Watermelon Martini Recipe

The Watermelon Martini isn't a Martini variation in the traditional sense. A classic Martini is gin and vermouth, stirred, with no juice involved. This one is vodka and watermelon juice, shaken and strained into a Martini glass. The name comes from the glass and how it's served, not from the recipe itself.

That hasn't hurt its popularity. Watermelon has a light sweetness that carries the fruit flavor without covering up the vodka. Lime fills in the acidity so the drink doesn't turn cloying, and what you end up with is a soft red cocktail that's light and easy to drink.

Prep Time: 5 min | Servings: 1 (about 6 oz / 180 ml)

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Tools Needed
• Steps
• Nutrition

Ingredients

• Vodka (2 oz / 60 ml): The base spirit. Most vodkas are neutral and clean, so they won't cover up the fresh sweetness of the watermelon.
• Fresh watermelon juice (2 oz / 60 ml): Where the fruit flavor and the color come from. Start with about 100 g of rind-free flesh. Seedless watermelon is the easier choice. Cube it, run it through a blender, then strain out the fibers with a fine mesh strainer and set the juice aside.
• Fresh lime juice (1/2 oz / 15 ml): Brings the acidity. This is what balances the sweetness and keeps the drink refreshing.
• Simple syrup (1/2 oz / 15 ml): For topping up the sweetness. If your watermelon is sweet enough on its own, leave it out.
• Ice (as needed): For shaking, which provides the chilling and the right amount of dilution.

Tools Needed

• Blender: For juicing the watermelon.
• Fine mesh strainer: For straining the fibers out of the juice.
• Jigger: For measuring the liquid ingredients so the ratios stay accurate.
• Shaker: For combining everything into a balanced cocktail.
• Hawthorne strainer: For straining out the ice and giving you a smooth pour.

Steps

1. Put the Martini glass in the freezer for at least 15 minutes beforehand. This drink is served with no ice, so how cold the glass is determines how long it stays refreshing.
2. Pour the vodka, watermelon juice, simple syrup, and lime juice into a shaker tin.
3. Fill it about three-quarters full with ice, seal it, and shake for about 15 seconds, until the outside of the tin frosts over.
4. Strain the drink into the chilled glass with a Hawthorne strainer.
5. Garnish with a small wedge of watermelon or a lime wheel on the rim.

Optional: If you'd rather not deal with a blender, you can put the watermelon cubes straight into the shaker tin, muddle out the juice, and strain off the pulp before mixing. You get less juice this way, but you skip cleaning the blender.

Nutrition (Estimated)