When it comes to refreshing summer fruits, it’s hard to beat melons. Whether it’s a cantaloupe or a watermelon, this plant family offers an array of light, versatile, nutrient-rich, and hydrating fruits, all perfectly suited for a hot summer’s day. Melons can be enjoyed in many ways, from simply sliced to creatively incorporated into various dishes, but one of the best ways to savor them is in an ultra-nourishing salad.

Melons, like cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew, pair well with a variety of ingredients, but some particularly great combinations include berries, citrus fruits, stone fruits, and vegetables. Cucumber, for example, is a popular choice, as it’s just as refreshing and hydrating as melon. Juicy tomatoes are another tasty option, and it’s hard to beat avocado, too. The latter, with its mild nutty flavor and creamy texture, contrasts nicely with the typically crisp and juicy texture of melon. 

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Top Your Watermelon With Chili, Cheese, and Cream for the Sweetest Summer Upgrade

For a little creamy saltiness, combine melon with vegan feta cheese or ricotta, and for an extra crunchy texture, opt for nuts or seeds, like almonds, pistachios, or pumpkin seeds, for example. Mint, basil, cilantro, and even chili are also delicious with melon.

Want even more ideas? We’ve got you: find six of our favorite delicious melon salad recipes below.

Hannah Kaminsky

A traditional Niçoise salad is usually made with tuna, but to make it more refreshing and animal-free, this recipe swaps in seared watermelon instead. The juicy, hydrating fruit is paired with ingredients like Niçoise olives, cherry tomatoes, and Persian cucumber for an ultra-refreshing, perfect-for-summer, lunchtime dish.
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Erin Scott

Only got 10 minutes to whip up a nourishing, refreshing lunchtime treat? You need this super tasty watermelon and cucumber salad recipe in your life. Taken from the Eat Plants Everyday cookbook, it’s the perfect combination of juicy, tangy (thanks to the lime), and spicy (thanks to the peppers).
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The Perfect Blend

If you’re hosting a cookout, we strongly recommend you add this avocado salad to your list of must-make side dishes. With refreshing, nutritious ingredients like lime juice, mint leaves, avocados, cucumber, tomatoes, and watermelon, your guests will be asking you to make it on repeat.
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Food by Maria

Traditional feta, of course, isn’t vegan, but if you love the way this goat’s cheese tastes in a salad, you can easily make your own animal-free version with tofu. Serve it with watermelon, lime, mint, avocado, and red onions for a super tasty, refreshing salad dish. “What I love about this recipe is the sweetness of the watermelon pairs so perfectly with the bitterness of the lime, the tang of the onions, and the saltiness of the feta,” says Maria Koutsogiannisof Food By Maria. “It’s the perfect combo.”
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The Simple Veganista

Thanks to its super-sweet, almost candy-like taste, it’s hard to beat fresh cantaloupe in a salad. In this dish by The Simple Veganista, it’s balanced out beautifully by ingredients like cool cucumber, red bell peppers, and red onion. “No matter how full I get, I always make room for a healthy helping of this simple and delicious salad,” says recipe developer Julie West.
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The Plant Collective

At first glance, this does not sound like a vegan-friendly recipe. But there’s a twist: everything is made with animal-free ingredients. Yep, even the prosciutto. It’s also made with not one, but two types of melon: cantaloupe and honeydew. “These two melons are incredibly hydrating and just perfect for those hot summer days,” says Annie Kimmelman of The Plant Collective.
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