Take fresh summer melons beyond basic fruit salad with these recipes for watermelon pie, cantaloupe a la mode, honeydew tea and more.
21 of Our Favorite Summer Melon Recipes
Updated on Nov. 23, 2023
Watermelon and Spinach Salad
Summer’s the perfect time to toss up this watermelon salad. You’d never expect it, but spinach is awesome here. Eat it and feel cool on even the hottest days. —Marjorie Au, Honolulu, Hawaii
1/21
2/21
Cantaloupe A La Mode
Total Time
15 min
Servings
4 servings (1 cup sauce)
From the Recipe Creator:
This special dessert is a refreshing finale to a warm-weather meal. —Nancy Walker, Granite City, Illinois
Nutrition Facts:
1 each: 337 calories, 8g fat (5g saturated fat), 29mg cholesterol, 74mg sodium, 67g carbohydrate (56g sugars, 3g fiber), 5g protein.
3/21
Honeydew & Prosciutto Salad
Total Time
30 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For parties, I turn melon and prosciutto into an easy salad with a honey mustard dressing. To add zip, stir in fresh basil and mint. —Julie Merriman, Seattle, Washington
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 186 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated fat), 23mg cholesterol, 294mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat, 1 fat.
4/21
Melon-Berry Salad
Total Time
20 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The best way to cool down on a warm day is with a chilled fruit salad. Serve this one for breakfast, brunch or dessert. Yogurt and coconut milk make the creamy dressing even more decadent. Wait until just before serving to garnish the salad. Otherwise the toasted coconut will get soggy. —Carrie Hirsch, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 105 calories, 3g fat (3g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 30mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 2g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1/2 fat.
5/21
Honeydew Granita
Total Time
15 min
Servings
5-1/2 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
Make this refreshing summer treat when melons are ripe and flavorful. I like to garnish each serving with a sprig of mint or a small slice of honeydew. —Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1/2 cup: 107 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 17mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (26g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1/2 fruit.
6/21
Strawberry, Cucumber & Honeydew Salad
Total Time
20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Strawberries and cucumbers together—I just love this combination! We used to eat a lot of cucumbers growing up in upstate New York. We'd get them, along with strawberries and melons, from fruit and veggie stands to make this sweet and tangy salad. —Melissa Mccabe, Long Beach, California
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 56 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 6mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 2g fiber), 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit.
7/21
Iced Melon Moroccan Mint Tea
Total Time
20 min
Servings
5 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I grow mint on my balcony, and this refreshing beverage is a wonderful way to use it. It combines two of my favorite drinks—Moroccan Mint Tea and Honeydew Agua Fresca. For extra flair, add some ginger ale. —Sarah Batt Throne, El Cerrito, California
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 81 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 9mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (21g sugars, 1g fiber), 0 protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch.
If you’re looking for more variations, learn how to make watermelon agua fresca.
8/21
Frozen Watermelon Lemon Cream Tarts
Total Time
20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
These fruit tarts are so refreshing on a hot summer day! They are extremely healthy and convenient, and just a few ingredients means they're easy to make, too. —Bethany DiCarlo, Harleysville, Pennsylvania
Nutrition Facts:
1 tart: 55 calories, 1g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 17mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 0 fiber), 4g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 starch.
9/21
Tomato-Melon Chicken Salad
Total Time
15 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Nothing says summer like picking watermelon, tomatoes and raspberries, then tossing them together in a salad. The addition of grilled chicken makes it a satisfying summery meal. —Betsy Hite, Wilton, California
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 266 calories, 13g fat (2g saturated fat), 64mg cholesterol, 215mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 4g fiber), 26g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 2 fat.
10/21
Frosty Watermelon Ice
Total Time
20 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Here's a fun twist on watermelon. It's so refreshing on a summer day, and you don't have to worry about seeds while you're enjoying it. —Kaaren Jurack, Manassas, Virginia
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 81 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 3mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (18g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1/2 starch.
11/21
Melon with Serrano-Mint Syrup
Total Time
30 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This is just one of the recipes I developed to take advantage of the fresh mint I grow nearly year-round. The serrano pepper is a nice contrast to the sweetness of the syrup and salad. —Jennifer Fisher, Austin, Texas
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 92 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 13mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1/2 starch.
12/21
Juicy Watermelon Salad
Total Time
20 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This fruit salad has such a surprising yet fabulous mix of flavors that friends often ask for the recipe. Combine seedless watermelon varieties in yellow, red and pink for a colorful twist. —Heidi Haight, Macomb, Michigan
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 232 calories, 20g fat (5g saturated fat), 10mg cholesterol, 295mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein.
13/21
Watermelon Jelly
Total Time
35 min
Servings
5 half-pints
From the Recipe Creator:
With its beautiful color and intense watermelon flavor, this jelly preserves summer to enjoy long after the cool weather arrives. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Nutrition Facts:
2 tablespoons: 106 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 1mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (27g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.
14/21
Ginger-Glazed Grilled Honeydew
Total Time
25 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
If you've never grilled fruit like this before, you're in for a real treat! I love the idea of cooking everything from appetizers to desserts on the grill. This grilled honeydew recipe is sweet and really light. —Jacqui Correa, Landing, New Jersey
Nutrition Facts:
1 skewer: 101 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 18mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1/2 starch.
15/21
Watermelon Cups
Total Time
25 min
Servings
16 pieces
From the Recipe Creator:
This lovely appetizer is almost too pretty to eat! Sweet watermelon cubes hold a refreshing topping that showcases cucumber, red onion and fresh herbs. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 7 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 1mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.
16/21
Blueberry Cantaloupe Salad
Total Time
10 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The simple citrus and poppy seed dressing in this fruit medley really dresses up the refreshing mix of berries and melon. —R. Jean Rand, Edina, Minnesota
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup with 3 tablespoons dressing: 76 calories, 1g fat (0 saturated fat), 1mg cholesterol, 24mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (15g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit.
17/21
Watermelon Sorbet
Total Time
35 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
No ice cream maker is needed to make this easy, 3-ingredient watermelon sorbet recipe. We couldn't keep enough watermelon in the house to keep up with the demand! —Kory Figura, Waverly, Iowa
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 184 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 7mg sodium, 52g carbohydrate (49g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.
18/21
Strawberry Melon Fizz
Total Time
30 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Experimenting in the kitchen is fun for me. I came up with this recipe by I combining two different recipes, one for a melon ball basket and another for a sparkling beverage. —Teresa Messick, Montgomery, Alabama
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 194 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 7mg sodium, 49g carbohydrate (46g sugars, 2g fiber), 1g protein.
19/21
Watermelon Pie
Total Time
15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This simple pie is so refreshing that it never lasts long on warm summer days. Watermelon and a few convenience items make it a delightful dessert that doesn't take much effort. —Velma Beck, Carlinville, Illinois
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 272 calories, 12g fat (8g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 147mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate (27g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.
20/21
Mojito Marinated Fruit
Total Time
20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
All the flavors of the popular mojito cocktail are featured in this fantastic salad. After you eat the fruit, you’ll want to sip the luscious syrup! —Marcy Griffith, Excelsior, Minnesota
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 128 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 8mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (24g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.
21/21
Watermelon Spritzer
Total Time
5 min
Servings
5 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
It couldn’t get much easier than this bright spritzer! “Watermelon blended with limeade is cool and refreshing. It’s a wonderful thirst-quencher on a hot summer day.” —Geraldine Saucier, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 140 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 4mg sodium, 38g carbohydrate (36g sugars, 1g fiber), 0 protein.
