Pickled watermelon rind with garlic & dill (No sugar recipe)

Name: Pickled watermelon rind with garlic & dill (No sugar recipe)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 1460 min
Ingredients: 1 cup water; 2 Tablespoons sea salt (or kosher salt (not iodized)); 1 cup white vinegar; 10 to 12 ounces watermelon rind (peeled with most red flesh removed, cut into ¾ inch wide by 2–3 inch long sticks); 2 garlic cloves (peeled & sliced thin); 1 sprig dill (fresh)

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Don't toss that watermelon rind! Make tangy garlic and dill watermelon rind pickles instead.

This recipe turns watermelon rind into a savory snack. It’s a salty alternative to the traditional sweet Southern-style pickle.

Watermelon rind pickles are great straight from the fridge, added to snack boards, or served as a side dish.

Yellow & pink watermelon pickles in brine with garlic.

When I was a kid, I loved seeing what was inside the refrigerators at my friends’ houses. (Maybe I was always destined to be a food blogger?)

While the foods at my own home were a known commodity, my friends’ refrigerators contained enticing, new-to-me things like cranberry apple juice, toaster-ready pizza rolls, and fancy frozen foods that arrived in delivery trucks.

But the most unusual food I ever saw was pickled watermelon rind.

Who had ever heard of such a thing? Not me.

I didn't get to try them then, but I later learned they're a Southern favorite that’s usually made with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, peppercorns, and plenty of sugar.

As someone with more of a salt tooth than a sweet one, that version never quite appealed to me. However, I love a crunchy, garlicky dill pickle.

So when I bought a seedless watermelon recently for watermelon salsa, I decided to try pickling the rind using my go-to, sugar-free brine.

It was a resounding success!

Watermelon rind has a neutral flavor, which lets the garlic, dill, and tang shine. Plus, they have SO MUCH CRUNCH. (I don’t know how cucumber has been leading the dill pickle game for this long!)

Watermelon rind pickles are a great snack on a hot summer day. They offer some cool relief when you eat them right out of the fridge. They’re also a stand-out on a veggie board or alongside a sandwich.

In this post:

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Ingredients
How to make pickled watermelon rind
Customize your pickles
Ways to use quick pickled watermelon rind
Storage instructions
FAQ
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

Salt: Use non-iodized sea salt or kosher salt. (Iodized table salt can make your brine cloudy.)

White vinegar: Look for white vinegar near the other vinegars in the center aisles of the grocery store.

Slices of watermelon rind on cutting board with peeler and peels.

Watermelon rind: You won't find watermelon rind sold on its own at the store. So start by buying a whole watermelon, slice off the red flesh, and use a knife or vegetable peeler to remove the tough green outer skin.

You'll need about 10 to 12 ounces of rind, or enough to fill a 32-ounce mason jar.

Garlic: Thinly sliced fresh garlic adds bite and flavor.

Fresh dill sprig: Fresh dill gives them that classic dill pickle flavor.

How to make pickled watermelon rind

This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

4-panel collage showing how to make brine, cut off watermelon rind, peel, and cover with brine in jar.

1. In a small pot, combine water and salt. Cook over medium heat until the salt dissolves. Turn off the heat, stir in white vinegar, and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Cut a watermelon into slices. Then cut off the rind, removing most of the red flesh. (A little red is fine and won’t affect the flavor.)

3. Use a sharp vegetable peeler or knife to remove the dark green peel from the rind.

Note: This is one easy way to cut watermelon rind into pieces and peel it. However, if there’s a different way that you prefer, as long as you end up with dill pickle-sized pieces of rind at the end, that’s all that matters.

4. Pack the rind pieces, fresh dill, and garlic slices into a clean glass jar, and pour brine over it, making sure everything is fully submerged. Cover the jar with a lid, and cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

Allow the flavors to meld for at least a day, so that the rind can get fully infused with the brine. (At first the salt and vinegar bite will be pretty strong, but as the days pass, it will mellow.)

Customize your pickles

Watermelon rind pickles with dill and garlic in jars by chunks of red watermelon.

You can make this easy watermelon rind pickles recipe your own with any of these substitutions, variations, or additions.

Here are some ways to personalize this recipe:

For some sweetness, substitute apple cider vinegar for some or all of the white vinegar, or add a Tablespoon or two of sugar
Include more flavorful add-ins to the jar like whole peppercorns, mustard seeds, or coriander seeds
To make it spicy, add red pepper flakes or sliced jalapeno
For variety, cut the pickles into smaller chunks

Ways to use quick pickled watermelon rind

Watermelon rind pickles on plate with fresh dill sprigs.

Pickled watermelon rind is amazing on its own as a crunchy snack. It’s also a unique addition to a vegan charcuterie board or rainbow fruit & veggie platter.

You can serve it as an easy side dish with sandwiches, salad, or barbecue such as:

It can even be used as a garnish in a vegan Bloody Mary cocktail! (So long, celery stick!)

Storage instructions

Watermelon rind refrigerator pickles in jar with dill and garlic.

Store jarred watermelon rind in the refrigerator, making sure the pickles stay fully submerged in the pickling liquid.

Enjoy within 2 to 3 weeks for the best crunch and flavor.

To make the pickles last as long as possible, always use a clean fork when removing them from the jar.

FAQ

Is watermelon rind edible?

Yes, watermelon rind is edible. It can be enjoyed raw, cooked, or pickled, as in this recipe.

While most folks throw it away, it’s a good source of vitamins A and C, fiber, potassium, and magnesium.

What does watermelon rind taste like?

Watermelon rind has a neutral flavor, similar to cucumber, that’s almost a complete blank slate. That’s what makes it perfect for pickling, as it soaks up all of that tangy brine, garlic, and dill flavor in a way that really pops.

Can I make the pickles slightly softer?

Yes! If you prefer a slightly less crunchy pickle, steam the rind pieces in a covered steamer pot with water for about 5 minutes, or until they become fork tender and a brighter shade of green.

Remove from heat, and allow them to cool slightly before adding them to the jar.

Cooking the rind makes it more pliable and allows you to fit more pieces in the jar.

Can I use iodized table salt for pickled watermelon rind?

I don't recommend it. Iodized salt can make the brine cloudy and affect the color of the rind. Plus, its finer grains may result in pickles that are too salty.

Is this recipe suitable for canning?

No. This is a quick-pickling recipe that requires refrigeration. Long-term canning isn't covered here.

Comments

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)