Cantaloupe Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

Turn delicious melon into an epic recipe with a healthy and hydrating Cantaloupe Salad. While a good sweet cantaloupe doesn’t necessarily need enhancement, you can’t go wrong with these natural flavor pairings. This is a salad meant for sharing, so enjoy with friends on the patio or bring to a potluck or summer gathering. 

A plate of fresh melon is a frequent, and welcome, addition to our dinner table most summer nights. It’s such an effortless side dish or healthy dessert. When I want something just a little more impressive, or need more hydration after a long hike or afternoon in the garden, I reach for this recipe.

A fresh, summery cantaloupe salad is incredibly hydrating and a simple delight in 90°+ heat. Sweet cantaloupe is tossed with fresh herbs and crispy slivers of english cucumbers, then dotted with juicy raspberries for a sweet and sour finish. This salad doesn’t need a dressing, but a very light honey lemon vinaigrette takes it from delicious to epic. Enjoy this salad on the patio with a crisp glass of white wine and your favorite people.

How to Pick a Ripe Cantaloupe

• It will smell sweet; if the cantaloupe has no odor, it’s probably underripe so let it sit for a few more days.
• It will feel heavy for its size, as well as firm, but not hard.
• The skin/rind will be a creamy yellow color with no hints of green.

Cantaloupe Salad Recipe

A good cantaloupe doesn’t need much enhancement, if any, but crisp cucumbers, fresh herbs and raspberries are natural pairings that will really make the flavor sing. It’s a great twist on a traditional fruit salad and holds its own as a weeknight side dish, or for a potluck or summer gathering. Cantaloupe salad will keep well in the fridge for a few days, so don’t be intimidated by the servings yield – you’ll want to eat it for days.

1. Dice a cantaloupe into bite-sized pieces.
2. Combine with thinly sliced english cucumber, and julienned fresh mint and basil.
3. Make the honey lemon dressing, then pour over the salad and toss.
4. Garnish with fresh raspberries and serve. Reserve the raspberries for last so the delicate flesh doesn’t tear when tossing. 

Tips for Making This Recipe Perfectly

• Garnish with raspberries after tossing, just before you’re ready to eat – the fruit is so delicate that it tends to break apart when tossed.
• This salad is only as good as the ingredients, so be picky – if possible purchase the ingredients the day you plan to make the salad, but no more than 2 days ahead of time.
• Dice the melon into bite-sized pieces and the cucumber into thin slivers for best texture. A mandoline is handy tool for thinly sliced vegetables, but not necessary if you’re confident in your knife skills.
• Always use a sharp knife when slicing into a melon – a dull knife is more likely to slip and cause potential injury.
• To make this recipe vegan, use agave nectar in place of honey.

More Ways to Enjoy Melon Season!

• Melon Salad with Prosciutto
• Cantaloupe Smoothie
• Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Bites

Did you make this Cantaloupe Salad? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.

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Recipe

Cantaloupe Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

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Author: Danielle Esposti

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A good cantaloupe doesn't need much enhancement, if any, but crisp cucumbers, fresh herbs and raspberries are natural pairings that will really make the flavor sing. It's a great twist on a traditional fruit salad and holds its own as a weeknight side dish, or for a potluck or summer gathering. Cantaloupe salad will keep well in the fridge for a few days, so don't be intimidated by the servings yield – you'll want to eat it for days. 

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 15 mins

Servings : 8 ¾ cup servings

Calories: 85

Recommended Equipment

• Large Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 cantaloupe, diced
• ½ english cucumber, thinly sliced
• ¼ c loosely packed mint leaves, julienned
• ¼ c loosely packed basil leaves, julienned
• 1 pint raspberries

Honey Lemon Dressing

• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• sea salt, to taste

Instructions

• Combine the cantaloupe, cucumber, mint, and basil leaves in a large salad bowl.
• Whisk the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and honey until the honey is dissolved and the dressing is smooth.
• Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss until combined. Dot with fresh raspberries and serve. Alternatively, portion into bowls and then garnish with fresh raspberries.

Notes

• This salad is only as good as the ingredients, so be picky. A ripe cantaloupe will smell sweet, feel heavy for its size, and have a firm rind that is golden in color without a hint of green. 
• To make this recipe vegan, use agave nectar in place of honey. 
• Storage Instructions:  store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.  

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.75cup, Calories: 85kcal (4%), Carbohydrates: 13g (4%), Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 4g (6%), Saturated Fat: 1g (5%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 161mg (7%), Potassium: 264mg (8%), Fiber: 3g (12%), Sugar: 10g (11%), Vitamin A: 136% (136%), Vitamin C: 39% (39%), Calcium: 16% (16%), Iron: 1% (1%)

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