The Summer Salad You Aren't Making (But Should)

by Fayeruz Regan 08.2026

Who says you need lettuce to make a salad? The most memorable salads are usually a little outside the box – there's a surprise element or combination that makes people wonder why it took so long for someone to figure it out. I’ve been tucking into this addictive summer salad for five years now. It combines a full spectrum of flavor: sweet, savory, spicy, herbal, tangy, creamy, and crunchy.

Make this dish while cantaloupes are sweet and in season. Because once fall hits, most of the cantaloupe we find in the produce section was picked too early and shipped too far, resulting in a spongy, flavorless fruit.

Thai Cantaloupe Jalapeno Salad

Ingredients:

1 ripe cantaloupe

1 jalapeno pepper

1/3 cup Thai basil or holy basil (sweet basil if necessary)

1/3 cup cilantro

½ cup of shelled, roasted, salted pistachios

1 cucumber (English preferred)

Optional: Crumbled feta or goat cheese

Dressing:

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice

1 Tsp fish sauce

1 Tsp brown sugar (heaping)

1 Tbsp avocado oil (olive oil if necessary)

1 clove garlic

Instructions:

Slice open the cantaloupe, scoop out the seeds, cut into thick slices, and remove the skin.

Take the remaining cantaloupe and slice into thin ribbons. Ideally, you can use a mandolin for this.

Wash and peel your cucumber, slicing into thin ribbons as well.

Arrange the ribbons of cantaloupe and cucumber on a large serving platter.

Wash and chop the basil and cilantro, sprinkling it atop the salad.

Wash and thinly slice a jalapeno, remove the seeds, and lay the discs atop the salad. You can use two jalapeños if you like heat.

Combine the dressing ingredients and drizzle atop the salad

If you’d like to add goat or feta cheese, sprinkle this atop the salad. 

Crush the pistachioswith a knife, or, place them in a sandwich bag and tap with a mallet. If you choose the latter, do this atop a cutting board to protect your counters. Sprinkle the crushed pistachios atop the salad as a finishing touch.

...and enjoy!

Your Options Are Endless – Have Fun With It!

It's important to note that this salad, like any other, is ripe for substitutions and a little creativity.  I make variations of this recipe throughout the season.

Tasty tips:

• Substitute cantaloupe for honeydew or even watermelon. 

• Fresh mint works on this salad as well. Either combined with the other herbs or as a replacement for one. 

• If you don't have a lime, you can use lemon.

• I buy fried scallions by the bucketful at Asian grocery stores, and it adds a depth of flavor and a serious crunch. 

Bon appetit!