There’s Only One Right Way to Eat Melon This Summer, and This Is It

I used to be a melon-hater. When I was younger, I associated cantaloupe with subpar breakfast plates, where it was usually underripe, under-flavored, and underwhelming all around. In fact, I don’t remember ever eating melon the way I know it to be now: sweet and juicy and full of flavor. I honestly gave up and rejected cantaloupe and honeydew until I was an adult.

As I got older and my food knowledge and palate grew, I learned about prosciutto e melon (prosciutto and melon), a dish that goes back to ancient Roman times. The saltiness of the prosciutto plays so nicely with the melon, bringing out its sweetness in a way I didn’t know was possible. It made me realize that melon isn’t supposed to be eaten on its own — it needs supporting ingredients that help showcase and coax out its sweetness.

Lately, I’ve been loving the combination of melon, fresh herbs, and salty pistachios: It’s light, elegant, and perfect for hot summer days. Here, I’ll show you how to make it, and teach you a few food styling tricks to make it as beautiful as can be.

They say we eat with our eyes first, and shaving melon into ribbons will make you want to dig in immediately. Start by scooping out the seeds from a halved melon, then lay it cut-side down on a cutting board. Starting from the top of the melon, use your chef’s knife to cut under the rind toward the edges of the melon, removing any rind and pale pith until the melon is completely peeled.

You now have two options for cutting the melon into ribbons: a mandoline or a vegetable peeler. If using the former, cut the melon into 2-inch-wide strips. If using the latter, cut the melon into strips slightly smaller than the width of the peeler. Then, slice the melon lengthwise into ribbons. Melons can be slippery, so be sure to wear a rubber glove for extra protection if you’re using a mandoline.

The selection of herbs here is very important, because not every herb will complement the melon. I’ve had the most success with chervil, tarragon, chives, dill, basil, and fennel fronds. Those flavors play nicely with the melon and add layers of nuance.

I recommend using as many herbs as you can — all the different essences will delicately dance around on your palate with the melon. I like to roughly chop the herbs before I trim the melon, then keep them fresh in the fridge until assembly.

You’ll start by decoratively placing half the ribbons on the plate, then top with lime zest, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, flaky salt, chopped pistachios, and some of the reserved herbs. Repeat once more, adding the lime juice when you add the zest and finishing the salad with a healthy pinch of urfa biber chile flake. Depending on the variety you use, the olive oil will either lend bitter notes (that’s a good thing!) or a more fruity flavor, so use one you love the taste of.

Don’t be afraid to take this salad in a whole different direction. Layer the melon with cucumber ribbons or thin strips of prosciutto. Add chunks of feta or goat cheese or a swoop of Greek yogurt. If you’ve found you’ve chosen a less sweet melon (it happens to the best of us!), drizzle with some honey. I guarantee any of these combinations will convert my fellow melon-haters.

At Kitchn, our editors develop and debut brand-new recipes on the site every single week. But at home, we also have our own tried-and-true dishes that we make over and over again — because quite simply? We love them. Kitchn Love Letters is a series that shares our favorite, over-and-over recipes.