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This cantaloupe salad with mozzarella offers refreshing and vibrant flavors in a dish ready in 10 minutes! A perfect blend of juicy cantaloupe, crisp greens, mint, couscous and creamy mozzarella make this cantaloupe salad recipe one you’ll want to make over and over.

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I’m a big fan of a cantaloupe salad. Generally, just fruit, until I tested this cantaloupe arugula salad and realized it was a keeper.

I tested this in several different ways, and each of them was good! Meaning that cantaloupe is just a versatile addition that can handle sweet and savory flavors.

Cantaloupe salads bring so much to the table – they can be sweet, savory, spicy and everything in between.

Cantaloupe pairs beautifully with greens, other fruits, cheeses, grains and more. Add anything and everything you want to this cantaloupe mint salad and it’ll be a hit!

If you’re looking for a good main dish, I recommend trying this lemon chicken orzo pasta alongside.

I was recently looking for cantaloupe salad recipes for a birthday party we were attending, but nothing resonated with me.

A cantaloupe salad with feta sounded delicious, but we only had mozzarella, so I had to put a unique spin on it.

I was then inspired to add mint to this cantaloupe salad recipe after caring for my neighbor’s garden.

She had so much mint and offered me some, and I just love the taste of mint in everything, hence the addition to my famous strawberry fizz alcoholic drink.

Why Sarah Loves this Recipe

“A cantaloupe salad is light and refreshing, and this salad with cantaloupe is flavorful, creamy, tangy and sweet, all in one. A perfect side dish for a summer gathering!”

I knew I was onto something with a cantaloupe mint salad so the idea grew.

This mango quinoa salad is a big hit, but I wanted something a little different.

And this cantaloupe mozzarella salad was just that – sassy and full of flavor. Even better with some homemade whole wheat croutons.

Why You’ll Love this Cantaloupe Salad

• Versatile – Do you need a dish that can take on sweet and/or savory flavors? This arugula cantaloupe salad sure can! Red onions, plus sweet pineapple and mint all collaborate perfectly.
• Easy side dish or main dish – You can certainly dress this cantaloupe salad recipe up to be a main dish by adding your favorite sources of protein – fish, poultry, beans, tofu, etc. The opportunities are endless! Or, keep it simple as a side dish.
• Ready in 10 minutes – Don’t we all love a good, hearty and nourishing salad recipe ready in 10 minutes? The only cooking needed in this cantaloupe arugula salad is the couscous, which cooks in minutes. While it’s cooking, chop your fruit and assemble your salad!
• Easy to personalize – Out of pineapple? Add some berries or apple slices. No couscous? Try barley or quinoa! No red onion? Try shallots.

Ingredients You Need

Grab your ingredients – we’re about to make the most delicious cantaloupe salad!

• Cantaloupe – The star of the show, the cantaloupe makes this cantaloupe salad recipe both hydrating and sweet! Cantaloupe is high in Vitamin C, fiber potassium, magnesium and several other micronutrients, while low in calories, fat and sodium. One cup provides about 70% of your daily recommendation of Vitamin C! Make sure to buy a cantaloupe that is softer when you push down, or if it is firm, allow a few days to ripen before using in this salad.
• Pineapple – You can leave this out, but it helps add more hydration and reduces the peppery taste of the arugula and red onion. You could sub in some berries instead.
• Red onion – Red onion pairs beautifully with the sweet cantaloupe and pineapple. It also helps bring out the peppery taste of the arugula.
• Couscous – I used pearl couscous, but you could also substitute with another grain, like orzo, barley, or farro. I prefer these over quinoa since they are larger and heartier.
• Mint – Reserve those mint leaves for the topping!
• Arugula – You can really use any greens for the base of this green cantaloupe salad, but I love the peppery touch with arugula. A blend would work nicely too!
• Mozzarella balls – Don’t we all love a salad with mozzarella balls? Other cheese that would work well include feta or creamy goat cheese!
• Lime – Fresh lime juice adds a nice, tart accent to accentuate all the flavors.
• Balsamic vinegar – The star for the dressing to pull everything together.
• Honey – For the dressing!
• Salt & pepper – The salt and pepper bring out all of the flavors – sweetness from the fruit, peppery flavors to balance the sweetness, and a spicy tangy flavor as well.

You can definitely add other favorites, too! Some of my favorite other additions are cucumber, feta cheese, watermelon, pepita seeds, roasted or diced peppers, or chickpeas.

