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    Home » Side Dishes » Melon & Prosciutto Salad with Goat Cheese

    Published: Jun 16, 2020 · Modified: Jan 5, 2023 by Sara

    Melon & Prosciutto Salad with Goat Cheese

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    Melon and prosciutto salad is built on a flavor match made in heaven. You’ve probably had cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto and thought it refreshing and different. Here that combination is made into a salad, given a cheesy addition and topped with a special basil vinaigrette or a balsamic drizzle.

    melon and prosciutto salad in wood bowl

    Flavors that celebrate summer

    Whoever first came up with the combination of melon and prosciutto should win an award! It’s the kind of union that we look through our Flavor Bible and get ideas for.

    This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on an affiliate link and buy something, we may receive a very small commission.  It does NOT result in additional charges to you or cost you anything extra. Click here for our full privacy and disclosure policy. As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    If you don’t have a copy of the Flavor Bible you’ll want to order one now. It’s an amazing cross reference of thousands of flavors. Every one has list of other foods that pair well, and it’s a great resource to have in your kitchen.

    melon salad in bowl with another behind
    melon and prosciutto salad

    Can this salad be made in advance?

    We’re big fans of making anything ahead of time that we can. When it’s time for a dinner party we like to be with our guests – not in the kitchen. Even for a simple family dinner at home you’ll find us more often on the screened porch with a cocktail right before dinner, having already completed most of the cooking.

    In fact, we have an entire collection of make ahead holiday dishes that can prepared up to months. We really want to savor that time with the people we love.

    That being said, this Melon and Prosciutto Salad is a dish that’s best made freshly not long before you want to serve it. If you try to make it more than an hour or so ahead the melon will drain (weep) and the other ingredients will get soggy.

    To save time, though, here’s what can be done ahead: Crumble the goat cheese, chop the melon into bite sized pieces (or use a melon baller scoop) and cut up the prosciutto. You could also make the dressing and/or balsamic drizzle and have that ready to go.

    The one thing I would not prepare ahead is the basil. It is really best freshly chopped or sliced. (Order the herb scissors that we love right here.) For the salad, just leave your ingredients separate and then assemble right before serving.

    What type of melon is best for Melon and Prosciutto Salad?

    As mentioned before cantaloupe and prosciutto are a natural combination. We like honeydew melon in this salad as well. We find fresh, perfectly ripe honeydew to be much harder to come by. So, if you have some great – if not stick to the cantaloupe.

    While we do love watermelon, it doesn’t pair as well with the flavors here. If you’re looking for a watermelon salad we do have a recipe that you’ll love, so be sure to check that out.

    What about the cheese?

    The cheese you will find paired with melon and prosciutto most often is mozzarella. No doubt that’s a great combination, but we love to think outside the box and give you new ideas.

    So… our suggestion is goat cheese. You know we love it in salads and more. One of our readers’ favorites is Salad with Oranges, Marinated Asparagus and Goat Cheese, but you’ll also find goat cheese in the following recipe posts here on Biscuits & Burlap:

    • Tomato Goat Cheese Galette
    • Appetizers with Goat Cheese & Roasted Tomatoes
    • Board made with Local Cheeses
    • Goat Cheese with Honey Spread
    • Gourmet Grilled Cheese

    Special Tip:

    Put your roll of goat cheese in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before crumbling. It will be much easier to handle.

    To add greens or not?

    melon and prosciutto salad without greens
    melon and prosciutto salad

    It’s really up to you and may depend on what else is on your menu. If you want to put your melon salad on a bed a greens we highly recommend some baby arugula leaves. The peppery taste of the arugula just gives another layer of flavor that is divine.

    Any type of greens would be fine though. If you have romaine or bibb lettuce those would be excellent choices. And you can arrange it however you like – toss it all together with your dressing, arrange it all on a board with the dressings on the side, or even make individual servings.

    Two perfect toppings for Melon and Prosciutto Salad:

    Basil Vinaigrette

    We’ve included the recipe for our basil vinaigrette that was originally developed to go with our “Farmers Market Salad”. That salad has fresh peaches, blackberries and pecans.

