Now’s the time to go all out with summer melons. Whether you show up at the next picnic balancing a watermelon on your hip, or add chunks of cantaloupe to your morning smoothie and summer fruit salads, there are lots of ways to appreciate melons. Here are some of our favorite recipes featuring one of summer’s most refreshing fruits: Drinks and Coolers
Watermelons, with their plentiful juiciness, make thirst-quenching additions to drinks. Try Strawberry Watermelon Coolers opens in a new tab, Watermelon Lemonade opens in a new tab or Watermelon Agua Fresca opens in a new tab.
Honeydew gives a gentle sweetness and cooling note to Double Grape Slushies opens in a new tab.
Honeydew makes another appearance in the refreshing Honeydew Green Tea opens in a new tab, but it would be just as good with other sweet melons, such as watermelon or cantaloupe.
Whether you eat it for dessert or as a midday treat, icy Watermelon Granita opens in a new tab is a sweet way to beat the summer heat.
Salads
Fresh summer cantaloupe and honeydew melons put a delightful spin on a classic fruit salad in Melon Ambrosia opens in a new tab. The addition of coconut milk makes it deliciously creamy without any cream!
Use watermelon for the base of super-cool summer salads. Fresh herbs, tomatoes and a handful of feta or goat cheese crumbles make great partners. Try Watermelon and Arugula Salad opens in a new tab, Tomato and Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint opens in a new tab or Watermelon Salad with Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Basil opens in a new tab.
Add some shrimp for a more robust salad like Shrimp, Watermelon and Goat Cheese Salad opens in a new tab.
Watermelon and Strawberry Salad opens in a new tab gets fired up with a boost of heat from fresh chile peppers.
Use cantaloupe or honeydew, tossed with fresh mint and a dash of chili powder, to make Minty Melon Salad opens in a new tab.
Try a fruit salad…on a stick! The grill caramelizes these Fruit Kebabs opens in a new tab and makes for a sweetly satisfying treat.
The classic Italian pairing of Cantaloupe with Prosciutto opens in a new tab makes a light lunch or supper. It’s super simple but here’s a recipe opens in a new tab in case you need one.
Soups
Try Chilled Minted Melon Soup opens in a new tab as a starter or for dessert.
Have fun with Honeydew and Almond Gazpacho opens in a new tab, a creative spin on gazpacho that takes honeydew melon in a savory direction.
Cool off on a hot summer evening with a bowl of Watermelon-Tomato Gazpacho opens in a new tab, or make it into a refreshing cocktail.
Strawberry Melon Gazpacho opens in a new tab also does double duty as a dessert soup or a pretty addition to a brunch buffet.
Condiments
Use every bit of that watermelon! You won’t be able to resist the alluring pale pink color of Pickled Watermelon Rind with Radishes opens in a new tab.
Watermelon Salsa opens in a new tab is a quick, easy and fresh topping for grilled fish or chicken.
How are you enjoying melons this summer? Tell us in the comments below!
