Watermelon Italian Ice Recipe

This Watermelon Italian Ice recipe is one of the best-frozen desserts. It is refreshing, easy to make and most of all, it tastes great! Keep cool during those hot summer months with granita ice!

The simple mention of Italian ice recipes probably elicits visions of lemons and rightly so.

Sicilians figured out a long time ago that combining water, sugar and lemons creates a refreshing summer dessert –granita al limone or if you prefer lemon ice. 

This frozen dessert sometimes referred to as granita, is simply flavored ice crystals. There are three basic ingredients required for this transformation to take place -water, sugar and some added flavor or pureed fruit.

Without a doubt, the most popular flavors for granita are coffee and lemon.  

But do you know that there are infinite possibilities?

Peach, cantaloupe and strawberry granita are just a few examples of summer fruit that can be transformed into this easy no-bake dessert.

Watermelon Italian ice can easily be made by combining pureed watermelon with sugar. Once placed in the freezer, the simple process of scraping the newly formed ice every sixty minutes, for a couple of hours with a fork begins. 

Instructions

You need about 2 pounds of watermelon for this recipe. 

Place 1-2 tablespoons of sugar and 1-2 tender mint leaves in a food processor. 

Process until finely minced. 

Add 2 pounds of cubed watermelon, 1 tablespoon of lime juice and a pinch of salt and process until pureed. The total amount of liquid should be about 4 cups, as per markings on the food processor.

Then pour the watermelon puree mixture in a shallow stainless steel pan and place it in the freezer. If desired, you can strain the mixture to create a more refined granita.

Stir to break up the ice every 60 minutes or so with a fork, for about 3-4 hours. The consistency should be granular but still slushy.
At this point, cover and allow to freeze undisturbed for at least 2 hours.

When ready to serve, grate from the top (with a fork) and place in serving dishes.
If desired, decorate with mint leaves and a lime wedge and serve immediately.

Tips

• Use a wide shallow stainless steel pan or container to speed up the freezing process. 
• Store in the freezer in a covered container for up to one month. 

Easy summer recipes with watermelon

If you enjoy barbecuing, your family and friends are going to love this unique watermelon appetizer grilled to perfection. Another refreshing summer recipe is this watermelon salad with feta. 

Recipe origins

During those hot summer months, recipes for granita are always appreciated. I was inspired by a few recipe links I followed on Pinterest.

I adjusted the amount of sugar-based on personnel preference.

There are many suggestions as to the proportion of sugar to fruit that should be used to make granita. In my humble opinion, there is no right or wrong amount… it is all a matter of personal taste.

This healthy Italian ice is the perfect recipe to beat the summer heat while enjoying a fruit dessert recipe!

Enjoy!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this homemade Italian ice, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Watermelon Lime Italian Granita Ice

This Watermelon Italian Ice recipe is one of the best-frozen desserts. It is refreshing, easy to make and most of all, it tastes great! Keep cool during those hot summer months with this granita ice!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 53kcal

Author: Maria Vannelli RD

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Ingredients

• 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 fresh mint leaves
• 2 pounds seedless watermelon cubed
• 1 tablespoon lime juice fresh
• pinch salt

Instructions

• Place the sugar and mint leaves in a food processor.
• Process until finely minced. 
• Add the cubed watermelon, lime juice and pinch of salt.
• Puree until smooth (total amount of liquid is about 4 cups, as per markings on the food processor).
• Pour watermelon puree mixture in a shallow stainless steel pan and place it in the freezer.
• Stir to break up the ice every 60 minutes or so (with a fork) for 3-4 hours. The consistency should be granular but still slushy.
• At this point, cover and allow to freeze undisturbed for at least 2 hours.
• When ready to serve, grate the top (with a fork) and place in serving dish.
• Decorate with mint leaves and a lime wedge (if desired).

Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar that you add according to personal preference.

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 53kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 169mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 875IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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