Name: Honey-Lime Cucumber and Melon
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 7
Ingredients: 1/2 cantaloupe, cut into 1-inch pieces or balled with a melon scoop; 1 English cucumber, cut into half moons; 2 Tbsp lime juice; 2 Tbsp honey; 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Jump to Recipe

A summer meal is made complete with this Honey-Lime Cucumber and Melon recipe. Fresh ingredients combine with a tangy 2-ingredient dressing and finished with fresh mint! This simple, easy salad is a great addition to your next meal.

WHAT’S NEW?

And, they’re off! Day 1 of school was a success and per usual, I got a very generic response to all of my questions on the happenings of the day. The school is doing me a solid for another year in keeping the girls’ specials on the same day of the week — gym shoes on gym days, not-nice clothes on art day. In another few months, maybe I’ll actually remember the days of the specials but no guarantees.

We’re looking forward to a holiday weekend ahead and doing all the summer things. The weather is looking to be fabulous! Beach, pool, boat, let’s go! We’ll welcome a few more visitors and enjoy to the max. If you’re whipping up food for a crowd or looking for something healthy to serve up, do consider this incredibly easy cucumber and melon salad recipe. So easy, so good, so good for you!

ROLL CALL FOR THIS RECIPE

Melon Lovers: I got on a kick of buying melons this season (which is May through September, however melons are available year-round) and we’ve enjoyed ripe melon to the max. Combining the melon with crunchy cucumbers was a new-found way to enjoy fresh produce, especially on a hot summer day!
Gardeners: If your cucumbers are going gangbusters, look to this savory-sweet combo of flavors that enhance those cukes in a new and unique way. You won’t be disappointed!
For a Crowd: Presented in a large bowl, this salad is not only a kid-friendly, healthy offering that is best consumed within a few days, it has a beautiful presentation and is gluten-free, dairy-free, and easily made vegan.

KEY INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Cantaloupe: While the color contrast of orange melon and green cucumber is beautiful and fun, sweet watermelon, papaya, or mango would be equally stunning. Fruit salads have endless combinations! Honeydew melon would make for a fun summer salad with the shades of green. Half of a cantaloupe will yield about 3 to 3 1/2 cups of cubed or balled melon.
Cucumber: I prefer English cucumbers (or several Persian cucumbers) as they tend to be the crisp cucumber varieties that hold up better in salads. If you use a regular cucumber, you may wish to remove some of the seeds from the center by scraping out with a spoon after slicing in half length-wise.
Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice is much preferred to a lime juice concentrate. You may need a bit of additional honey (or slightly less lime juice) if using concentrate as it tends to be a bit more tart and tangy than fresh. Lemon juice is a good substitution for lime juice.
Honey: To make this recipe vegan, use a pure maple syrup of agave. The honey in this honey lime dressing is preference only.
Mint: The fragrant, fresh offering of fresh mint in this recipe is truly what makes the recipe. Be sure to include a spring or two of mint leaves when serving. That said, some people don’t like mint and that’s OK! You may absolutely omit the mint or replace with other fresh herbs, such as chopped parsley.

VARIATIONS, STORAGE, and TIPS

A wonderful addition to this cucumber melon salad would be salty feta cheese – a contrasting flavor that pairs well with the sweet melon, especially if using fresh watermelon!
This recipe is best consumed within 3 days. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and strain off any excess liquid (honey-lime dressing and accumulated juices from the fresh melon and cucumber) from the bottom after 1-2 days to keep the salad from getting soggy.
You can cut the melon however you prefer into bite-sized pieces. I find a melon baller to be a fun shape and enhance the salad.

FAQ

How do you know when a cantaloupe is ripe?

You want to choose a melon that is firm all-around, uniform in color and texture, without any soft spots that would indicate it is over-ripe. Melons are generally best tasting after ripening on the counter for 2-3 days after purchasing. Slice and serve when the end of the melon that was attached to the plant has a mild, sweet smell to it.

What’s the easiest way to cut a cantaloupe?

I recommend slicing it in half and using a large spoon to scoop out the spongy inside that is full of seeds. From there, using a melon baller is often the easiest. Otherwise, cut each half into two larger wedge and each of those wedges into 3 pieces for a total of 12 wedges per melon. Use a smaller knife, if easier, to cut the orange melon from the green rind and then cut into 1-inch pieces. If you have excellent knife skills, you can cut off the stub of the melon, creating a flat surface to “stand” the melon up. You can then remove the skin, cut the melon in half, remove the seeds and slice.

NUTRITIONAL MERITS

Both a fruit and a veggie – bright flavor and big health!
Cantaloupe is rich in potassium which is helpful with many things, including blood pressure control.
This recipe is allergen-friendly: NO dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, dish, shellfish, or sesame and contains ONLY whole foods.
Easily made vegan – swap maple syrup for honey