The honey balsamic vinegar dressing is super simple and only requires four ingredients: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lime, honey and salt/pepper to taste. 

This salad with cantaloupe is all around awesome. And using fresh mozzarella is highly recommended – there’s nothing like a fun, family-friendly salad with mozzarella balls – even kids love them.

How To Make Cantaloupe Mozzarella Salad

First, cook your couscous. This takes 5 minutes – I told you it’s a super quick recipe!

The most labor intensive part of this summer fruit salad is cutting up the fruit and red onion.

I tend to do this with the kids (kid friendly knives) because they typically enjoy it as we go.

However, one of my favorite simple meal prep tips is cutting fruit and veggies in advance to save time. I like to do it as I’m packing kids lunches at night for the following day.

Then, you’ll transfer your cous cous to a large serving bowl, and add arugula or your favorite green.

This mint cantaloupe salad is also finished with the perfect olive oil balsamic honey dressing to blend everything together.

And then it makes for great leftovers!

I love this salad recipe so much because it’s so flexible and forgiving and can really be customized to your liking.

Serving Suggestions

You could easily make this pineapple and cantaloupe salad recipe a complete meal by adding more couscous and a protein of your choice.

Here are some of our favorite proteins to pair with for a main meal.

• Chicken (blackened is delicious!) – Chicken is probably my favorite fruit pairing in a salad, like in this chicken and strawberry salad
• Shrimp skewers
• Salmon – We tend to do a lot of salmon on salads, like in this broccoli kale salad. 
• Tofu – Try adding these air tried tofu nuggets for a cirspy plant-based protein.
• Quinoa – Quinoa is a complete vegetarian protein, so you could complement the couscous with another grain! We love quinoa in this quinoa and sweet potato salad, too!

If you want to serve this arugula cantaloupe salad as a side dish, I love to serve it with a summer entree. Some of my favorites include:

• Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers
• Grilled or Oven Baked Chicken Kabobs
• Gluten Free Pasta Salad

How to Store Cantaloupe Salad

To store this salad, just keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To take it with you to a BBQ, gathering, or cookout, just serve in the Tupperware container or a glass serving bowl.

Keep the dressing separate. I like to add the honey olive oil dressing just as I sit down to enjoy it, rather than adding it all at once.

This prevents the salad from being soggy and makes leftovers a breeze.

This salad with cantaloupe is perfect for your summer gatherings, cookouts, barbecues, and pool days.

I know it will become a friend and family favorite! 

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• Broccoli Orzo Salad
• Brown rice quinoa salad

Servings 6 servings

Cantaloupe Salad with Mozzarella

Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN

This cantaloupe salad with mozzarella offers refreshing and vibrant flavors in a dish ready in 10 minutes! A perfect blend of juicy cantaloupe, crisp greens, mint, couscous and creamy mozzarella make this cantaloupe salad recipe one you'll want to make over and over.

4.75 from 4 ratings

Print Pin

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 minutes mins

Total Time 16 minutes mins

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup cooked pearled cous cous
• 1 medium cantaloupe, diced
• 1 medium pineapple, diced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 3 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella pearls or cheese of choice
• handful of mint leaves
• 3-4 lime wedges for garnish
• salt and pepper, to taste

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• salt and pepper, to taste

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions 

1. Cook couscous according to directions. 
2. While couscous is cooking, slice your cantaloupe, pineapple and red onion. 
3. Mix your dressing, mixing 2 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar. You can sweeten as needed with the honey if you choose not to follow the above recommendations. 
4. Add sliced cantaloupe, pineapple, red onion to large bowl and mix with arugula. Top with cous cous, pearled mozzarella and mint leaves. Garnish with limes or lime juice, as desired.  

Notes

To store, keep in tight glass tupperware container in the fridge for 2-3 days. I like to save the dressing for when I’m eating it, rather than pouring it on at once, to avoid it getting soggy.

Equipment

Baron’s Couscous Whole Spelt Toasted Pasta | 100% Natural Pearled Noodles for Salads, Soups & Side Dishes | Cooks in 10 Minutes! | Kosher Parve | Cholesterol & Saturated Fat Free | 2 Pack 21.16oz Jars

3 Pack Glass Meal Prep Containers for Food Storage and Prep w/Snap Locking Lids Airtight & Leak Proof – Oven, Dishwasher, Microwave, Freezer Safe – Odor and Stain Resistant (6 total pieces)

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 221kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 8gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 316mgFiber: 5gSugar: 15g

Did you make this recipe?Let us know how it was!