When the temperatures spike, it's time to break out the fruity, summery salads. This fruit-forward cantaloupe salad is one of the very best. With roasted brussels sprouts, fresh cantaloupe, nectarines, Moon Drop grapes, and sweet corn, it includes all the best flavors of summer in one bowl. The lemony chive dressing gives it a bright, fresh note that keeps it from being too sweet, and the roasted veggies soak it all up. Pure summer salad perfection.
Why you’ll love this Summer Salad with Cantaloupe
- Packed with fresh summer fruit and veggies
- Naturally sweet and tart from all the fruits and melon
- Light and refreshing yet filling enough to keep you going for a while
- Gorgeous presentation with stunning jewel-toned colors
- Perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors
Ingredients for Cantaloupe Nectarine Salad
Some of the flavors below may seem like they don't work together, but trust me, they do. You get lots of different textures, every type of flavor, and all without the salad tasting overly sweet. It's a fruit salad for the savory lovers in the crowd who love balancing sweet with savory.
- Raw veggies - Stick with tart cherry tomatoes and fresh Persian cucumber for a nice bite.
- Frozen peas - Frozen peas taste just as good as fresh shelling peas and are way easier. I love how they add a nice cool, sweetness.
- Frozen corn - For that classic height-of-summer flavor. Sweet corn balances out the fruit flavors really well.
- Fruit - This simple salad has lots of fruit, including fresh cantaloupe, nectarines, and Moon Drop grapes. Each one adds color, natural sweetness, and so much flavor.
- Roasted veggies - Roasted Brussels sprouts and yellow bell peppers offer a heartiness that balances the whole dish.
- Fresh mint leaves - For a cool, refreshing note.
- Lemon and Chive Dressing - This is a super simple dressing packed with fresh flavors. You just need some extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, chives, salt and pepper.
How to Make Savory Cantaloupe Salad
There are a few steps here, including roasting the sprouts and peppers, making the dressing, and assembling all the fresh ingredients. Fortunately, you can take care of pretty much everything while the sprouts roast away. Garnish with mint for a nice freshness and savor under the warm summer sun.
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Toss Brussels and bell pepper in oil and lay on a sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes turning once halfway. When ready, let cool, then chop bell pepper into bite sized pieces.
- In a large bowl mix the dressing. Add olive oil, lemon, chives, salt and pepper and mix well. You will prep the rest of the fruits and vegetables, the tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, melon, nectarines, corn and peas and place them into this bowl, mixing as you go along and coating each ingredient with the dressing.
- Add the Brussels sprouts and bell peppers into the tossed fruit and vegetable salad. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust to your liking.
- Garnish with the mint.
Storing Suggestions
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Serve cold from the fridge or at room temperature.
Tips for Making the Best Cantaloupe Salad
- Make it ahead of time. This salad is even better after it has a couple of hours to meld the flavors. The sweetness of the fruits goes so well with the tartness of the dressing.
- Use the freshest fruit. To get the best flavor, we want fruits at the height of freshness.
FAQs
This recipe is intended to be enjoyed as a light, refreshing side dish with your summer veggie burgers, skewers, and more. It's an easy way to load up on fruits and veggies and has a crowd-pleasing flavor fit for even those special occasions.
Yes, you can certainly substitute with other summer fruits. Instead of Moon Drop grapes, try using sweet red, green, or black grapes (seedless is best). Cantaloupe has a lovely brightness, but you can also try using sugar-sweet honeydew or watermelon. Nectarines are easily substituted with peaches, although pluots or apricots can be nice, too. Focus on whatever is the freshest, and feel free to trust your palate to combine the right ingredients.
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Summer Nectarine Cantaloupe Salad with Corn
Ingredients
For Dressing:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large lemon squeezed
- 3 tbsp chives chopped
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
For Roasted Veg Brussels
- 2 cups brussels sprouts halved
- 1 yellow bell pepper halved and deseeded
- ½ tsp olive oil
- Pinch salt
For Salad:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 4 Persian cucumber cut in rounds
- 1 cup Moon Drop grapes halved
- 2 nectarines chopped
- ½ cup frozen peas defrosted
- ½ cup frozen corn defrosted
- 2 cups ripe cantaloupe cubed
- 5 leaves mint chiffonade into thin strips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Toss Brussels and bell pepper in oil and lay on a sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes turning once halfway. When ready, let cool, then chop bell pepper into bite sized pieces.
- In a large bowl mix the dressing. Add olive oil, lemon, chives, salt and pepper and mix well. You will prep the rest of the fruits and vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, melon, nectarines, corn and peas) and place them into this bowl, mixing as you go along and coating each ingredient with the dressing.
- Add the Brussels sprouts and bell peppers into the tossed fruit and vegetable salad.
- Taste for salt and pepper and adjust to your liking.
- Garnish with the mint.
