Low-Carb Bresaola, Melon & Feta Summer Salad

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This Bresaola, Melon and Feta salad is the ultimate low-carb summer salad.

If you don’t have bresaola, you can easily swap it for prosciutto, chorizo or pepperoni! The crisp sweetness of the melon complements the saltiness of the feta. Instead of feta you can even use goat's cheese. It will be just as delicious and low in carbs. Ready in a matter of minutes, it’s perfect for a impromptu summer BBQ as a side salad or light healthy lunch.

If you really want to send your tastebuds soaring, crisp the bresaola up in the oven… game changer!

Can I Eat Melons on a Keto Diet?

All melons are suitable for a low-carb diet if consumed in moderation (i.e. a wedge or two). The carb count varies for different types of melons including watermelon, galia (the lowest carb count of all), cantaloupe and honeydew. A 100-gram serving (3.5 oz) will provide 5-8 grams of net carbs.

Organic on Not?

According to 2019 EWGs report, galia and cantaloupe melons are on the list of the cleanest low-carb fruits. This means that even if you can't afford organic, they will have very low levels of pesticide residues. Same rule applies to onions — they contain very low pesticide residues.

Unfortunately, tomatoes and cucumbers that are also used in this recipe are on the list of low-carb vegetables that contain the highest levels of pesticide residues. You should always get these organic.

Nutritional values (per serving)

Ingredients (makes 2 servings)

Salad:

• 8 scooped balls of galia melon (80 g/ 2.8 oz)
• ¹/₂ large cucumber, sliced and core removed (140 g/ 4.9 oz)
• ¹/₂ cup cherry tomatoes, halved (75 g/ 2.6 oz)
• ¹/₄ small red onion, thinly sliced (15 g/ 0.5 oz)
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, torn (3.2 g/ 0.1 oz)
• 8 slices bresaola (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
• ¹/₃ cup crumbled feta (50 g/ 1.8 oz)

Dressing:

• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (15 ml)
• ¹/₂ tsp coconut aminos or tamari sauce
• pinch of salt, or to taste
• pinch cracked black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
   
2. Peel and deseed the melon. Chop into chunks or use a melon baller.
   
3. Slice the cucumber in half. Scoop out the seeds with a small spoon. Discard the seeds (or reserve for another recipe) and slice.
   
4. Mix the melon, cucumber, tomatoes and onion together in a bowl and toss with the mint and dressing.
   
5. Top with bresaola slices and feta to serve. It tastes the best when served fresh but can be stored in the fridge for up to a day.
   The bresaola is also nice roasted in the oven set to 180 °C/ 355 °F (conventional), or 160 °C/ 320 °F (fan assisted) for about 5 - 8 minutes until crisp!

Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving)

Net carbs	Protein	Fat	Calories
Galia melon, fresh
2.1 g	0.2 g	0 g	10 kcal
Cucumber, fresh
1 g	0.4 g	0.1 g	8 kcal
Tomatoes, cherry, fresh, all varieties
0.7 g	0.3 g	0.1 g	6 kcal
Onion, red, fresh
0.5 g	0.1 g	0 g	3 kcal
Mint, fresh
0.1 g	0.1 g	0 g	1 kcal
Bresaola
0 g	10.5 g	0.9 g	48 kcal
Feta cheese
1 g	3.6 g	5.3 g	66 kcal
Lime juice, fresh
0.2 g	0 g	0 g	1 kcal
Olive oil, extra virgin
0 g	0 g	13.5 g	119 kcal
Coconut aminos (substitute to soy sauce)
0.1 g	0 g	0 g	0 kcal
Salt, sea salt
0 g	0 g	0 g	0 kcal
Pepper, black, spices
0 g	0 g	0 g	0 kcal
Total per serving
5.7 g	15.1 g	20 g	263 kcal

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