This show-stopping Watermelon Granola Breakfast Trifle boasts layers of diced watermelon, chopped strawberries and mango, toasted coconut, vanilla yogurt, and almond granola, topped with candied citrus and more toasted coconut!
It's also the ideal healthy alternative to your typical dessert trifle, that is made with cake and pudding. And it's the perfect breakfast or dessert or breakfast dessert for any season and every type of gathering. So if you're looking for watermelon breakfast recipes or a healthy and delicious breakfast trifle, you'll love this one!
Jump to:
- Types of Watermelon
- 🍉Did you know that watermelon is packed with nutrients?
- 🥘 Ingredient Notes
- 📖 Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Watermelon Granola Breakfast Trifle
- Expert Recipe Tips
- 🌡️Storing
- 👪 Serving size
- 🍽 Equipment
- Top Tip: Zero Waste Watermelon Guide
- ❔ Recipe FAQs
- More Breakfast Potluck Recipes
- 📋 Watermelon Granola Breakfast Trifle Recipe
If you're looking for more unique ways to use watermelon, try my Watermelon Prosciutto Vietnamese Salad Rolls!
Types of Watermelon
You are going to want to use a seedless watermelon for this recipe. Keep in mind that you may still find a few smaller white seeds in your watermelon; seedless means that there are no large, mature black seeds. There are 1,200 varieties of watermelon grown in 96 countries worldwide! The five main types of watermelon are seeded, seedless, mini, yellow, and orange.
🍉Did you know that watermelon is packed with nutrients?
What better way to start your day than with healthy watermelon for breakfast!
- Vitamins: Watermelon contains vitamin A (8% DV) and vitamin C. Vitamin A contributes to the normal function of the immune system. Vitamin C is a dietary antioxidant and protects against the damage of free radicals.
- Water: Watermelon is 92% water, which helps keep you hydrated.
- Other Nutritional Benefits: Watermelon is cholesterol, fat and sodium-free.
🥘 Ingredient Notes
This granola and yogurt recipe is also easy to make, and you don't need a lot of ingredients.
- Watermelon. Make sure you get seedless watermelon.
- Vanilla Greek yogurt. I use Greek yogurt because it has more protein than regular yogurt
- Granola. Almond granola works best in this recipe because it pairs well with the other flavors.
- Unsweetened Coconut. You can use fine, medium or flakes of coconut.
- Candied citrus peel - you will generally find this in a small plastic container in the baking aisle of your grocery store (often on the top shelf, near the baking chocolate and ingredients like that)
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Yogurt- you can use regular yogurt (although it has less protein) in place of Greek yogurt, low-fat or regular or another flavor like strawberry or mango
- Granola - you can use any type of granola you prefer, including Homemade Granola or low-fat granola
- Candied Citrus Peel - you can use any kind of candied fruit or peel you like (or can find) but citrus works best.
- Individual Breakfast Parfaits- if you don't want to make an entire trifle bowl, you can make this recipe into an individual breakfast parfait (see SERVINGS)
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Watermelon Granola Breakfast Trifle
- Step 1: Toast coconut: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/176 degrees C. Place ½ cup coconut in a shallow pan (a pie plate or 8-inch round cake pan).
- Step 2: Bake for about 2-3 minutes- watch it closely to avoid burning. *You don't have to toast it as much as in this photo
- Step 3: *Be sure to wash your watermelon before you begin slicing! Add ½ the watermelon, mango, and strawberries to the bottom of a 3-quart/3-liter trifle bowl. Sprinkle on ⅓ of the toasted coconut. Video: How to cut watermelon into cubes
- Step 4: Add ½ the granola and 1 container of yogurt.
- Step 5: Push back stuff with spatula and press watermelon against glass, repeat for all 6 slices of watermelon.
- Step 6: *If the glass gets smeared with yogurt, simply take a damp paper towel and wipe it off, then dry it with a dry paper towel.
- Step 7: Add wedges of watermelon, while holding the trifle back with spatula.
- Step 8: Add all 6 triangles of watermelon.
- Step 9: Add another layer of everything in same order as above, starting with fruit, as with the first layer.
- Step 10: Add granola, then end with yogurt. Garnish with candied citrus peel and remaining toasted coconut and a slice of watermelon (as shown).
Expert Recipe Tips
- Chill your fruit before assembling - Cold fruit not only tastes fresher but also helps keep the yogurt cool and the granola crisp for longer.
- Cut fruit into uniform pieces - Evenly sized cubes of watermelon, mango, and strawberries give the trifle a clean, professional layered look.
- Dry fruit thoroughly - Patting fruit dry with paper towels prevents extra moisture from seeping into the yogurt and granola.
- Toast coconut carefully - Coconut can burn quickly; watch it closely and stir halfway through to ensure even browning.
- Add granola at the last minute - To maintain its crunch, layer the granola just before serving or sprinkle it on top of individual portions.
- Press watermelon wedges against the glass - This not only creates a stunning presentation but also helps keep layers in place.
- Use a clear glass bowl - A trifle is all about visual appeal, so choose a clear trifle bowl or punch bowl to showcase the colorful layers.
- Customize flavors - Switch up the yogurt flavor, use seasonal fruits, or swap candied citrus peel for fresh zest or berries for a different twist.
🌡️Storing
You'll want to make this as close to serving as possible. If you want to prep it in advance (or at your gathering or potluck), I'd suggest you cut up the watermelon, mango and strawberries separately and store them in 3 separate containers in the fridge. You can also toast your coconut in advance.
