Kitchen Recipe Collection
Watermelon Slush (Xi Gua Bing Sha)
The ubiquitous summer street drink of Taiwan and Southern China. An incredibly simple, vibrant red, icy blended drink relying entirely on the natural sweetness of peak-season watermelon.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 10 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 2 servings
- 3 cups fresh watermelon cubes (seedless, very ripe, and sweet)
- 1 cup ice cubes
- Optional: 1-2 tbsp simple syrup (only if the melon is not sweet enough)
- Optional: 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (to brighten the flavor)
Equipment
- Blender
Instructions
- 1
Prep Watermelon
Cut the watermelon into cubes, ensuring all black seeds (if any) are removed. (White, soft seeds are okay).
- 2
Blend
Place the watermelon cubes, ice, and lemon juice in a blender.
- 3
Puree
Blend on high until completely smooth, frothy, and icy. It should have a slushie-like consistency.
- 4
Taste
Taste the slush. Only add simple syrup if the watermelon was lackluster.
- 5
Serve
Pour immediately into tall glasses and serve with a wide straw. It will separate quickly if left sitting, so drink it fast!
Cooking Tips
- The secret to a great watermelon slush is using frozen watermelon chunks instead of ice. It prevents the drink from getting watered down.
- Always add a tiny squeeze of lemon or lime; the acidity makes the watermelon flavor taste brighter and sweeter.
Variations
- Watermelon Milk: A very popular Taiwanese variation where you blend 2 parts watermelon with 1 part whole milk for a creamy, pastel pink drink.
Nutrition Estimate
70 calories · 1g protein · 18g carbs · 0g fat · 1g fiber per serving
