Cucumber Melon Salad with Fresh Mozzarella and Fig Vinaigrette

Summer nights are meant for al fresco meals. This cucumber melon salad can offer a refreshing, satisfying end to your day. With crisp, cool cucumber, summer sweet cantaloupe, mozzarella and a sprinkling of pesto, its a delicious way to beat the heat.

Cucumber and melon are two of my favorite summer staples. Why? Because I can enjoy cucumber in salads, smoothies, a crudite or simply alone. And cantaloupe in particular has a mild, refreshing sweetness that is perfect for any time I need a little something cooling to eat (and it’s an ingredient you can incorporate into smoothies, too). They’re great alone and amazing together! And when you dress ’em up in a salad like this, you’ve got one dynamic combo!

A Versatile Salad for a Versatile Meal

A melon salad doesn’t have to be simply sweet, it can have a bit of savory, too. This one is simple to make and honestly can be versatile with a change-up in cheese (try feta) and nut/seed combo (lightly salted pumpkin or sunflower seeds can be fun). Make your own homemade vegan pesto — it has few ingredients; and you can make it in a cinch. Or swap out the pesto for fresh chopped basil. As far as the dressing, anything with a bit of tang will do. But this Fig & Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is pretty darn good.

Serve it up with crunchy croutons or lightly grilled toast and enjoy it with your protein of choice. Seared Ahi would be a delightful, but a simple hard boiled egg will do, too!

Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

Cucumber Melon Salad with Fresh Mozzarella and Fig Vinaigrette

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• 1 medium cucumber sliced
• 2 cups of cantaloupe chopped
• 4 oz of fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
• 1/4 cup fennel finely chopped
• 2 Tablepspoons of mixed nuts I used almonds, walnuts and cashews
• 1 Tablespoon of pesto

For the dressing:

• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• Sea Salt to taste
• 1 Tablespoon aged Fig Balsamic
• 1/2 teaspoon honey

Instructions

 

• Layer melon and cucumber onto a serving platter.
• Top with an even distribution of cheese and fennel.
• Sprinkle on nuts.
• Add bits of pesto throughout.
• Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking the oil, balsamic, seasalt and honey.
• Serve dressing on side to add as desired.

Notes

*If you don’t have Fig Balsamic Vinegar: In a high speed blender add combine 2 dried figs with ⅓ - ½ cup balsamic vinegar and puree until smooth. Or simply use Balsamic and add chopped figs to the salad.