Cantaloupe Cooler Salad
Submitted by kerrychatten
Fresh cantaloupe on lettuce with crispy bacon and onion rings, drizzled with homemade honey poppy seed dressing. A sweet-savory summer salad that comes together in 15 minutes.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
0 minREADY
15 minSweet melon, salty bacon, sharp onion rings, and a honey poppy seed dressing that ties it all together. This is summer salad at its smartest.
Bite-sized cantaloupe pieces get arranged on crisp lettuce leaves and topped with thinly sliced onion rings and a generous scattering of crumbled bacon.
The dressing is where the magic happens: honey, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and poppy seeds blitzed in a blender until smooth and drizzled over the whole plate.
It’s the kind of salad that works as a light lunch, a side dish at a cookout, or a starter that makes people sit up and pay attention.
Pro Tips
- Chill the dressing thoroughly before serving. Cold dressing clings to the melon better and keeps the salad from getting warm and wilted.
- Use thick-cut bacon and cook it until shatteringly crisp. Chewy bacon against soft melon feels wrong.
- Separate the onion into individual rings and keep them thin. Big chunks of raw onion will overpower the delicate melon.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel cantaloupe and cut into bite-size pieces; arrange on lettuce leaves. Top cantaloupe with onion and crumbled bacon. Drizzle dressing over salad.
Blender Poppy Seed Dressing: Combine all ingredients in container of electric blender; process on low speed for 30 seconds. Chill thoroughly; stir well before serving.
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