All Fired Up S2BBQ & Grill

Grilled Watermelon with Goats Cheese & Basil

Name: Grilled Watermelon with Goats Cheese & Basil
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: ½ a watermelon, peeles and cut into chunky fingers; 1 tsp neutral oil (vegetable or sunflower); 200g soft goats cheese; Large handful of basil, roughly chopped; Freshly ground black pepper; 75g walnuts, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp balsamic syrup/glaze; Zest of 1 lime

Nico ReynoldsFrom the series · All Fired Up S2

20 min totalServes 4Easy

Time20 min

Serves4

SkillEasy

ShowAll Fired Up

Method

Skewer the watermelon pieces on metal skewers or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for a few hours and rub with a little neutral oil.

Light the charcoal in the BBQ, and when it’s at the right temperature - we’re aiming for a medium heat. Place a small skillet on the grill and add the walnuts, toasting until they are fragrant - about 3 - 4 minutes.

Mix the goat's cheese, basil and plenty of black pepper together in a bowl and set aside.

Add the watermelon skewers to the BBQ and char the watermelon pieces on all sides until golden and charred - this should take about 5 - 10 minutes, depending on the heat of your BBQ.

To serve, place the goat's cheese mixture on your serving plate and top with the watermelon skewers. Drizzle over the balsamic syrup and top with the toasted walnuts, finishing with some basil leaves.

Cook's notes

Char the watermelon on all sides over a medium heat until it's deep red with clear sear lines — about 5-10 minutes depending on how hot your BBQ is running.
Use metal skewers, or soak wooden ones in water for a few hours first so they don't scorch through before the fruit is done.
Toast the walnuts in a cast-iron skillet set right on the grill while the watermelon cooks — 3-4 minutes until fragrant, and don't walk away or they'll turn bitter.
Season the goat's cheese and basil with plenty of black pepper; it needs the bite to stand up to the sweet fruit.
Assemble right before serving — balsamic and walnuts over the warm skewers, and a grating of lime zest to finish lifts the whole plate.

Serve with This works beautifully as a starter, a light side to grilled meat or fish, or even a dessert — it genuinely swings both ways. A chilled glass of rosé or a dry sparkling wine matches the sweet-savoury character nicely.

Make ahead & storage Really a make-and-eat dish — grilled watermelon weeps and softens as it sits, so assemble and serve straight away. You can toast the walnuts and mix the goat's cheese and basil an hour or two ahead.

BBQ & Grill20 Minutes

Recipe by Nico Reynolds · From the series All Fired Up S2 · Photography © Appetite Media
Published 13 July 2026 · Updated 14 July 2026

Nutrition

Per serving · estimated

271kcal

12gprotein

4gcarbs

24gfat

Approximate — calculated from the ingredient list using USDA food data. A guide, not a medical figure.

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