I’ve never been a huge fan of fruit salad. The thought of fruit salad usually conjures memories of plastic “peel top” cups, filled with limp, nutritionally deficient stone fruit and bits of anemic cherry. Often times the fresh stuff isn’t much better. The majority of fresh fruit salads I’ve encountered are a hodgepodge of unharmoniously thrown together fruit, without much consideration for taste or texture.
If I encounter a fruit salad with banana in it, I deeeeeefinitely pass. Banana can cover an otherwise perfectly fine combination of fruit with a slimy, sickeningly sweet, mucilage. It turns my stomach just thinking about it!
Conversely, I’m a huge fan of fruit combinations that are simple, where the characteristics of each fruit are discernible but accentuated by their partnership. Of course, it’s got to be beautiful. We all know the saying by now, “you eat with your eye’s first”. Lastly, a simplified prepping process is always appreciated.
This Blueberry-Melon Salad checks all of my boxes and is definitely one of my “go to” recipes. It’s especially amazing during the mid-late summer months when most of the ingredients are at peak season at the farmer’s market. The ingredients are so simple that they can be found throughout the year in many grocery stores and it still tastes pretty darn good.
I’ve been making and serving this salad for years, it’s been enjoyed by family, friends and clients alike. This salad is absolutely refreshing and delightful, it’s full of bright, vibrant color and it’s flavors are clean and fresh.
If you’re in the market for a dish that has the ability to brighten up a meal, I suggest you give this fruit salad a whirl.
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Blueberry-Melon Salad
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup of fresh blueberries
- 1medium cantaloupe, cut into bite sized chunks
- Lime zest from one lime
- Lime juice from half a lime
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 tablespoon sugar or sugar alterative (I often use monkfruit)
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse the blueberries in a colander and set aside to drain.
- Rinse the outside of the cantaloupe.
- Cut the cantaloupe in half, remove the seeds then cut into manageable sections and remove the flesh from the rind and cut into medium bite sized chunks.
- Add the blueberries, cantaloupe chunks and the remaining five ingredients into a medium bowl. Toss to combine
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to fully homogenize.
- Just before serving adjust flavors to taste. If you want more acidity, add more lime juice, more lime flavor without acidity, add more lime zest, likewise with the sugar, salt and vanilla.
- Serve in decorative bowls, either one large or in individual portions.
Notes
Honeydew melon is a great addition.
For more depth of flavor, just before serving, sprinkle the salad with chopped mint.
Blueberry-Melon Salad is best within a few hours of assembly but can last in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
