59 melon recipes

Pickled pumpkin balls scoop fresh pumpkin flesh into pretty spheres and simmer them in spiced cider vinegar syrup with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and lemon peel. A retro relish for fall meats.

Fresh pineapple, mango, papaya, and strawberries layered with honey-sweetened vanilla yogurt and served in hollowed pineapple shells. A gorgeous low-fat tropical fruit salad.

Homemade cantaloupe sherbet churned with pureed melon, milk, honey, and a squeeze of lemon. Smooth, scoopable, and bursting with fresh summer melon flavor. Makes about 2 quarts.

Midori cake is a pale-green Bundt built on yellow cake mix and pistachio pudding, soaked with melon liqueur and finished with a Midori-cream cheese glaze. Retro doctored cake mix at its showy best.

Retro lime gelatin mold layered with orange sections, grapefruit, pineapple, maraschino cherries, and melon balls. A colorful vintage fruit salad.

Hawaiian chicken salad with curried sour cream, chutney, toasted coconut, and ginger, served in cantaloupe halves or over shredded lettuce.

Cantaloupe Melba with sliced melon, raspberry sherbet, and a fresh raspberry Melba sauce. An elegant no-cook dessert with optional orange liqueur.

Cactus pear breakfast shake with prickly pear puree, banana, honey, and milk blended with ice. A vibrant magenta smoothie with a sweet, melon-like tropical flavor.

Refreshing low-calorie watermelon ice made with fresh melon, honey, lime juice, and a touch of gelatin. A frozen summer treat that's naturally light and bursting with fruit flavor.

Old-fashioned sweet cantaloupe pickles brined and slow-simmered in a spiced sugar syrup with cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. A heritage preserving recipe that turns underripe melons into something special.

A quick Italian pasta dish tossing ditalini with creamy flageolet beans, garlic, olive oil, and basil pesto. Five ingredients, 30 minutes, and a satisfying vegetarian meal on the table.