The taste of a ripe, juicy cantaloupe is hard to beat, and its appealing pastel-orange color makes it popular in a range of sweet and savory recipes. But the melon’s generous size and round shape can make it cumbersome on your cutting board. The good news is it takes only minutes once you know the easiest methods for cutting into the specific shape you want for snacking or recipes. Plus you can use the same technique for honeydews and similar melons. Here’s how to cut wedges, chunks and slices in minutes, plus some fun things to do with cantaloupe seeds instead of just tossing them.

How to Cut a Cantaloupe

This same method works not only for cantaloupes but also for honeydews, Crenshaws and most other muskmelons. It’s easy, and you use the same basic technique to create wedges, chunks and slices so it’s particularly versatile.

A word about rinsing your cantaloupe: Melons grow on the ground, and the rough netted exterior of a cantaloupe in particular can trap pathogens. Even if you’re peeling the melon it’s important to rinse the skin well to avoid the possibility of the knife transferring bacteria to the flesh.

Step 1: Rinse and Peel

Scrub the melon with a soft brush under tepid water. Rinse and dry well. Place the melon on a cutting board and use a large heavy knife to slice off just enough of the stem and blossom ends to stabilize it. Stand it upright and slice down to remove the skin following the curve of the fruit.

Step 2: Seed

Halve the melon longways and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. See “What to Do with Cantaloupe Seeds,” below, or discard or compost the seeds.

Step 3: Choose Your Shape

Decide if you want wedges, chunks or thin slices.

• Wedges: Turn the peeled cantaloupe half cut-side up and make long slices as thick as you’d like your wedges; for most uses about 1 inch is good.
• Chunks: Make wedges following the instructions above, making them the thickness you’d like the chunks; for fruit salad about 3/4 inch is good for bite-size pieces. Slice across the wedges to make chunks.
• Thin Slices: Lay a peeled melon half cut-side down on your cutting board. Starting at a trimmed end, cut down across the melon making slices about 1/3-inch thick; keep the slices together. Slide the flat side of your knife under the slices and transfer them it to a platter. Gently press down to fan the slices out.

How to Make Melon Balls

Melon balls look great either mounded into a bowl by themselves or as a fun addition to salads. In this method for balls you don’t have to remove the skin of the melon, so if you like you can use it as a natural bowl for serving fruit salad. If you don’t have a melon baller you can also use a small ice-cream scoop or sturdy tablespoon with a deep rounded (not flat) bowl.

Step 1: Rinse and Seed

Scrub the melon with a soft brush under tepid water. Rinse and dry well. Halve the melon and scoop out the seeds. See “What to Do with Melon Seeds,” below, or discard or compost the seeds.

Step 2: Scoop

Use a melon baller to scoop out the flesh, pushing the baller into the flesh and twisting it to make the roundest balls. For a natural bowl to serve them in, scrape the interior of the melon half with the side of spoon to even it out, then a cut a very thin slice off the bottom so it sits level.

How to Store Cantaloupe

Cantaloupes won’t increase in ripeness after harvest, but they will become softer and juicier — a plus in melons — if left at room temperature. You can keep your melon on the counter away from heat for a few days, but be sure to refrigerate it if you see soft spots developing. Once cut, store cantaloupe in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

What to Do with Cantaloupe Seeds

Looking to get more out of your produce? Don’t discard your cantaloupe seeds. They have a lot of the same melon-like sweetness as the flesh itself along with a nice nutty flavor similar to sunflower seeds. Plus they’ve got a good amount of protein and can act as a thickener in drinks. Here are three delicious things to try.

Smoothies: Add a few spoons of seeds and fibers to the blender when you make a smoothie. Blend well to fully pulverize the seeds.

Agua fresca: Combine about 1/2 cup of seeds and fibers with 2 cups water, a few drops of vanilla, a pinch of salt and sugar or honey to taste. Blend for about a minute, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer. You’ll have a creamy beverage with a light, refreshing flavor to serve over ice.

Roasted seeds: Remove large bits of fiber from the seeds (save the fibers to add to smoothies), rinse the seeds a-nd pat them dry. Toss them with a little oil and salt and roast in a 375-degree-F oven, stirring a few times, until browned and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.

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