How to Cut a Cantaloupe (3 different ways)

Here is how to cut a cantaloupe three different ways: thin slices, wedges and bite-sized cubes. It’s a handy little tutorial that will show you how to get your desired shape when cutting up cantaloupe. 👌🏻

cantaloupe cut into 3 different shapes shown on a wood cutting board

Note: This same process can be used to cut a honeydew or any other similar melon. You may also like my tutorial on how to cut a watermelon here.

How to choose a good cantaloupe

First you want to start with a good, ripe cantaloupe. You don’t want to see any external spots or squishy spots. When a cantaloupe is ripe, it will have a slight give when you press your finger on the exterior. This makes it easier to peel and cut a cantaloupe.

Very often, I will have to settle for a not-yet-ripe cantaloupe, and I just let it sit a couple days on my kitchen counter until it feels just right. Ripe cantaloupe tastes better and is much easier to peel and slice.👌🏻

Also, be sure and rinse your cantaloupe off to help remove any dirt and/or pesticide residue. A fruit and veggie wash may be used, if desired. I personally love the Young Living fruit and veggie wash myself!

And a good, sharp chef’s knife works best.

How to peel and remove seeds from a cantaloupe

First, I start by cutting off both stem ends. The stem ends are where you can see a little spot from where the cantaloupe was growing on the vine, as shown below.

Cutting off stem ends of melon

This helps to create a flat, secure base for peeling. So after you have cut off both ends, turn the fruit up on one of the flat sides. Then, take your knife and carefully use a downward cutting motion, almost in a C shape, to remove the skin.

cutting peeling off cantaloupe

Just keep rotating the fruit around until you have removed most of the skin/ peeling. Don’t worry if some green strips remain. You can go back and use my knife to go back around and clean those up.

peeling a melon with a sharp knife on wood cutting board

Now you are ready to cut the cantaloupe in half. Leave it sitting on that flat base, just like when you were peeling, and cut straight down the middle.

cutting cantaloupe in half on wood cutting board

The seeds will be exposed. These are super easy to remove! Use a spoon to scrape around the seeds and the membranes. This loosens things up. And then use that same spoon to remove the seeds.

removing seeds from a melon with a spoon

Now you are ready to pick what shape slices you want.

How to cut a cantaloupe into thin slices

Thin slices look nice, are easy to serve and they can stretch a cantaloupe to feed a lot of people. They look pretty on an assorted fruit tray with all kinds of fruit.

First, turn the cantaloupe hollow side down (where the seeds were). You want those flat stem ends to be from left to right, as shown in the picture below. You are going to carefully slice thin slices in the same direction you sliced off those stem ends.

cutting cantaloupe into thin slices on a wood cutting board

It doesn’t have to be perfect, but try to cut similar width slices. Once you get to the end, you can use your knife as a scoop to transfer the fruit to a serving plate or tray.

scooping thin cantaloupe slices up with a knife

Just place them centered to where you want them. Then you can use your hands to gently press down to kind of fan them out, and they will spread a little to look like a pretty cascading stack of cantaloupe slices.

fanning out thin cantaloupe slices on a white plate

Tongs are very useful for serving cantaloupe slices like this.

How to cut a cantaloupe into wedges

I am using the other half of that same cantaloupe to show you how to cut cantaloupe wedges. So take your cantaloupe half and lay it hollow side down on the board. But this time you want those flat stem ends facing top to bottom, as shown below.

I will show you how to get 8 wedges from this cantaloupe half (16 wedges, if you cut the whole cantaloupe this way). Cut this into two equal pieces.

cutting cantaloupe into wedges on a wood cutting board

Then cut those halves in half. I try to angle my knife slightly toward the center of the cantaloupe, at about a 45 degree angle.

cutting melon into wedges on a wood cutting board

Do this on both sides to give you 4 equal chunks. And then cut all remaining pieces in half again to give you 8 total wedges. Again, it helps to angle that knife toward the center of that stem end.

cutting melon into wedges on a wood cutting board

How to cut a cantaloupe into bite-sized cubes

First, complete all steps in the above section, how to cut a cantaloupe into wedges. Next, take 4 of those wedges and turn them horizontal to yourself, with that hollow side down. Use your hands to kind of squeeze them (gently) to hold them together. Carefully make perpendicular cuts (like a checker board).

cutting a cantaloupe into cubes on a wood cutting board

Keep cutting all the way across until you get cubes. Repeat with the other wedges, 4 at a time.

How to store cut cantaloupe

I like to store mine in an airtight container with a lid.

cantaloupe cubes in a glass container with green towel

Keep it in the refrigerator once it has been cut and peeled.

How long is cut cantaloupe good for? We usually keep ours for about a week, if it lasts that long! I did a quick Google search and confirmed it should be good for 4 to 7 days in the fridge.