    Balsamic Reduction

    melon and prosciutto salad with balsamic drizzle
    melon and prosciutto salad

    A bit of balsamic reduction drizzled over the Melon Salad is another fine option. If you have a good quality well-aged balsamic you won’t need to reduce it. Otherwise, just cook a few spoonfuls of balsamic vinegar over low to medium low heat until it reduces by about half and thickens.

    melon and prosciutto salad with balsamic drizzle

    Melon and Prosciutto Salad with Goat Cheese

    Sara
    A refreshing melon and prosciutto salad can be a main dish or a side. It's topped with a basil vinaigrette or a balsamic drizzle.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Ingredients
      

    For the Salad

    • 1 small cantaloupe cut into bite sized pieces
    • 5-6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto cut into thin strips
    • 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
    • 1-2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
    • 5 ounces arugula or other greens
    • 3-4 Tablespoons balsamic reduction optional topping

    Basil Vinaigrette Dressing

    • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
    • ½ lemon, juiced
    • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    For the Salad

    • One hour or less before serving arrange or toss salad ingredients together.
    • Toss with dressing or serve dressing on the side.
    • Alternatively, salad can be dressed with 2-3 Tablespoons balsamic reduction.

    For the Dressing

    • Mix all ingredients together and shake in a jar or whisk until emulsified.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    horizontal shot of melon and prosciutto salad

    More Southern Recipes You’ll Want to Try:

    • Traditional Ambrosia Salad
    • Potato Gratin
    • Southern Style Tomato Gravy
    • Peach Crumble with Butter Pecan Topping
    • Spicy Southerner Sandwich with Fried Green Tomatoes, Pimento Cheese & Bourbon Bacon Jam
    • Clementine Salad with Strawberries & Tangy Vinaigrette

    If you make this or any of our recipes we’d love for you to leave us a comment and star rating. If you’re into sharing your creations, snap a photo and tag us when you post it to Facebook or Instagram.

    Categories: Lighten Up Tags: side dish, soups & salad

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cindy Weidinger says

      May 06, 2015 at 12:36 am

      Another fabulous recipe!

      Sent from my iPhone

      >

      Reply
      • Alene says

        June 19, 2020 at 5:43 pm

        What a good idea! It makes eating so much easier than struggling with a melon slice and cutting up the prosciutto! Maybe Father’s Day. It hits all my husband’s buttons. Thank you!

        Reply
        • Pam says

          June 22, 2020 at 8:49 am

          Hope he enjoyed it. Thanks, Alene!

          Reply
    2. Safira says

      June 16, 2020 at 8:58 am

      5 stars
      This is such a pretty salad. Love the colours. We made it with chicken and it was divine!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 16, 2020 at 9:04 am

        Thank you, Safira. Chicken sounds like a perfect addition.

        Reply
    3. Katherine says

      June 16, 2020 at 9:38 am

      5 stars
      Such a wonderfully simple salad, that packs in so much flavor!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 16, 2020 at 6:19 pm

        We appreciate that!

        Reply
    4. Ashley says

      June 16, 2020 at 9:45 am

      5 stars
      The salty-sweet combo is one of my favorites, and I love pairing it on a salad. This was incredible — definitely a summertime go to now!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 16, 2020 at 6:19 pm

        We love the combination too. Thanks Ashley!

        Reply
      • Pam says

        June 16, 2020 at 6:20 pm

        A favorite combination of ours too. Thanks, Ashley!

        Reply
    5. Kathryn Donangelo says

      June 16, 2020 at 9:52 am

      This salad is not only gorgeous, it’s so flavorful and perfect for summer. It’s light, refreshing, and easy to make! Beautiful photos!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 16, 2020 at 6:19 pm

        Thank you for your kind words.

        Reply
    6. SHANIKA says

      June 16, 2020 at 10:00 am

      5 stars
      Wow! What a flavorful salad and combo! I’m loving the addition of fresh prosciutto! YUM!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 16, 2020 at 6:18 pm

        Thanks so much!

        Reply

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