20 Melon Recipes That Are So Refreshing

These melon recipes are a refreshing change from other fruits.

If you’ve ever been served a piddly fruit salad of unripe melons, you know melons get a bad rap.

Bite into one of these juicy melon recipes and you’ll agree melons should be the main ingredient. 

These melon recipes add a top-notch twist to all your favorite melons including watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe.

Plus, the flavor combinations are out of this world!

From prosciutto and cantaloupe to watermelon and cream cheese, you’ll find a recipe on this list that is sure to please.  

So grab your melon baller, because you’re going to need it. 

1. Prosciutto and Cantaloupe Pizza

Salty prosciutto and sweet cantaloupe are a match made in heaven! On your next pizza night, do yourself a favor and make this pie. 

Baked cantaloupe is the perfect touch to complement all the savory and creamy flavors.

Speaking of which, the creamy ricotta white sauce is simply divine!

2. Melon Prosciutto Skewers 

Take a hint from Caprese salads and make your own sweet and salty version with these skewers.

Ripe cantaloupe, fresh basil, mozzarella balls, and thin prosciutto slices make an enticing appetizer no one can resist. 

In true Caprese salad fashion, don’t forget to add a drizzle of balsamic glaze. 

3. Watermelon Lemonade 

Grab a giant pitcher because your family won’t want to miss this pink lemonade.

With five ingredients and 15 minutes, you can whip up a batch of this tangy, sweet drink. 

Garnish this lemonade with a sprig of mint and a mini slice of watermelon for the ultimate treat. 

4. Honeydew With Prosciutto, Olives & Mint

One taste of this recipe and you’ll never be able to serve a bowl of olives all by their lonesome again.

This recipe has it all. It’s salty, sweet, spicy, fresh, and so insanely appetizing. 

To make this, you’ll need pitted olives, prosciutto, honeydew, mint, and Calabrian chilies. If you can’t find Calabrian, serrano or Anaheim will do. 

5. Cantaloupe Cucumber Salad

This fruit salad is anything but boring. Crisp cucumbers and succulent cantaloupe balls come together for a refreshing dish. 

Of course, all that sweetness needs a bit of a salty, citrusy kick. So don’t skip out on the feta crumbles and lemon. 

It can be hard to get enough electrolytes in on a hot day. That’s why I keep this salad in my summer lunch arsenal. 

6. Melon and Feta Tetris Salad

The presentation of this salad is ridiculously alluring. 

As the name suggests, the arrangement of each colorful cubed ingredient looks like a game of Tetris. The taste is just as exciting too!

Cube watermelon, cucumbers, honeydew, cantaloupe, radishes, and feta into one-inch squares.

Then top with red onion, olives, and a honey-lemon vinaigrette. 

7. Blackberry Honeydew Basil Salad

Tart blackberries are the perfect addition to the sweet taste of honeydew. Add a few leaves of basil to really make this salad pop. 

While you could opt for a different dressing, I think the tangy poppyseed dressing is a perfect match.

8. Watermelon Basket 

Showcase your fruit salad in a dazzling display with this clever watermelon presentation. 

It may look like a lot of work, but it’s nothing a sharp knife can’t handle.

Once you carve your watermelon basket, use a melon baller to scoop out the flesh. 

Then load the basket up with strawberries, blueberries, mangoes, passion fruit, and those cute watermelon balls.

9. Melon Basil Burrata Salad with Crispy Prosciutto

If you’re still not convinced melons are amazing, I urge you to try this recipe. This picture-perfect salad is bursting with all the best ingredients. 

Grab a large bowl and load up with crispy prosciutto, chunks of fresh burrata, ripe cherry tomatoes, basil, toasted seeds, and melon.

You can mix and match the melon according to your mood. But I think cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew are a prizewinning pairing. 

And the fig dressing? Don’t even get me started!

10. Chilled Cantaloupe Soup

Come summer, I can’t stop lapping up this chilled soup. All the flavors are seriously refreshing and a wonderful treat on a hot day. 

What I love even more is you don’t even have to turn on an oven!

Simply blend cantaloupe, Greek yogurt, honey, lemon, white wine vinegar, and orange juice.  

Chill if you like or eat it immediately. I always find it hard to wait!

11. Watermelon Smoothie

Watermelon slices are a summertime favorite of mine that I could devour all day. 

That is until I tried this two-ingredient smoothie. Now, this is my new favorite way to get my watermelon fix in. 

All this smoothie requires is blending watermelon and limes. That’s it!

12. Honeydew Agua Fresca

Cool off this summer with a tall glass of honeydew agua fresca. 

Agua fresca is a popular Mexican drink made from fresh fruit, sugar, and citrus. While there are many variations, I like this one the best. 

This agua fresca uses honeydew, sugar, water, and ice. You can add more or less sugar to make it as sweet as you like. 

13. Pasta Sauce with Cantaloupe, Bacon and Parmigiano-Reggiano 

This may sound like an odd pairing, but trust me, it totally works!

Cantaloupe adds a touch of sweetness to the sauce that tastes better than sugar. Pair that with bacon in a creamy white wine sauce and you have a winner.

A bite of this dish will completely change your outlook on the possibilities of cantaloupe. 

14. Chilled Cucumber Melon Soup 

While I love summer cookouts, all the food can easily weigh you down. That’s why I turn to this chilled cucumber soup. 

Delicious and refreshing, chilled cucumber melon soup is an excellent meal when you want something healthy and light. 

Toss cucumber, jalapeno, cilantro, scallions, yogurt, ginger, and cantaloupe into a blender. Then pop this into the fridge until cold. 

You can serve this in a bowl or little glass cups for a delightful appetizer.

15. Cantaloupe Tea Loaf

This tea loaf is absolutely brilliant! Spiced cantaloupe transforms this loaf into a delectable treat. 

While it may sound difficult, this recipe is surprisingly easy. Simply mix all your ingredients, dump it into a loaf pan, and bake. 

This is a great use of ripe cantaloupe and an excellent recipe to freeze. 

That’s why I like to make two. One for now, another for later. 

16. Honeydew Melon Smoothie

Slurp on this smoothie and you’ll agree honeydew is highly underrated. 

It has a spiced and citrusy kick that is the perfect pick-me-up on a summer afternoon. Did I mention it also has a little dose of caffeine?

All you’ll have to do is blend honeydew, coconut milk, cinnamon, lime, and matcha, then serve. 

17. Cantaloupe Gazpacho with Basil and Blueberry

Gazpacho is a blended Andalusian soup full of veggies and served cold. 

This one-of-a-kind recipe gets a welcoming fruity twist by using cantaloupe, blueberries, shallots, cucumber, lime, and basil. 

While this isn’t your average gazpacho, it sure is tasty!

18. Watermelon Bites with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Love watermelon desserts? Then grab a plate my friend because you’ll need this recipe in your life. 

Cute towers of juicy watermelon and cream cheese frosting make the perfect bite. Add a drizzle of chocolate to make it even more heavenly. 

19. Pineapple Melon Fruit Salad

For the times you want a vibrant fruit salad, there’s this recipe. 

It calls for the foolproof melon trifecta: cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon. Add in some puckering pineapple chunks and a hint of lime to jazz it up a bit.

20. Watermelon Pizza 

Live life to its fullest and make watermelon pizza for dessert!

Watermelon slices serve as the crust while coconut yogurt, ripe berries, pomegranate seeds, and honey act as the toppings. 

Dessert aside, I think this will be a stellar treat for brunches, potlucks, snacks, and more.