
Love San Francisco! Hope you love this soothie, Lisa :D
larika says
Ok
Mel @ The Refreshanista says
Love these photos! How summery and fun :)
Cassie says
No me gusta watermelon, but I’ve craved it so much this summer!
Joanna says
If it’s got watermelon in it… I’m in it! :)
Alexa [fooduzzi.com] says
Oh my. Watermelon is my favorite fruit this time of year! I love that you added strawberries to this, too! What a fun and colorful combination!
Tom ~ Raise Your Garden says
Definitely will love smoothie. We eat a watermelon every single day here (they are only 4 bucks right now) Jealous of Grandpa Joe and his watermelon patch, would totally love to visit that patch at like 3 in the morning. Just kidding!!!!