The melon mosaic is my ideal summer plate.
I could happily eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s light and refreshing on a hot day, simple to serve to friends and family, and the melon-and-cheese combination is delightful. This works as a bright starter before a heartier meal or as a satisfying, not-too-heavy lunch.
I first made a version of this salad years ago when my son was little — he loved picking up the cubes and arranging them like melon tetris. Making it again recently reminded me how fun and kid-friendly it is; my daughter couldn’t stop reaching for bites and even drizzled on the hot honey herself.
I’ve also made variations that use mozzarella and cucumber with watermelon — the cucumber adds a savory, refreshing contrast to the sweet melon. For this version, I used avocado, big feta chunks, and cherry tomatoes for extra texture and flavor.
The dressing is simple but excellent: lemon, hot honey, champagne vinegar and garlic whisked into olive oil. Fresh herbs—mint, basil and chives—scattered over the top elevate the salad. If you love spicy-sweet flavors, the hot honey is a must; you can use a store-bought hot honey or a homemade version.
It’s easy. Almost embarrassingly so.
And yet, the flavors together are incredibly satisfying.
This salad is great to make ahead—toss the fruit, cucumber and feta with the dressing and let it marinate in a bag for transport or prep. Add avocado right before serving so it stays fresh.
I’m definitely tempted to make a small batch of this every week for lunch.
Melon Mosaic with Hot Honey Vinaigrette
Melon Mosaic Salad
4
to 6 people (or more, depending on how many dishes you serve!)
30 mins
30 mins
Ingredients
- 2 cups watermelon cubes
- 2 cups cantaloupe cubes
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 to 2 seedless cucumbers, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 to 2 avocados, chopped
- 1 (8 ounce) block feta, cut into cubes
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (mint, basil and chives)
Hot Honey Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons hot honey
- 1 garlic clove, freshly grated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Chop the melon, cucumber and feta into similarly sized cubes so the salad looks cohesive. Use pre-chopped fruit as a guide if needed. Favor the melons you enjoy most—watermelon and cantaloupe make a great base.
- You can crumble the feta if you prefer smaller pieces, and you may leave the cherry tomatoes whole if desired.
- Arrange cantaloupe, watermelon, cucumber and feta on a platter or in a bowl. Chop the tomatoes and avocado and tuck them between the cubes. There’s no single right way to assemble—layer, scatter or bowl it up however you like.
- Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with the hot honey vinaigrette, and finish with chopped fresh herbs. Serve immediately.
- Leftovers keep well and taste great the next day.
Hot Honey Vinaigrette
- Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, hot honey, garlic, salt and pepper. While whisking, slowly stream in the olive oil until emulsified. The dressing stores in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Bonus points for colorful food!