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 make this cantaloupe salad
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.
- Trim, de-seed, and dice a medium (roughly 3-lb) cantaloupe into bite sized pieces.
- Combine the cantaloupe with a thinly sliced english cucumber and julienned fresh mint and basil.
- Make the honey lemon dressing – whisk lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey, and a pinch of sea salt until smooth. Pour the dressing over the salad.
- Toss until the ingredients are evenly distributed and coated in the dressing.
- Garnish with fresh raspberries and serve. Reserve the raspberries for last so the delicate flesh doesn’t tear when tossing.
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.
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 easy and impressive summer salad recipes
- Stone Fruit Salad
- Melon Salad with Prosciutto
- Strawberry Cucumber Salad with Basil and Mint
- Tomato Salad with Bacon Dressing
- Grilled Corn Salad with Peppers and Basil
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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Cantaloupe Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing
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Ingredients
- 1 cantaloupe, diced
- 1/2 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.
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