Cantaloupe and heirloom tomatoes share the plate with fresh mozzarella, dressed with olive oil and scattered with a combination of basil, tarragon, parsley, and chives. The four herbs together give this salad a complexity that a single herb garnish never achieves; each one contributing something slightly different, and all of them working with the sweetness of the melon in a way that makes you reconsider how often tarragon should appear in a summer bowl.
This is a salad sized and composed for two; enough cantaloupe and tomato to fill two generous plates without either ingredient feeling like it was stretched. It comes together in minutes and asks only that the melon be ripe and the mozzarella and herbs be fresh. Both conditions are non-negotiable.
What makes this work so well for two is its simplicity. You do not need a huge platter for the flavors to come across beautifully. Schedule this Cantaloupe Caprese Salad for an evening dinner outside; a very simple meal that looks pretty and tastes fresh. Light, colorful, and a little unexpected, it feels made for warm days and quiet shared lunches. Serve with a nice cool glass of white wine and some freshly baked bread.
It didn’t happen, too hot, too humid, bummer. So we stayed inside and enjoyed ourselves nevertheless: Heirloom tomatoes, cantaloupe, mozzarella and fresh herbs. A well-known chef, and I don’t have to mention her by name, would say ‘how easy is that’.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Cantaloupe melon
- Heirloom tomatoes – they are so flavorful, but any type of tomatoes will do.
- Mozzarella – if you can find it, always use Buffalo Mozzarella in salads. It has so much more flavor than the cow’s milk version. The only drawback is that it has a shorter shelf life, it is more expensive and less stores carry it.
- Fresh herbs – like basil, tarragon, parsley, chives
This salad does not need a dressing, just fresh herbs, some olive oil and salt and pepper and the 3 ingredients are flavorful enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Cantaloupe Caprese Salad
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
- 1/2 cantaloupe
- 4 tomatoes, heirloom
- 4 ounces Mozzarella cheese
- basil, tarragon, parsley, chives
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes, cut out the cores and slices them.
- Cut the cantaloupe in half. Only a half is needed, keep the second half in the fridge and serve for breakfast.
- Remove the seeds from the cantaloupe half you will use for this recipe, carefully ‘peel the fruit, until you have an orange half moon.
- Slice the cantaloupe in similar slices as the tomatoes, so you have some uniformity in your dish.
- Cut the mozzarella in pieces, again similar to the fruit.
- Chop the herbs, tarragon, chives, parsley and basil, whatever mixture you decide to use.
- Place fruit, mozzarella, herbs and salt and pepper in a bowl and toss gently.
- Place fruit mixture in a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.