Vegetarian Watermelon Mint Granita

Total time4 hr 20 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time5 min

4.6

(21)

Few summer desserts are as refreshing or as visually stunning as a bowl of icy, jewel-red granita. This one layers the natural sweetness of ripe watermelon with a fragrant mint-infused honey syrup and a bright hit of fresh lime juice, creating something that tastes far more sophisticated than the short ingredient list suggests. The process is genuinely satisfying — you blend, strain, and then return to the freezer every half hour or so to scrape the mixture into those signature loose, feathery crystals that make granita so irresistible. No special equipment is needed beyond a blender, a baking dish, and a fork, which means this is an accessible project for any skill level. Because every ingredient here is straightforwardly plant-based, there's no need to scrutinize labels or swap anything out — it's naturally free of meat, fish, and eggs without any workarounds. Serve it in chilled glasses with a sprig of fresh mint and it looks like something from a restaurant dessert menu, even though your freezer did most of the work.

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Ingredients

6 servings

6 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes (about ½ small watermelon)
3 tbsp honey
¼ cup water
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1 pinch salt

For serving

fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the honey and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the honey fully dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the mint leaves. Let steep for 5 minutes, then strain out and discard the mint leaves.
2
Working in batches if needed, blend the watermelon cubes in a blender until completely smooth, about 30 seconds.

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