A classic Italian combination, this Melon Prosciutto Salad with Arugula is an amazingly delicious summer dish! Sweet and juicy ripe cantaloupe, wrapped in salty prosciutto and served with fresh mozzarella and a drizzle of balsamic glaze, it's perfect for parties or just a simple side dish at home. Beautifully stunning and ready in just 15 minutes.
I've been getting a few successful crops of cantaloupe to grow in our garden, and this is by far my favorite way to eat it! Now there's the melon that you can get all year at the grocery store, and then there's the good melon. This recipe definitely deserves the good stuff! The sweet and salty combination is a refreshing taste of summer!
Try these other favorite summer dishes, best eaten outside on the patio!
- Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad with Chicken
- Bruschetta with Cherry Tomatoes
- Avocado Bean Dip
- Tomato Feta White Bean Salad
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cantaloupe Melon - A good summer cantaloupe will make or break this recipe! Press the melon on the end where it was attached to the stem with your thumb. If it's soft, it's ripe and ready to eat! If you have a cantaloupe that's too hard, it can sit on the counter a day or two to ripen. You could also use honeydew (green) or any type of melon you like, as long as it's ripe and in season. This is a seasonal summer dish, best to buy melon at the farmer's market or local co-op. Winter grocery store melon is not going to be very good!
- Prosciutto - I have found the best luck buying prosciutto is from the deli counter. Ask them to slice it very thin and not put paper between each slice. Prosciutto is expensive per pound, but you only need 4 or 5 slices for this recipe and you don't want to be paying for paper! This salad is all about the sweet melon wrapped in that salty prosciutto, the perfect combination!
- Arugula or Mixed Lettuce Greens - You can really use any salad greens for this recipe, but a bit of sharp arugula gives a nice peppery flavor to balance the sweet.
- Fresh Mozzarella Pearls - A few mozzarella pearls bring a creamy element to the salad. You could also use a regular ball of fresh mozzarella and slice or chop it, but the pearls are really easy and beautiful. A few shavings of Parmesan would work as a substitute.
- Basil - This Italian inspired dish is finished with basil, the bright summer essential herb! The basil brings loads of sweet flavor, balances the arugula, and in the summer, I like to think it goes with everything!
- Balsamic Glaze - Balsamic glaze is just balsamic vinegar reduced to a syrup, drizzle-able consistency that is absolutely delicious! You could substitute a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, but the glaze is really a handy ingredient to keep in the fridge!
Instructions
This salad is easy to make up in just 15 minutes. It looks elegant and fancy, but really couldn't be easier!
Step 1 - Slice the melon.
Using a serrated bread knife, cut off each end, then run your knife from top to bottom, as close to the outside of the flesh as you can to remove the peel.
Use a portion scoop or a spoon to remove the seed cavities. You will need less than half a melon for this recipe.
Slice the melon in 1 inch strips from end to end.
Slice the long strips in half.
Step 2 - Wrap the melon in prosciutto. Cut the prosciutto slices into thirds, and wrap a piece around each melon slice. Prepare 12, which is 3 per person for 4 people.
Step 3 - Arrange the salad. Line a serving platter with arugula or salad greens. Lay the melon wrapped prosciutto seam side down. Add the mozzarella pearls and fresh basil leaves, chopped in they are large. Finally, drizzle with the balsamic glaze, just before serving.
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
Make Ahead - This melon and prosciutto salad can be made up at any time the day you are going to serve and kept wrapped in the fridge. Wait to add the balsamic glaze until just before serving. It's best if made the day of, although you could certainly cut the melon a day or two in advance so it's easy to assemble.
Storage - Leftover cantaloupe prosciutto salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Makes a great lunch!
What to Serve with Melon Prosciutto Salad
Prosciutto wrapped melon salad is extremely versatile. It's a healthy, well-rounded side dish, that looks beautifully elegant for entertaining, but is so fresh and simple it can be a side dish for weeknight dinners. It even makes a great lunch on it's own! Try serving it with these favorite summer main courses:
- Italian Sausage Gnocchi with Cherry Tomatoes
- Bacon Kale Spaghetti
- Ciabatta Steak Sandwiches with Balsamic Onions
- Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta
- Italian Subs with Giardiniera
It's also great for parties served as an appetizer. Add it to a grazing spread menu with another appetizer or two. Serve with small plates, forks, and a glass of wine!
- Bruschetta with Cherry Tomatoes
- Raisin Pine Nut Goat Cheese Appetizer
- Parmesan Herb Veggie Dip
- Peach Prosciutto Caprese Skewers
- Roasted Carrot Hummus
Yes! You can eat prosciutto "raw" straight from the package or sliced from the deli because it is not really raw, but salt-cured.
Top Tip
Melon Prosciutto Salad can be made in any quantity to serve any amount of people. I use 3 wrapped melon per person. This same recipe could also be skewered! A prosciutto wrapped melon, a basil or arugula leaf, a mozzarella pearl and a drizzle of balsamic glaze, served on a stick as a hand-help party appetizer.
If you Love Prosciutto, try these other favorites!
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Melon Prosciutto Salad with Arugula
Ingredients
- ½ cantaloupe melon
- 4 to 5 slices prosciutto
- 4 cups arugula or mixed lettuce greens
- ⅓ cup fresh mozzarella pearls
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- drizzle balsamic glaze
Instructions
- To cut the melon, use a serrated bread knife and cut off each end. Stand the melon on end and slice down as close to the outside of the flesh as you can to remove the peel. Cut the melon in half and scoop out the seeds with a portion scoop or spoon. Cut the melon in long slices from end to end, then cut these slices in half.
- Cut the prosciutto slices in thirds. Wrap each melon with a piece of prosciutto. This recipe using 12 melon pieces, 3 per person serving 4 people. This amount can easily be adjusted to fit any group.
- Arrange a platter with a bed of greens and add the prosciutto wrapped melon. Add the mozzarella pearls and garnish with fresh basil.
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze just before serving.
Notes
- This dish can be made ahead anytime on the day you plan to serve it. Keep it wrapped in the fridge and wait to drizzle with balsamic glaze until just before serving!
Kathryn says
This was the perfect side dish! I had a perfectly ripe melon which really made it delicious.