Easy Mint, Cantaloup and Fontina Pasta Salad
Bright, refreshing, and full of summer flavor, this Mint, Cantaloupe, and Fontina Pasta Salad combines sweet melon, creamy cheese, and fresh herbs for a light and satisfying dish.
This easy 5 ingredient Mint, Cantaloup and Fontina Pasta Salad has been a hit in our family for years! This bright and colorful salad boasts an unexpected refreshing sweet flavor with mint (fresh from the garden, of course!) as the star of the show! Best of all, this pasta salad is made using just 5 ingredients making it so easy to put together.
Jump to:
- My go-to 5-ingredient pasta salad: A crowd-pleasing BBQ staple
- Elevating summer recipes with fresh herbs from my garden
- Harvesting fresh mint for the perfect pasta salad
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients, substitutions and variations
- Easy Mint, Cantaloup and Fontina Pasta Salad
- Storing pasta salad
- More garden fresh herb-forward recipes
My go-to 5-ingredient pasta salad: A crowd-pleasing BBQ staple
I first tasted this super simple 5-ingredient pasta salad years ago at an end-of-season baseball team potluck party. I loved it so much that I just had to hunt down the family who brought it to get the recipe! Over the years, I've tweaked and perfected it, making it even more delicious. It's been a summer BBQ staple ever since. It's so easy to put together and always a crowd-pleaser! Plus, it looks so fun and festive, making it the perfect addition to any brunch, BBQ, picnic, or your next potluck gathering. I especially love finding great ways to use my harvest from my herb garden, and this salad is perfect for showcasing those fresh flavors.
Elevating summer recipes with fresh herbs from my garden
I've been having so much fun putting my herb garden to good use lately. There's just something so perfectly summery about stepping outside with my scissors and clipping whatever fresh herbs I need for a recipe, you know? Adding fresh mint to this pasta salad is chef's kiss levels of delicious! Those just-snipped mint leaves straight from my own garden really take it over the top. You get those bright, refreshing minty notes in every bite that make the sweet cantaloupe and nutty poppy seed dressing taste even better.
Harvesting fresh mint for the perfect pasta salad
In my herb garden plus in my herb topiary, I made sure to plant plenty of mint - those bright green leaves and refreshing scent are just too good to pass up! When it came time to make this pasta salad, I snipped off a bunch of stems straight from the garden. After giving them a quick rinse, I wrapped the mint in a damp paper towel and left it right on the kitchen counter overnight. Such an easy trick to keep those herbs super fresh until I was ready to chop and toss them into the salad the next day.
I've got several posts on the blog about growing mint. Check them out here:
- How Much Water Do Mint Plants Need To Thrive?
- Mint Sunlight Guide: How Much Sun Do Mint Plants Need?
- Mojito Mint Plant vs Spearmint: Exploring Mint Varieties
- Do Mint Plants Flower? Everything You Need to Know!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and easy: With only 5 ingredients, this summer salad comes together in no time.
- Crowd-pleaser: This fun dish is always a hit at gatherings, whether it's a BBQ, picnic, or potluck. Your whole family will love it!
- Versatile: Perfect for brunch, lunch, or dinner - it fits any occasion.
- Fresh herbs: Utilizing mint from your own garden adds a burst of fresh flavor.
- Festive appearance: As summer side dishes go, this salad boasts vibrant colors to make it as beautiful as it is delicious.
- Minimal prep: Little work is required, making it stress-free to prepare.
- Customizable: You can easily tweak it to suit your taste preferences.
- Healthy and refreshing: A light and refreshing option that's perfect for summer and a bit different than your average fruit salad!
Ingredients, substitutions and variations
Pasta: Any medium pasta works, but bow tie (farfalle) adds a fun, playful touch.
Mint: Fresh spearmint or peppermint adds bright, herbal flavor. Grocery store mint works if you don't have garden mint.
Fontina Cheese: Semi-soft and creamy. Substitute fresh mozzarella if needed.
Cantaloupe: Sweet and juicy. Honeydew is a good alternative.
Dressing: Poppy seed dressing adds nutty, lightly sweet flavor. Use store-bought or homemade.
Tip: For a wonderful homemade poppy seed dressing recipe visit Show Me the Yummy's wonderful Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe.
Easy Mint, Cantaloup and Fontina Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups packaged dried large bow tie pasta
- 2 cups cantaloupe cubed
- 1 cup fontina cheese, cubed
- ½ cup Briana's Poppy seed dressing
- ¼ cup Briana's Poppy seed dressing (reserved for serving)
- 2 tablespoon fresh mint, lightly chopped
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain, then rinse with cold water and drain again.
- In a large bowl toss together cooked pasta, cantaloup and cheese.
- Pour dressing over pasta mixture tossing gently to coat. (Reserve extra dressing to mix when serving)
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- When ready to serve, if dry add more dressing and the chopped mint. (I find the mint can turn brown if mixd with the salad before chilling it.
Notes
Serving Size: 1 heaping cup (~¼ of the recipe)
Servings: 4
- Most fat comes from the fontina cheese and poppy seed dressing.
- Protein is primarily from the cheese, while carbs are from the pasta and natural sugars in the cantaloupe.
- Nutrition may vary slightly depending on pasta type, amount of dressing used, and exact cheese portion.
- Be sure the pasta has cooled before adding the cheese or the cheese will melt.
- I find it best to add the mint just before serving otherwise the mint turns dark in the refrigerator.
- I keep some poppy seed dressing aside and often add more when getting ready to serve. The pasta tends to soak up the dressing leaving the salad a bit dry.
Nutrition
Storing pasta salad
Here are some tips for storing this fresh mint, cantaloupe, and fontina cheese pasta salad:
- Add the mint right before serving: To prevent the fresh mint leaves from turning dark or wilting in the refrigerator, it's best to add them to the pasta salad just before serving to maintain their freshness and vibrant color.
- Use an airtight container or ziplock bag: The airtight seal is the best way to help keep the mint as fresh as possible and prevent the cantaloupe from drying out.
- Don't fully dress the salad until ready to serve: Lightly dress the salad with a portion of the poppy seed dressing right before serving to prevent the pasta from absorbing too much dressing and becoming mushy. Keep extra dressing available to add more if needed.
- Use within 2-3 days: This pasta salad, with its fresh ingredients, is best consumed within 2-3 days for optimal freshness and flavor.
- Give it a gentle toss before serving: When ready to serve, gently toss the pasta, cantaloupe, mint, fontina cheese, and poppy seed dressing together to evenly distribute the ingredients and dressing.
- Don't freeze: Avoid freezing this pasta salad, as the fresh ingredients like cantaloupe and mint won't hold up well to freezing and thawing.
Following these tips will help keep the individual components fresh and prevent the textures from becoming compromised, allowing you to enjoy this refreshing pasta salad at its best.
This Easy 5 Ingredient Mint Cantaloup and Fontina Pasta Salad is a great idea for any gathering. The combination of fresh mint and summer fruit makes it a refreshing and delicious dish. It's a great way to showcase the vibrant flavors of the season with just a little bit of effort. Whether you're hosting a BBQ, picnic, or potluck, this salad is sure to be a hit!
Looking for herb-forward recipes? Explore more by plant in the Herb Index. Thanks for visiting the blog today! I love it when you do! Please leave any questions you have below in comments.
