Do you ever think about what you would make if a famous person you admire came over for a meal? Sometimes this is how a recipe comes about, and this one was inspired by what I would make if Erykah Badu came to my house for brunch. If she ever comes knocking at my door, I hope it's during watermelon season because I would make this salad for her, and I genuinely believe she would love it!
This recipe also calls for a teaspoon of 100% fruit berry jam, and this is a great way to draw out the sweetness in the melon. I suggest staying away from jams or jellies with added sugar; that will make this too sweet. If you don't have any 100% jam available, a better substitute would be honey or pure maple syrup.
This Sweet & Sour Melon Salad reminds me of a bowl of sweet & sour candies. The tartness of the lime juice, paired with the crispy apples, compliments the melon in a way that makes your mouth water. Then you add the goji berries, and WHOA!
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Ingredients
- Lime, zest & juice
- Salt
- 100% fruit jam (any berry type)
- Crushed pineapple
- Seedless watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Honeycrisp apples
- Pecans, chopped
- Goji berries
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Whisk first four ingredients in large bowl to make the dressing.
- Add remaining ingredients. Toss and let chill for at least one hour in the refrigerator before serving.
- Optional: Serve as is or with a dollop of Greek yogurt or coconut cream.
Substitutions
- Lime - use lemon juice and zest if you don't have any limes on hand.
- Honeycrisp apples - use any kind of apples here, granny smith apples are a great substitute to add even more sour flavor.
- Melon - use any melon combination, you can easily turn this into a cantaloupe salad by subbing out the watermelon for more cantaloupe. Or turn it into a watermelon salad recipe by sub out the cantaloupe with more watermelon. You can also sub out honeydew melon for different ways to make this recipe. Any type of ripe melons will work well with this sweet melon recipe.
Variations
- Spicy - yes, spice! Adding chili and salt to melon is very normal in our household. So if you are looking for that picante hit, add 2 teaspoons of your favorite chili power to the dressing. Or sprinkle Tajin on your bowl of sweet fruit.
- Deluxe - when you want to give this salad a gold star you can upgrade it by simply taking the time to use a melon baller and make melon balls with the cantaloupe and watermelon. Serve the Sweet & Sour Melon Salad topped with some plain or vanilla Greek yogurt or coconut cream for a bit of decadence and a sprinkle of chiffonade fresh mint.
- Kid friendly - if you kid loves melon they will be down to eat this fruit salad on those hot summer days.
Equipment
- Large serving bowl or salad bowl
- Large spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
Storage
Store this summer salad in an airtight container or medium bowl with a lid for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, but this recipe is best when eaten within 48 hours.
Top tip
If you can't find any juicy limes or lemons, here is the best way to make them as juicy as possible. Take the lime or lemon and place it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then roll it a few times on the countertop with your hands pressing down. These two steps will give you maximum juice from the citrus fruit.
FAQ
There are so many ways to use melon that go way beyond a salad. Check out this post from Food & Wine magazine for more ideas. https://www.foodandwine.com/fruits/melon/cantaloupe/9-ways-use-melon
Cantaloupe is a variety of melon and a member of the Cucumis melon family.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Sweet & Sour Melon Salad
Equipment
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 large spoon
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 lime zest & juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon 100% fruit jam any berry type
- 1 12 oz can of crushed pineapple
- 1 small seedless watermelon
- 1 small cantaloupe
- 2 Honeycrisp apples
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- ½ cup goji berries
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the lime zest and lime juice and the salt and jam. Whisk until combined. Add the canned pineapple and mix it into the lime juice mixture. Set aside.
- Carefully remove the watermelon rind and cut the watermelon into small diced pieces, and add to the mixing bowl. Slice the cantaloupe in half and remove the seeds, and rind. Cut the cantaloupe into equally sized pieces. Add to the bowl.
- Cut around the core of the apple and discard. Cut the apples into equally sized pieces. Add to the bowl.
- Chop the pecans and add them to the melon along with the goji berries.
- Toss until well combined. Refrigerate the salad for at least one hour, ideally four hours before serving.
- You can serve the Sweet & Sour Melon Salad alone or top with some plain or vanilla Greek yogurt or coconut cream for a bit of decadence.
Video
Food safety
We sometimes take for a granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience, that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.
- Clean fruits and vegetables prior to cutting or eating them.
- Dry with with a clean towel before using or storing.
- Some vegetables and fruits should be stored and then washed right before use.
- Cut away any damaged or bruised pieces and discard.
- Do not store or keep fresh fruits and vegetables near raw meat.
- Refrigerate fresh fruits and vegetables within 2 hours after cooking, peeling or cutting them, one hour if it's in an area above 90˚F.
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