How To Hollow A Watermelon For The Ultimate Serving Bowl

Watermelon is the quintessential summer fruit. Its sweetness can rival any indulgent snack, while its watery lightness provides peak refreshment in the summer heat. Watermelons are also a whole lot of fun at a summer party — even more so if you're using one as a decor piece. Because it's so big, it can easily double as a serving bowl when hollowed out; fill it with fresh fruit, use it as a clever way to serve drinks, or turn it into a unique ice cream bowl. The easiest way to do that is to simply cut the watermelon in half and then scoop out the meat with a melon baller or a round stainless steel ice cream scoop. Because the edges of these tools are sharper than your regular spoon, they'll scoop out the fruit really nicely and without too much splashing. This will also give you nicely shaped fruit balls that you can serve inside the hollowed-out rind.

If the aesthetic of the watermelon chunks isn't that significant, or you just don't have the extra tools, you can also use a knife. Cut the meat of the melon deeply in a square pattern and then all around the rind. If you're a big Halloween fan, your pumpkin carving tools can really come in handy here, since some come with a rounded edge. Once you have your squares, take them out with a spoon or a fork. The middle squares will likely need some extra help from the knife, mind you.

Now that you know how to hollow the melon, let's talk about the design of your bowls. You can leave it halved, of course, but why not try something a little bit more creative? The first easy upgrade can come in the form of jagged or rounded edges of the rind. You can also create one large, oval bowl from a single watermelon, rather than having two smaller, round ones. Place the watermelon on its long side and cut a smaller part of the top horizontally to create the opening of your bowl. We think this would be the perfect serving vessel for a refreshing watermelon and feta salad.

Want to take it another step further? Carve your watermelon in the shape of a basket with a handle. It's not as complicated as it looks, we promise. Once again you'll start with a watermelon placed lengthwise, then you'll mark the lines of where the handle and the basket will be, using a marker or elastic bands. The basket should be the size of half the melon, and the handle should stand centrally above it. Cut along the marked lines — you'll cut off two side chunks to expose the handle part, which should be hollowed out using a knife. As a final idea, you can also cut your melon bowl in the shape of a shark; check out how to make fruit salad with watermelon and avocado for the carving technique.