Recipes & Cooking How to Cook Fruits & Vegetables How to Cut a Cantaloupe: A Step-by-Step Guide with Photos Skip the expensive pre-cut melon and cut your cantaloupe yourself. We'll walk you through the process from start to finish. By Sarah Martens Sarah Martens Sarah Martens is the Senior Editor overseeing food at Better Homes & Gardens digital. She has been with the BHG brand for more than 10 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process and Jan Miller Jan Miller Jan Miller is the Executive Editor of Better Homes & Gardens magazine. She has over 25 years of experience helping readers answer the question, "What's for dinner?", has taught home bakers a thing or two, and has inspired home cooks to experiment in the kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on June 20, 2024 Close Photo: Andy Lyons A hydrating and healthy fix for your sweet tooth, cantaloupe melons are also surprisingly nutritious. Cantaloupe is loaded with beta-carotene (vitamin A), which safeguards your eyesight, helps keep your mind sharp, and reduces inflammation. You can find cantaloupe in the grocery store year-round, but it's at its peak during the summer months into early fall. Rather than buying pre-cut fruit that's not always the freshest, we'll walk you through how to cut cantaloupe into slices or cubes at home. You'll need a large cutting board and a chef's knife. Tips for Growing Cantaloupe That’s So Juicy It’s Worth the Effort How to Cut a Cantaloupe Here's our Test Kitchen's preferred method for cutting a cantaloupe into cubes or slices. Scott Little Step 1: Prep the Cantaloupe Before cutting, thoroughly scrub the melon with a clean produce brush. Don’t skip this step. Bacteria on the outside can make its way inside when you cut, so rinse and scrub with a produce brush first. Use a large chef's knife to cut the cantaloupe in half, cutting through the stem and blossom ends; steady the melon with your other hand. Be sure to use a cutting board. Test Kitchen Tip: If your cutting board is slipping around, try placing a damp towel under the board. This will help keep it in place. It's very important to have a stable surface when cutting a cantaloupe to avoid knife slips and accidental cuts. Scott Little Step 2: Scoop the Seeds Using a large spoon, scoop out the seeds and fiber in the center of the melon halves. If desired, discard the seeds. Test Kitchen Tip: You can eat cantaloupe seeds! In fact, cantaloupe seeds have omega-3 fatty acids. Toast and season just like you would make roasted pumpkin seeds. Scott Little Step 3: Cut Wedges Cut the melon halves in half again and then, if you want, into smaller wedges. Use a boning knife to cut between the rind and the fruit of each wedge. Discard the rind. Scott Little Step 4: Cut into Cubes Serve the melon in wedges, or cut the melon into large chunks. You can also chop the melon into smaller pieces. Try adding cantaloupe cubes to a refreshing summer drink, like this Cantaloupe-Peach Agua Fresca. BHG / Ana Cadena How to Make Melon Balls To make cantaloup melon balls, prep the cantaloupe through step 2. Once halved and the seeds have been scooped out, use a melon baller to scoop out small balls of cantaloupe. Save any extra melon pieces in a freezer-safe bag for tossing into smoothies or shakes. Cream Cheese and Yogurt Fruit Dip How Much Melon Will I Get? If you're cutting a cantaloupe into melon balls or cubes, here's how much you can expect to yield. 1 medium cantaloupe (2 1/2 pounds) = about 6 cups cubed or about 5 1/2 cups of melon balls. How to Choose a Cantaloupe There are several theories about choosing a sweet cantaloupe. Some say thump it; some say squeeze it. A good place to start is on the outside: Choose a cantaloupe that has a cream-colored netting over a rind that is green, yellow, or gray. The blossom end should yield to gentle pressure; the rest of the melon should be firm and free from decay, bruises, and cuts. Smell at the stem end—it should have a sweetly aromatic scent. Pick a melon that’s heavy for its size. When they’re ripe, melons are dense with water. How to Store Cut Cantaloupe Once cut, it's best to use up cut melon within a couple of days. Store your cantaloupe cubes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Freeze cantaloup for 2-3 months for longer storage. 4 Watermelon Tricks for Finding One That's Perfectly Sweet and Juicy Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit