Melon Prosciutto Salad

Chessboard melon and prosciutto salad with mozzarella and nectarine.

Updated Oct 16, 2025, Published Aug 12, 2025

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This showstopping Melon Prosciutto Salad is perfect for hot summer days when you don’t feel like cooking.

A plate with a colorful melon prosciutto salad featuring neatly cubed melon, watermelon, mozzarella, and rolled prosciutto, garnished with fresh mint leaves and ground pepper, all arranged on a light sauce.

Paired with simple ingredients such as creamy mozzarella and sweet nectarine, it’s a refreshing twist on the classic prosciutto and melon, and sure to turn heads at any meal.

Recipe Tip

For the chessboard details, you’ll need a square cookie cutter, but if you don’t have one, that’s fine too. Simply dice your ingredients and arrange them in rows on a plate.

A plate arranged with a checkerboard pattern of melon, prosciutto rosettes, nectarine, and mozzarella cheese cubes.

Top the beautiful summer salad with a zesty honey vinaigrette and enjoy it at barbeques, picnics, and outdoor gatherings. Serve it on a round, square, or oval platter, or plate it individually as a starter alongside my easy focaccia at your next dinner party.

Melon Prosciutto Salad Ingredients

Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!

Cantaloupe: Adds sweetness and juiciness. Choose a firm melon with a slightly soft top.
Mozzarella: Use fresh mozzarella or buffalo. Burrata will not work (sadly) as it is too creamy to cube.
Nectarine: You’ll want firm, sweet, and crunchy nectarines for this recipe.
Prosciutto: Salty prosciutto pairs so well with the sweet fruit and creamy cheese.
Fresh mint: Use fresh mint (or basil) leaves to garnish. You can also finely chop the mint and add it to the dressing if you prefer.
Dressing: Extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, apple cider vinegar, and seasoning.

How to Make Melon Prosciutto Salad

Slice the fruit and cheese into equally thick slices and cut out the square pieces.
Halve the prosciutto, fold each half twice. Roll into roses.
Arrange the ingredients on a platter.
Mix the dressing and drizzle it over the salad.

A hand uses a small square cutter to remove a cube from a halved cantaloupe on a wooden cutting board.

Two hands roll a thin slice of prosciutto, on a wooden cutting board.

Possible Variations

Melon: Swap cantaloupe for honeydew melon, Galia melon, or watermelon. A combination of melons would be delicious, too.
Nectarines: Try peaches.
Dressing: Use balsamic glaze, maple syrup, or lime juice instead.
Fresh mint: Opt for other herbs such as basil, dill, or parsley.
Swap the cheese: Try grilled halloumi, cheddar, a firm goat cheese, or small mozzarella balls.
Add-ins: Swap in arugula, olives, cucumber, grapes, blackberries, chorizo, avocado, or chopped pistachios.

How to Store Leftovers

Keep in an airtight container and enjoy within 1-2 days.

FAQs

Can I make the melon salad ahead of time?

Yes, make the salad and the dressing a few hours ahead and store them separately in the fridge. Wait to pour over the dressing until right before serving to prevent sogginess.

How long will leftovers stay fresh?

The salad will keep fresh 1-2 days in the fridge, stored in a glass container.

What can I serve it with?

The salad is tasty on its own for lunch or dinner. It also adds a pop of delicious flavor and color to any meal, especially when paired with grilled chicken and beef.

I don’t have a square cookie cutter, what do I do?

You can dice the cubes by hand into bite-size pieces, it doesn’t need to be perfect. You can even use other cutters you may have to hand or use a melon baller to make melon balls.

What do I do with the odd-shaped leftover cut outs?

Save and freeze the fruit to add to smoothies.