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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Published: Jun 16, 2022 · Modified: Oct 23, 2022 by Kelly Bloom · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Easy Minted Melon Salad

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    white ruffle edged salad bowl with melon salad with mint and silver fork and green napkin

    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.

    white ruffle edged salad bowl with melon salad with mint.

    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!

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • When is a cantaloupe ripe?
    • How to make this summer melon salad
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Top Tips
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
    • Connect with Smells Like Delish!
    • 📖 Recipe

    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.

    Clear glass bowl of cut melon, fresh mint sprigs, white mortar & pestle with seeds inside.

    Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Cut the melon and the mint

    1. 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!
    clear glass bowl with cubed cantaloupe & honeydew with green napkin nearby.
    1. Cut and cube both the cantaloupe and the honeydew melons. Chunks about 1 ½" is just about right.
    herb mincing scissors cutting fresh mint.
    1. 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

    clear bowl with cut melon cubes, minced mint, and seasonings.
    1. Add the mint to the salad.
    clear bowl with orange and green melon salad, salad spoon & fork with tossed dressing.
    1. 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!

    white ruffle edged salad bowl with melon salad with mint.

    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

    How long does this salad keep?

    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.

    Is this salad safe to leave out on a buffet table for extended time?

    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.

    Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love

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      Texas Cowboy Beans
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      Longhorns Salmon Recipe
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      Korean Chicken Skewers

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    📖 Recipe

    white ruffle edged salad bowl with melon salad with mint and silver fork and green napkin
    Print Recipe SaveSaved!
    5 from 2 votes

    Easy Minted Melon Salad

    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.
    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!
    Prep Time20 mins
    chilling1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 20 mins
    Course: Salads
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 86kcal
    Author: Kelly Bloom

    Equipment

    • 1 mincing scissors
    • 1 mortar & pestle
    • 1 melon baller

    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
    US Customary - Metric

    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

    Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 434mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 3721IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
    Keyword : cantaloupe salad, melon salad, summer melon, summer salad, when cantaloupe ripe

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    Author photo for Kelly Bloom

    Hi, I'm Kelly! and I have a love affair with herbs & spices! Here at Smells Like Delish, I'm all about creating food that has three aspects: flavor, aroma, and texture - to create satisfying fare!

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