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Watermelon Granita

Watermelon granita is a frozen dessert made by blending ripe watermelon with sugar and lemon juice, then freezing and scraping it into icy crystals. The texture is granular and icy with a vibrant pink color, resembling crushed ice with fruity flavor. It is served as a refreshing, slushy treat perfect for hot days.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Summer
Calories: 80
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups watermelon, cubed seedless if possible
  • 1/4 cup sugar adjust to taste
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed preferred

Equipment

  • Blender
  • Freezing container or shallow dish
  • Fork or spatula

Method
 

  1. Place the watermelon cubes into a blender and blend until completely smooth and juice-like, about 30 seconds. It should have a vibrant pink color and feel cool to the touch.
  2. Pour the watermelon puree into a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar and lemon juice until the sugar dissolves fully. This gives the granita a balanced sweetness and a fresh citrus zing.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a shallow freezing dish, spreading it out evenly to help it freeze faster and more uniformly.
  4. Place the dish in the freezer and let it freeze for about 2 hours. Check every 30 minutes, scraping the mixture with a fork to break up ice crystals and encourage a fluffy, granular texture.
  5. Continue to scrape every 30 minutes until the entire mixture is filled with tiny, icy crystals and has a granular, slushy texture. This should take around 2-3 hours total.
  6. Once the granita is ready, use a fork to scrape it one last time for an even, fluffy consistency. Serve immediately in chilled glasses or bowls, garnished with a sprig of mint if desired.

Notes

For a more intense color and flavor, use ripe, sweet watermelon. You can also strain the mixture to remove pulp if you prefer a smoother texture.