👪 Serving size
This breakfast trifle serves up to 20 and that's why it's ideal for a large gathering. That is about ⅔ cup per serving. However, you can cut it in half (if you have a smaller group). Simply click on the serving size in the recipe card, select the number of servings, and the recipe amounts will adjust accordingly. You can also make individual servings by layering it in a small glass bowl or a cocktail glass.
🍽 Equipment
You will need a 3 quart/3 liter glass trifle bowl. Alternatively, you could use a punch bowl.
Top Tip: Zero Waste Watermelon Guide
And... don't be afraid to use the entire watermelon. Yes- it's true - you can use the whole thing!
You are going to have some leftover watermelon pieces. Here are some ideas of things you can do with it:
- Flesh: From deep reds and pinks to oranges and yellows, watermelon adds a sunset of hues and sweet flavors to dishes year-round. Dice it into salads or salsas, skewer or grill it as kebabs, or simply enjoy a big, juicy slice.
- Juice: Watermelon is excellent for hydration. Don't throw away overripe watermelon. Instead, juice or puree it to retain the value and nutrition. Drink it straight up, blend it into smoothies for breakfast or as pre-workout fuel, or mix it into your favourite cocktail.
- Rinds: The rind is often the most overlooked part of the watermelon, but is edible and can be used as a vegetable: try stir-frying, stewing, or pickling the rind. Hollowed watermelon can also serve as a compostable bowl for salsas, salad, or smoothies.
❔ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Use small glass bowls, mason jars, or cocktail glasses for individual servings. This works well for brunch buffets or when you want to control portion sizes.
Chill the watermelon before cutting-it's firmer and less messy when cold. Use a large, sharp knife and cut it into uniform cubes so the layers look neat in the trifle bowl.
You can make it in advance (but I don't recommend any sooner than the night before), but don't put on the garnishes until you arrive at your destination. Cover it with plastic wrap and put it into a deep carrying container like a small storage bin (surrounded by bath towels so it won't shift). Alternatively, you can bring the ingredients in separate containers and layer them at your destination. This helps maintain the texture and presentation.
You can swap or add in fruits like blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, pineapple, or peaches. Just avoid fruits that brown quickly, such as bananas or apples, unless adding them immediately before serving.
So, if you're looking for watermelon for breakfast ideas, this Granola Trifle is the ideal! It's also a healthy alternative to your typical dessert trifle, made with cake and pudding!
More Breakfast Potluck Recipes
📋 Watermelon Granola Breakfast Trifle Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups almond granola * I bought a 700 g bag and used most of it
- 2 cups watermelon, chopped into cubes
- 2 whole mangos, chopped into cubes
- 1 lb strawberries, hulled and cut in half (quartered for larger berries) 454 g
- 2 750 g -containers vanilla Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup toasted coconut
- 6 slices of watermelon, cut into equal triangles
Garnish
- slice of watermelon
- toasted coconut
- candied citrus peel
Instructions
Toasted Coconut
- Toast coconut: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/176 degrees C. Place ½ cup coconut in a shallow pan (a pie plate or 8-inch round cake pan).
- Bake for about 2-3 minutes- watch it closely to avoid burning.
- *Be sure to wash your watermelon before cutting/slicing.
- Add ½ the watermelon, mango and strawberries to the bottom of a 3 quart /3 liter trifle bowl. Sprinkle on ⅓ of the toasted coconut
- Add ½ the granola and 1 container of yogurt.
- Push back stuff with spatula and press watermelon against glass, repeat for all 6 slices of watermelon.
- *If the glass gets smeared with yogurt, simply take a damp paper towel and wipe it off, then dry it with a dry paper towel.
- Add wedges of watermelon, while holding the trifle back with spatula.
- Add all 6 triangles of watermelon.
- Add another layer of everything in same order as above, starting with fruit, as with the first layer.
- Add granola, then end with yogurt. Garnish with candied citrus peel and remaining toasted coconut and slice of watermelon (as shown).
Notes
-
- Chill your fruit before assembling - Cold fruit not only tastes fresher but also helps keep the yogurt cool and the granola crisp for longer.
-
- Cut fruit into uniform pieces - Evenly sized cubes of watermelon, mango, and strawberries give the trifle a clean, professional layered look.
-
- Dry fruit thoroughly - Patting fruit dry with paper towels prevents extra moisture from seeping into the yogurt and granola.
-
- Toast coconut carefully - Coconut can burn quickly; watch it closely and stir halfway through to ensure even browning.
-
- Add granola at the last minute - To maintain its crunch, layer the granola just before serving or sprinkle it on top of individual portions.
-
- Press watermelon wedges against the glass - This not only creates a stunning presentation but also helps keep layers in place.
-
- Use a clear glass bowl - A trifle is all about visual appeal, so choose a clear trifle bowl or punch bowl to showcase the colorful layers.
-
- Customize flavors - Switch up the yogurt flavor, use seasonal fruits, or swap candied citrus peel for fresh zest or berries for a different twist
Fouzia Husainy
Such a cooling healthy breakfast especially in summer. I would have it as a dessert too after dinner.
Colleen
Such a fun and delicious idea! This breakfast trifle will be a huge hit for our next family gathering.
nancy
this is the perfect refreshing snack! I little of everything and I love watermelons without seeds... too much hassle to pick it up for the kids!
Sheoby
I love it! This recipe makes me hold onto summer just a little bit longer. Kiddos are watermelon fiends lol
Bernice
What a great summer breakfast/dessert option. I would eat it for both! I prefer my watermelon with seeds as I find it has more flavour but it is so difficult to find!