Prosciutto and Melon Recipe

This gorgeous Italian starter of prosciutto and melon recipe (prosciutto e melone) is simple to make but a definite crowd-pleaser at a dinner party!

With just a few ingredients and a few minutes, you'll have the most wonderful cantaloupe and cured ham appetizer - perfect for summer nights. It's a classic combination of salty and sweet that we all love so much.

You can serve this dish with any kind of melon—honeydew, musk, or cantaloupe.

Why You'll Love This Easy Melon Appetizer

This simple, refreshing appetizer is perfect for a hot summer day. It's a no-cook recipe that's quick to pull together but still tastes substantial.

It's common in Mediterranean countries, especially Italy, to pair cured ham with different types of melon. One of the best dishes I've had in Rome was a combination of prosciutto, cantaloupe, and burrata - the simple flavors perfectly complement one another.

The salty prosciutto combined with the fresh melon is going to be your new favorite flavor combo!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Easy Melon Appetizer
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• More Easy Summer Appetizers & Recipes
• Substitutions & Variations
• Storage
• Tips for Making this Recipe
• Prosciutto and Melon

Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients you'll need to make this dish.

• Ripe cantaloupe or honeydew
• Prosciutto 
• Fresh basil leaves
• Balsamic vinegar or glaze
• Honey

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Scoop the seeds out of the cantaloupe half. 

Cut the rind off of the cantaloupe and slice it into 6 equal strips. 

Place two basil leaves on a slice of cantaloupe and then wrap it in a thin slice of prosciutto.

Repeat till all six melon wedges are covered in prosciutto. 

Place the cantaloupe chunks on a large plate or wooden board for serving. 

Drizzle with balsamic glaze and honey. 

More Easy Summer Appetizers & Recipes

Try some of our favorite summer recipes and easy appetizers, perfect for entertaining.

• Watermelon Radish Appetizer Bites - a delicious tuna and radish canape.
• Blistered Shishito Peppers Recipe - fantastic little bites with some mild heat.
• Mexican Watermelon Salad - a refreshing salad with a little chili lime seasoning.
• Melon Prosciutto Salad - you'll use a melon baller to make sweet melon balls to pair with prosciutto and mozzarella balls.
• Gorgonzola Grapes Recipe - another fantastic canape recipe - red or green grapes with gorgonzola cheese and nuts.

Substitutions & Variations

Here are some fun variations to elevate this simple recipe.

• Olive Oil - you can substitute the honey for a little olive oil if you'd like a more savory appetizer.
• Fresh Herbs - consider adding other fresh herbs like oregano, sage, or mint for unique flavor combinations.
• Parmesan Cheese - add a few pieces of very thinly sliced parmesan cheese - it pairs incredibly well with the juicy melon.
• Black Pepper - crack a little fresh black pepper over the melon slices.

Storage

You can store the melon wedges for up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

The prosciutto-wrapped melon should not be frozen (the consistency changes too much after freezing).

Tips for Making this Recipe

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Ingredient Tips - finding a perfect juicy cantaloupe is easy - look for a melon with no obvious blemishes or soft spots, a sweet smell, and heavy for its size.

Diet/Allergy Alternatives - If you'd like this recipe to be plant-based, leave off the honey or replace it with olive oil.

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