Melon Salad with Mojito Vinaigrette

I love the flavors of melon and I'll take whatever is fresh and ripe from the store all year long. Honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon... I do not discriminate! I'm also happy to marry sweet and savory flavors in my recipes, which is how this salad came together. It is the easiest side dish ever! This Melon Salad with Mojito Vinaigrette is done in no time, and chopping up the melon is the hardest part.

Ingredients and Preparation

When the cantaloupe are in season and so sweet, this a perfect dish to make to take advantage of it. If cantaloupe isn't available where you are, honeydew is a great substitute. From there, you need mozzarella balls (or diced up pieces), mint, limes, honey, and basics like salt, pepper, and olive oil. This mojito-inspired dressing is tart and fresh and walks that sweet and savory line. I think it is easiest to make the dressing in a tall container with my immersion blender, but a small food processor works well with this volume of dressing as well. Using a standard-sized food processor or blender will be tough, as there isn't enough volume here for the blades to catch.

Whichever tool you choose, add the mint leaves, lime juice and zest, salt, pepper, olive oil, and honey and blend it all up until emulsified and a lovely shade of green. Set the dressing aside and chop up that melon into bite-sized pieces. I like to halve the mozzarella balls, but you can tear them into manageable chunks too. Toss everything together and you are all set! This Melon Salad with Mojito Vinaigrette is ready to serve.

Serving Melon Salad with Mojito Vinaigrette

The melon is most flavorful at room temperature, so if you need to prepare this ahead of time and chill it, be sure to take it out and let warm up a bit before serving. I generally toss everything together right when I'm ready to serve it, so you can keep the dressing, melon, and cheese separate in the fridge if you need to make it ahead of time. Garnish with a bit of fresh mint for the color contrast and visual cue to your guests.

By the way, this dressing? It is great as a dip for grilled shrimp or as a marinade for chicken skewers or thighs.

Try it and share

I hope you try this Melon Salad with Mojito Vinaigrette! I want to see your results. Pin this recipe or tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.

Do you need to add a few more salad dressings to your arsenal? Avoid boring salad burnout by trying my Chicken and Cabbage Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette, Cilantro and Pepita Dressing, or Pomegranate and Red Pepper Dressing.

Recipe