This Mediterranean Cantaloupe Salad with olives and mint is a refreshing summer salad. It's sweet, salty and a little spicy, all in one bite! Quick and easy.
This summery Mediterranean Cantaloupe Salad combines sweet cantaloupe cubes with red onion, olives, parsley and mint. It's tossed with a spicy honey-lemon dressing. Sweet and salty!
I planned to make this Cantaloupe Arugula Salad with Poppyseed Dressing this week, but then switched gears and decided to keep it free of greens, just for a change.
With fresh melons available now, I made this gourmet melon salad instead, testing it to get it just the way we liked it. We've been eating it all week! It's absolutely delicious alongside chicken or fish dishes. This week we paired it with cod topped with chimichurri sauce.
Ready to make this sweet and savoury cantaloupe salad?
🛒 Ingredients
- cantaloupe: see my suggestions below for how to choose a ripe cantaloupe
- red onion: adds a tangy bite and gives a nice contrast to the sweet melon
- lemon juice: to soften the onion. The onion and lemon juice form the base for an oil-free dressing. Oil-based dressings may not adhere to melon if it is particularly juicy, so using lemon juice with onion and herbs makes a good alternative.
- parsley: fresh Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped
- mint: fresh mint leaves, finely chopped add a fresh, bright flavour
- olives: Kalamata or your favourite pitted Mediterranean olives
- honey: use a little or use a lot depending on the sweetness of your cantaloupe. For Keto diet, substitute Monkfruit sweetener with erythritol.
- paprika: adds a warm spicy flavour
- cayenne pepper: just a tiny amount to add that necessary bite!
- salt: use sparingly, as too much salt will cause the cantaloupe to release its liquid which will water down the dressing.
🔪 Instructions
Here's an overview of what you'll do. Complete instructions are in the recipe card below.
Make this melon salad all in one bowl!
- Begin by combining thinly sliced red onion with lemon juice. Let stand while you peel the cantaloupe, cut it in half, remove the seeds and cut into bite-sized chunks.
- Next, add the honey (or Monkfruit sweetener), paprika, cayenne pepper and salt to the bowl, stirring to combine.
- Add cantaloupe chunks, finely chopped olives, parsley and mint and toss well to combine.
- And finally, transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with all that beautiful extra parsley, mint and olives.
1. Combine red onion with lemon juice. 2. Add sweetener, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt to the bowl, stirring to combine. 3. Add cantaloupe chunks, finely chopped olives, parsley and mint and toss well to combine. 
4. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with extra parsley, mint and olives.
🔁 Possible Variations
Add feta cheese crumbles just before serving. If you'd like some crunchy texture, toss in a few walnut pieces or salted sunflower seeds.
🍽 What to serve with Mediterranean Cantaloupe Salad
This melon salad pairs well with any Mediterranean or Mexican dishes. Try it alongside Greek Lemon Chicken Kabobs, Crispy Fennel-Crusted Salmon, Pistachio-Crusted Salmon or Salt and Pepper Crusted Halibut.
Easy to make, it's a great accompaniment to quick-cooking dishes, like fish or chicken kabobs.
Storage instructions
This cantaloupe salad is best eaten on the day you make it, but if kept covered in the refrigerator, leftovers will be delicious for lunch the following day!
You may find that the melon has released liquid and watered down the dressing. You can simply drain it and add a little more dressing if you like.
👍🏼Tip: How to choose a ripe cantaloupe
Colour. The rind should be cream or yellow-coloured and the webbed pattern should be slightly raised. If it’s green and the webbing is flat, it’s not ripe. A little green is just fine.
Unlike other fruit, cantaloupe does not ripen after it has been picked from the vine. However, it will sweeten a little if you leave it on the counter at room temperature for a day or two.
The Belly Button. The stem end should be smooth, round and flat. If it still has a piece of stem attached, it was probably picked too early and will not ripen properly.
Smell. Have a quick sniff of the stem end. It should be fragrant and smell like cantaloupe, but not be overpowering.
Blemishes. Avoid those with bruises or mouldy spots.
Feel. It should feel firm but not too firm. Check the ends. It should have a little give, but not be mushy.
🗒 More healthy salad recipes
This recipe was inspired by Cantaloupe Salad with Olives and Red Onion in Cook's Illustrated, July & August 2020
📖 Recipe
Mediterranean Cantaloupe Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoon honey, or more, depending on the sweetness of your melon. For Keto diet, substitute Monkfruit sweetener with erythritol.
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 medium cantaloupe, peeled, halved, seeded and cubed (3 - 4 cups)
- 3 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped, divided
- 3 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, divided
- 3 tablespoon Kalamata olives, finely chopped, divided
Instructions
- Combine red onion and lemon juice in a large bowl. Let stand while you prepare the cantaloupe.
- Add honey, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt to the red onion mixture.
- Add cantaloupe cubes and 2 tablespoons of each of chopped parsley, mint and olives to the bowl.
- Toss to combine all ingredients.
- Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, mint and olives. Chill, then serve.
Debbie
Good recipe, I am enjoying this salad several days later. I see now that I used too much cayenne, no wonder it was overpowering the first day, haha! When I make this again, I will be more conservative with the onion - it's still too sharp for me after three days.
Eva
I thought this recipe looked interesting and a little different--and we LOVED it. Thanks for the tips for picking the best melon.
Elaine
Thanks Eva! You're welcome!
Jack
If you're going to adapt something from another source, you really should give them credit. Cook's Illustrated is a great place to get recipes!
Elaine
Hi Jack,
Yes, I totally agree! Perhaps you missed the part of my post where I credited Cook's Illustrated for this recipe. Thanks for bringing up this important point!
Paula
Love all the flavours in this salad! I used Sicilian green olives instead. Delicious!
Flavour & Savour
Great idea!