Summertime is the perfect time to enjoy refreshing salads. This melon salad is light and satisfying, making it perfect for a hot day. The sweetness of the honeydew & cantaloupe pairs perfectly with the minty cardamom dressing.
Why you will love this recipe
It's that time of year again when the sweet, juicy cantaloupes start showing up in grocery stores. This melon salad is a great way to use them up, and it's healthy too!
Plus, this summer melon salad is easy to make and requires minimal ingredients. Whether you’re looking for a quick and simple lunch or a delicious side dish for your next barbecue, this easy melon salad is sure to please!
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Ingredients
- cantaloupe melon, or other orange summer melon
- honeydew or sprite melon
- fresh mint leaves
- cardamom seeds
- sugar
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
When is a cantaloupe ripe?
This is a question that many ask. The answer, unfortunately, is not always simple. Generally speaking, honeydew and cantaloupe melons will be ripe when they are soft and yield to pressure, and have a sweet, fragrant aroma.
Gently push on the end of the melon opposite from the stem. If there is a slight give, the melon is probably ripe. And don't forget to sniff - a ripe cantaloupe should smell fragrant, almost perfumy.
How to make this summer melon salad
The recipe is simple: just chop up the melon and mix with some dressing. This melon salad recipe uses a fresh mint & cardamom dressing, but you can use whatever you like. Enjoy!
Purchase a fresh uncut cantaloupe and honeydew melon, fresh mint, sugar, and some green cardamom pods (or decorticated cardamom - meaning already removed from the papery pods). Don't use ground cardamom though.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Cut the melon and the mint
- Crush the cardamom seeds with the mortar & pestle. The aroma from freshly crushed cardamom seeds is SO much stronger than ground cardamom. Cardamom is so aromatic it's heady. You only need about ¼ teaspoon of seeds!
- Cut and cube both the cantaloupe and the honeydew melons. Chunks about 1 ½" is just about right.
- Snip your fresh mint leaves with the mincing scissors, so you have a chiffonade.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post
Prepare the dressing and toss the salad
- Add the mint to the salad.
- Toss with the sugar & cardamom.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Serving suggestions
This fresh melon salad is a perfect addition to a brunch or Holiday buffet. This melon salad is bursting with flavors and will be such a change of pace for your guests. Many will ask you what the flavors are, as they may not be familiar with cardamom.
This fresh summer melon salad is a great buffet dish to serve with our Fresh Vegetable Lumpia, or Traditional Lumpia also! You can also serve it with our Starbucks Blueberry Scones, Matcha Scones for a perfect Continental breakfast!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions
If your area doesn't have flavorful melons, you can also use a frozen melon blend. You can often find a melon medley or melon & fruit blend from the freezer case.
Variations
Instead of cubing the melon (which is fast and unfussy), consider using a melon baller to make perfect little melon balls for this salad. That just takes it up a notch!
Try this same recipe with watermelon and some basil leaves cut into a chiffonade also.
Equipment
- mortar & pestle for crushing cardamom seeds
- mincing scissors for herbs
- optional: melon baller
A small mortar & pestle is ideal to have on hand when using spices still in the seed form. The aroma is more powerful from freshly crushed cardamom seeds than the ground powder. That is because the essential oils in the seeds have not evaporated.
If you use a lot of fresh herbs, you will love the time these mincing scissors save. The multiple blades cut like regular scissors. They are SHARP. You can cut through 4 - 6 mint or basil leaves to make a chiffonade with just a couple of snips!
The melon baller is great to have when you want pretty balls of cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, and even cooked vegetables. You can even use it to measure out and help form meatballs!
All three are essential tools to have in your kitchen drawer.
Top Tips
- A super time saver is to buy the melon already cut up from the produce department at your grocery store.
- Check your melon for ripeness. You can let it sit out on a cool counter for an extra day or two to ripen more also.
Frequently asked questions
It holds up for several days covered in the refrigerator. The mint leaves will wilt after the first day, but you can always garnish with some fresh mint leaves.
Yes, this melon salad has no ingredients that can go off even in the heat if left out for guests during a picnic or outdoor barbecue event.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Minted Melon Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed cantaloupe melon
- 4 cups cubed honeydew melon
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds (or 4 - 5 pods, emptied)
- 8 fresh mint leaves cup in strips
Instructions
- Cut, peel, seed, and cube your melons into 1 - 1 ½" chunks, or purchase already chunked. Using the mortar & pestle, crush the cardamom seeds. Discard any papery green or white pod shells if you bought in the pod.4 cups cubed cantaloupe melon, 4 cups cubed honeydew melon, ¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds
- Toss together the cantaloupe, honeydew, sugar, minced mint leaves, and crushed cardamom seeds in a large bowl. Stir gently until melon is evenly coated.4 cups cubed cantaloupe melon, 4 cups cubed honeydew melon, 1 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds, 8 fresh mint leaves
- Cover with wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to let the cantaloupe release juice and blend with the cardamom dressing.
- Remove from refrigerator. Remove wrap, sprinkle on a little more minced mint and toss. Serve immediately.
Notes
- A super time saver is to buy the melon already cut up from the produce department at your grocery store.
- Check your melon for ripeness. You can let it sit out on a cool counter for an extra day or two to ripen more also.
Nutrition
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