A grilled cantaloupe salad is the prefect summer salad. Ready in less than 30 minutes and it only takes a couple of turns on the grill. Topped with goat cheese, walnuts and prosciutto it makes a wonderfully flavorful salad that is sure to impress.
This was one of the few recipes that really changed my mind about cantaloupe. By grilling it you get a nice sweet and smokey flavor that makes the perfect basis for a salad. I also love how easy it is to make and it is perfect for entertaining. If your family and friends are anything like mine then you will watch this salad disappear right before your eyes.Â
In this recipe
If there is one thing I love it is a simple recipe. This one is no different. There aren’t many ingredients and all of them get their chance to shine in this recipe.
Cantaloupe: this is the start of the show. You will want a small cantaloupe as they are sweeter and more flavorful.Â
Goat cheese: this sharp cheese is perfect for this salad but you can substitute it with crumbled feta.Â
Prosciutto:Â is a salty dry cured pork that will compliment cantaloupe perfectly as they are often served together as an appetizer.Â
Choosing a good cantaloupe
The first thing that you want to do is find one that is heavy for it’s size. Then you will want to make sure that the rind has a rough texture. It should look and feel like a net over the whole melon. If it is smooth then you will want to put it back because it isn’t ready. From there you want to smell it. Like a pineapple it should smell sweet and a little musky. Also if you press in on that little button on top it should spring back after being depressed but it shouldn’t be hard.Â
Grill it up
Once this grill is nice and hot you will want to spray or brush the grill with oil. This will help keep the melon from sticking. You will want to keep the slices of melon nice and thick. By doing this you will be able to turn them easily on the grill. If they are too thin the slices are liable to fall apart during the grilling. Just slice them more thinly after cooking.Â
Cantaloupe salad for the win
Once the cantaloupe is ready all you need to do is assemble. I like to give the melon just a little but of time to cool down. This will help keep the arugula from wilting as well as the goat cheese from melting and turning it into a sauce. Once it is cool enough to handle place them on a bed of arugula and sprinkle on the goat cheese, prosciutto, and walnuts. Drizzle on the vinaigrette, you might not use all of it and that is ok. If you want to be able to toss the salad then you can chop up the cantaloupe into smaller bits.Â
Looking for other salad recipes?
Grilled Cantaloupe Salad with Prosciutto
Equipment
- Grill
- Mason jar
Ingredients
Cantaloupe Salad
- 1 cantaloupe small, cut in half, seeds removed
- 4 cups arugula
- 8 ounces prosciutto torn into small pieces
- 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
- 2 tablespoons walnuts chopped
Vinaigrette Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the grill and brush or spray with oil to prevent sticking.
- While the grill is heating remove the seeds and skin and slice into 8 wedges. Place on the grill and cook for 3 minutes per side or until grill marks form.
- While the cantaloupe is cooking combine all of the vinaigrette dressing ingredients in the mason jar, cover and shake until mixed well.
- Once the cantaloupe is ready slice the wedges in half to make them thinner, lay them on the bed of arugula and top with the torn prosciutto, crumbled goat cheese, and walnuts. Drizzle with the vinaigrette.
Nutrition
