Looking for sweet treats to enjoy on hot summer days without cheating on your health goals? Our friend, Heather from @FitMamaRealFood shared her Melon Mint Sorbet recipe with us to try this summer! Indulge with a treat that is deliciously easy and still super healthy! Featuring 3 ingredients, including Pure Flavor® Solara™ Mini Melons, this recipe is dairy-free, naturally sweetened, and can be easily made in the blender! Add this to your summer must-try list and delight the whole family!

BEAT THE HEAT – 

I always crave a sweet, refreshing treat on hot summer days. The problem is that most of the store-bought options contain added sugars and ingredients that don’t always leave me feeling the best. That’s why I make my homemade sorbet! This Melon Mint Sorbet recipe is so healthy and easy because it only uses 3 ingredients and a kitchen gadget that I already have close by! If you were hesitant to try to make this sorbet, rest assured there’s no bulky ice cream maker needed – just a handy blender! The thought of making homemade sorbet may seem complicated, but it’s not. It can easily be made at home and this recipe truly is tastier, healthier, and easier than running to the store. By making it yourself, you have control over all of the ingredients in your sorbet, including skipping out on added refined sugars that can be hiding in some store-bought sorbets or ice cream treats. 

Melon and mint go so well together and this delicious homemade fruit sorbet really illustrates that perfect pairing! This no-churn sorbet is a cooling, icy treat to enjoy when the temperature starts to warm up. Since I like to keep my kitchen gadgets pretty minimal, an ice cream machine has never made the cut to join my kitchen. Luckily, it’s easy to make a frozen dessert without one by using the blender you likely already have at home. This healthy recipe is incredibly easy to make with basic ingredients that pack a punch with fresh flavors! 

WHAT IS A SORBET?

Sorbet, also known as Italian ice, is a dessert made with simple ingredients. All you need is fruit, water, and a little sweetener to create this perfect summer treat. Icy sorbet is typically lower in sugar and fat compared to ice cream. Sorbet is similar to sherbet, except that sherbet has milk (either dairy or non-dairy) added to it. Traditional recipes would call for a sugar-made simple syrup, but in this recipe, we’re making it with honey, which pairs really well with the melon and mint.

THE MAIN INGREDIENT – 

Pure Flavor® Solara™ Mini Melons are the first greenhouse grown personal-sized melons that give you tropical flavors in the palm of your hand. They are sweet, juicy, and sustainably grown. We couldn’t get enough of the melon the first time we took a bite and turning it into a scoopable sorbet made it extra special!

To make this Melon Mint Sorbet you only need 3 simple ingredients,  Solara™ Mini Melons, honey simple syrup, and fresh mint leaves. 

Now when it comes to making the sorbet, it is just so easy! The first thing I do is dice 1 mini melon into cubes and freeze the melon until it is solid. While the melon freezes, I make a honey simple syrup using only honey and water and when that is done, I pour it into a jar to cool at room temperature.

SKIP THE ICE CREAM MAKER –

Once the melon is frozen and the simple syrup is made it is time for the fun part – blending it all together! If you want to make this process even quicker, cut and freeze the melon the day before you plan on making the sorbet, that way you don’t have to wait for the melon to freeze. First, I start with blending the melon, and then I add the simple syrup until I get the consistency I like. If you don’t have a blender, a food processor will work just as well!

As the sorbet mixes, I scrape down the sides, throughout the entire process so there is no large frozen melon chunks, and then I add the mint leaves, and blend again. If you want a smoother sorbet texture, just add more simple syrup. Yes, it is that easy! Once your sorbet is blended, put the mixture into a freezer-safe container to chill. While the sorbet chills, slice the other mini melon in half and scoop out the seeds to create a perfect bowl to serve your sorbet in. My kids absolutely loved eating it straight out of the melon bowl! Garnish with some chopped mint and enjoy this easy healthy sorbet recipe!

DON’T FORGET THE TOPPINGS – 

Melon Mint Sorbet is delicious on its own but it can be made extra special with toppings! Here are some of my favorites that go well with this Melon Mint Sorbet:

  • Minced mint or basil
  • Shredded coconut flakes
  • Sliced almonds
  • Diced pistachios
  • Crumbled graham crackers
  • Chopped strawberries
  • Granola
  • Coconut cookie straws 

One great part about this treat is that you can make it ahead of time and enjoy it later! Simply store leftover sorbet in an airtight container in the freezer. If your sorbet gets frozen solid, set it out on the counter for 30 minutes to allow it to soften before you serve. To get the sorbet mixture back to a smooth texture, you can simply blend it back to a creamy texture with a touch of water to get it going.

MAKE IT YOUR OWN – 

The best part about this recipe is that you can substitute any of the ingredients below and they will still work well in this sorbet. 

Honey – To make this sorbet vegan, you can substitute the honey for maple syrup or agave nectar. Since we’re turning the sweetener into a simple syrup, coconut sugar or cane sugar will work as well since they will dissolve into the water and make a simple sugar syrup.

Water – Replace the water in the sorbet base with fruit juice like orange juice, apple juice, or pomegranate juice for extra fruit flavor! 

Mint – Fresh basil is a great substitute for mint to give this sorbet a rounded, herbal flavor. 

MAKE SUMMER SWEETER – 

Now that you know how easy this recipe is to make, I’m sure you’ll be enjoying it all summer long! It’s refreshing, light, plant-based, and best of all so easy! That is why this cold treat is one of my favorites to serve to my family and at dinner parties on these warm summer days.  By serving it in the Solara Mini Melon bowl, it adds a little extra flair and better yet, you won’t have to worry about the melting mess and no extra dishes to wash! I know my kids eat it right up and I’m sure that no matter who you serve it to they will as well! So, if you are looking to keep cool on those hot days and serve up a healthy sweet treat that will satisfy your sweet tooth, why not try something new this summer? I’m pretty certain that this tropical tasting dessert might even become your new favorite to create any time of year!