This Grilled Melon Salad with Prosciutto and Burrata is a light dinner perfect for a hot summer day!
Grilled Melon!?! Whaaaaat!?! I know it might seem weird, but getting a little char and caramelization on melon just amps up the flavor a little bit. I have a feeling that this is going to be one hot summer, so we really need to start thinking about some foods that don’t involve turning on the oven.
I tried grilling a few types of melon and I found I liked the way cantaloupe turned out the most. Next was the watermelon, and last was the honeydew. In fact I can’t say that I would recommend grilling honeydew,it turned out mushy and not very appetizing. One key to grilling any type of melon is to be sure to have thick slices – if it is too thin the melon gets mushy. You want it to get a nice char without really cooking it. Shoot for 1 and a half to two inches thick.
To make this salad a meal, I added prosciutto and burrata. Have you ever had burrata? It is so, so good. Like mozzarella, but better. Well that is because it IS mozzarella, wrapped around a mixture of mozzarella and cream! Of course if you can’t find it you can use fresh mozzarella, but the burrata would be best. I added some chopped pistachios for crunch, and whisked together a quick dressing with olive oil and golden balsamic vinegar. I chose golden balsamic just for the color, but I actually really like the way it tastes as well. Mr. Briar has never been a big fan of balsamic vinegar and he really loved this dressing.
If the idea of grilling fruit totally weirds you out, you could make this salad without grilling the melons, it will still taste great! What are your opinions on grilled fruit?
Other salads you may like…
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Grilled Melon Salad with Prosciutto and Burrata
Ingredients
For The Salad:
- 6 cups baby arugula
- 1 - 2 pounds melon such as cantaloupe or watermelon cut into 1 and a half to 2 inch thick slices
- 4 ounces burrata* torn into bite sized pieces
- 3 ounces prosciutto
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted pistachios optional
For The Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon golden balsamic vinegar**
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
To Make The Dressing:
- Whisk together all ingredients or put them in a tightly sealed mason jar and shake until well combined.
To Grill The Melon:
- On a hot grill, sear melon slices 1-2 minutes per side, until they have grill marks.
To Assemble The Salad:
- On a large platter, arrange arugula. Top evenly with prosciutto, burrata and melon slices. Sprinkle pistachios on top, then drizzle with dressing.
Notes
**If you can't find golden balsamic vinegar, you can use regular balsamic vinegar
You can use a regular grill or a grill pan for the melon
Nutrition
Disclaimer: I partnered Fred Meyer for this recipe, however, my opinions, as always, are 100% my own. Integrity is important to me, and I only share brands and products that I think are awesome. Thank you for supporting Fox and Briar!
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todd says
ah man, after looking at this, I wish I could eat cantaloupe! These looks delicious. We just bought a watermelon, so i may throw some on the grill tonight and try it.
Meghan says
Thanks Todd! The melon and the burrata are so good together!
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
Oh Meghan, I love how we can all benefit from your grilling experiments! I mean, I was all for trying grilled honeydew… that is, until I read how mushy it turned out for you. However, all this talk of slightly charred, perfectly caramelized watermelon is making me drool like woah. Also, I’m gonna go ahead and second your guess that this summer’s gonna be a hot one! Btw, how lucky is Mr. Briar to have you to whip up delectable dressings such as this? I’ve never been a fan of balsamic vinaigrette either, but your dressing looks amazing! Can’t wait to see more grill-friendly recipe stylings from you. Pinning, of course. 🙂
Meghan says
Thanks so much Demeter! You should give that golden balsamic a try, it is really good! Thank you so much for pinning!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I most definitely do NOT think you are weird for grilling melon! Grilled fruit is Amaze-balls-delish! This salad is beyond epic, girlfriend! Seriously, I could eat this all day everyday.. with extra burrata, because OMG, yes! 😉 Pinned! Cheers, Meghan!
Meghan says
Thanks Cheyanne! Glad we are on the same page with grilled fruit! And thank you for pinning!
Adina says
Really? Grilled melon? Amazing! I never would have thought of it, I cannot even remember ever seeing a recipe for it! This is interesting, I will have to put a slice on the grill next time, just to see how it works.
Meghan says
I know, Adina, it is kind of unusual! But interesting. I hope you give it a try!
Jessica @ Sweetest Menu says
Oooh what a heavenly summer salad! Love the mix of meat, veggies and fruit! So clever 🙂
Meghan says
Thank you so much Jess!
Clarissa says
Grilled melon sounds amazeballs — can I just move in with you and eat all of your delicious creations?!
-Clarissa @ The View From Here
Meghan says
Haha! Thanks Clarissa! 🙂
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says
This looks stunning! I’ve never tried grilling melon, but it is super cheap here at the moment so I always have a rockmelon / cantaloupe going in the fridge. Will definitely have to give it a chance – fruit in salads can be incredible. x
Meghan says
Thanks so much Claudia, I hope you love it!
Allyson says
Yum! This combines two of my favorite salad moves- fruit, and grilled elements. I’ve yet to grill fruit other than pineapple, but I bet it’s divine.
Meghan says
Thank you Allyson! Those are some of my favorite things too! 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
I’ve done grilled pineapple, but not grilled melon. I will need to try the grilled cantaloupe. I love the way the grill marks look against the orange flesh.
Meghan says
Ooh, grilled pineapple sounds amazing! I’m going to have to try that. Thanks Kathy!
My Dish is Bomb says
This is so cool Meghan!! I’ve never tried grilled melon but I’ve been obsessed with watermelon lately. I don’t have a grill, but do have a george forman. I wonder if that would work! I’m going to try!
Meghan says
Thanks Katy! I love watermelon too! If you try it on the foreman grill, I would say just quickly sear it so it doesn’t get mushy. And tell me how it turns out!
annie says
Girl Girl Girl!!!!! I love your new set up. How did I miss this? Also…photos, um, killin it!
I want to spend my summer shoveling grilled fruit in my face, and topping it off with burratta. With this simple-but-perfect dressing.
Meghan says
Yay, thanks so much Annie! And that sounds like a pretty great way to spend the summer 🙂
Geraldine | Green Valley Kitchen says
Grilled melon! That’s an inspired idea – I love it. Will definitely be trying this – and I just love burrata!
Meghan says
Thanks so much Geraldine! Isn’t burrara the best?