Melon and Prosciutto Salad

Delicious salty meat, juicy melon, crumbly cheese, smoky nuts and fresh herbs. That basically sums up the ingredients list of this Melon & Prosciutto Salad, and if that doesn’t convince you that you NEED to make it right now I don’t know what will! Melon wrapped in prosciutto is a classic summer appetizer, and this salad takes that combo and runs with it.

The grocery list.

• Extra virgin olive oil – The base of the salad’s dressing.
• Lemon juice – Lemony melon (try saying that five times fast) tastes so summery and fresh! 
• Honey – Adds an extra bit of sweetness! 
• Dijon Mustard – Balances out the flavors of this salad so it’s not too sweet with all the melon plus the little bit of honey in the dressing. 
• Kosher salt – Salt and pepper to taste.
• Pepper
• Cantaloupe – Two kinds of melon in this salad because both taste delicious and it was too hard to pick one! 
• Honeydew – You can cube or ball your melon. I chose to use cubed melon. 
• Feta – A topping that complements the fatty prosciutto really well.
• Prosciutto – The main ingredient! Without it, this would just be a fruit salad. 
• Smoked almonds – I used smoked almonds rather than raw because they have such a strong flavor that adds a lot to salads. 
• Fresh basil – Basil is difficult to grow, but you can usually find good quality fresh basil at the grocery store. 

The preparation.

To make the dressing, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, dijon mustard and a pinch or two of salt and pepper, to taste, in a large bowl. Add the cantaloupe and honeydew melon to the bowl. Toss to coat.

Top the dressed melon with the feta, prosciutto, smoked almonds and basil. You add these ingredients as toppings so the dressing doesn’t make them soggy. 

Chill your salad until you’re ready to serve it. 

Perfect for summer.

This side salad is perfect for summer BBQs or easy weeknight dinners. It is full of flavor and easy to make. After long days of work and summer activities, all we want it something easy. Less time in the kitchen cooking means more time enjoying the long summer nights outside with the family. If you need a killer dish to bring to a summer BBQ, this is the dish people are bound to be talking about around the campfire.

Soft and sweet melon balls or cubes combined with salty meat and cheese and crunchy smoked almonds, the complexity of these flavors are both subtle and bold. How is that possible? The balance here is is what makes this a winning dish!

Looking for more summer salad recipes?

Here are a few to try:

Cherry & Cherry Tomato Caprese

Smoked Summer Sausage Pasta Salad

Simple Side Salad with Lemon-Maple Vinaigrette

Lastly, if you make this Melon & Prosciutto Salad recipe, be sure to leave a comment! Above all, I love to hear from ya’ll and do my best to respond to every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of your dayyyummm good recreations is my favorite!

This post contains affiliate links that will not change your price but will share some commission.