Margarita Watermelon Appetizers are the perfect way to celebrate summer with a burst of flavor and freshness. Combining the sweetness of watermelon with tangy feta and a hint of spice, these appetizers will be welcome at the party.

This delightful dish combines the sweetness of juicy watermelon with the tangy zest of lime, creamy feta cheese, and a kick of heat from fresh jalapeño slices.

Helpful Tips

Prepare the Watermelon: It’s super easy to peel a whole watermelon, especially the small ones. Cut off the ends, then stand it up and carve down the sides with a sharp chef’s knife. This way you won’t waste any of the watermelon. If you have a a square or round cookie cutter, it’s easier to get uniform shapes that way.
Skip the Alcohol: You can make these without the tequila if you want a non-alcoholic version.
Soak the Watermelon: If you can let the watermelon soak for 4 hours, that’s when the real flavor develops. Any longer than 6 hours and they’ll turn soggy and start to fall apart.

Margarita Watermelon Appetizers

These Margarita Watermelon Appetizers are an impressive and delicious appetizer for your next party. They're soaked in a margarita marinade, then topped with cotija cheese and a candied jalapeno.

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Prep Time 20

Additional Time 2

Total Time 2 20

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings Bites

Calories 170 kcal

Ingredients

1 small seedless watermelon
4 ounces cotija cheese crumbled (or feta)

For the simple syrup & jalapenos

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 jalapeños thinly sliced into 15 slices
1/4 cup lime juice juice from 2 limes
6 ounces tequila
1 ounces orange flavored liqueur such as triple sec or Cointreau

Instructions

Peel the watermelon and cut it into 15-20 squares. Place the squares in a flat container where all the pieces can fit in one layer.
In a small sauce pan, heat the sugar and water together and simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Remove ¾ of the simple syrup and set it aside to cool.
To the remaining simple syrup, add the jalapeno slices and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the jalapenos and syrup into a sealable container and put it in the refrigerator to chill.
Mix the lime juice with the remaining simple syrup you set aside to cool earlier. Chill it in the refrigerator.
In a medium bowl stir together the tequila, orange liquor and the chilled lime simple syrup.
Pour the margarita marinade over the watermelon pieces. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
To serve, remove the watermelon pieces from the marinade and arrange on a platter.
Top each piece with crumbled cotija cheese and a jalapeno slice. Insert a cocktail stick into each one for easy pick up.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 90mgPotassium: 351mgFiber: 1gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 1761IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1mg

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