This Melon Cucumber Salad incorporates two types of sweet melon, crisp cucumber, salty prosciutto, and a simple, light dressing. It’s such an easy, delicious, healthy recipe for summer and pairs well with so many grilled meats.
Other Cucumber Salads we love are this Cucumber Tomato Salad and Creamy Cucumber Salad.
Cantaloupe and I were never besties growing up, but I’ve really warmed up to it. What’s even more surprising is that my young daughter loves it. So I highly covet ripe ones at the grocery store and serve it at breakfast time or use it in recipes like this Melon Cucumber Salad. It’s super delicious.
Ingredients for Melon Cucumber Salad
- Honeydew melon
- Cantaloupe melon
- Cucumber
- Prosciutto
- Fresh basil
- Olive oil and White Balsamic Vinegar
- Salt, Pepper, and Cracked red pepper flakes
How to pick the perfect melon
Picking the perfect melon can be a little frustrating. It’s not like berries where you can immediately see mold or defects, or an apricot where you can immediately feel whether it’s underripe or too ripe. Use these 5 simple tips to guide you!
- Take a good look at the melon – choose a melon that doesn’t have any bruising, cracks, or moldy spots.
- Check the color – honeydew should be a pale yellow, with a dull looking appearance (a shiny exterior usually means it’s not ripe.) With cantaloupe, the rind underneath the net-like exterior should be golden or orange. (Avoid cantaloupe that have a green or white hue.)
- Check the weight – no matter if it’s small or large, the melon should feel heavy for its size.
- Give it a thump! – tap the melon with the palm of your hand. It should sound somewhat hollow, which indicates it’s ripe and full of wonderful juice
- Smell it! – for honeydew and cantaloupe, press your fingers on the round section where the vine was attached. It should be slightly soft and smell fresh and subtly sweet.
Recipe Variations
- I love the combination of honeydew and cantaloupe in this salad, but you can use just one melon and double the amount.
- Replace the prosciutto with coppa or salami, or simply omit it if you want a vegetarian salad.
- Swap out the basil for mint, for a slightly different flavor.
- If you’re serving this salad to guests and want it to look more fancy, you can make melon balls (using a melon baller), instead of cubing the fruit like I did.
Is this Salad Healthy?
Yes! Melons and cucumber are loaded with nutrients that are vital to bone health, help reduce blood sugar, good for your skin and immune system, promote proper digestion, and are high in electrolytes and water.
Melons are 90% water and cucumbers are 96% water. Eating water-rich fruit can help you towards that 2-liter suggested water goal per day!
With bursts of sweetness from the melons, crispness from the cucumber, and saltiness from the prosciutto, the flavors and textures of this salad are so well balanced. Plus, this salad is so cool and refreshing on a hot day and ready in only 15 minutes!
Other summer salads to try!
Watch the video for Melon Cucumber Salad
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Melon Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced honeydew
- 1 cup diced cantaloupe
- 1/3 cup diced cucumber
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- 2 ounces prosciutto , rolled and sliced chiffonade or diced
- Salt and Pepper ,to taste
- pinch Cracked red pepper flakes
- Olive oil , for finishing
Instructions
- Mix everything in a bowl; let stand 30 minutes, if possible.
- Divide onto plates and drizzle with a touch of olive oil.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Other Notes
