A Savoury Melon Soup Starter
Provencal Recipes · Soup · TasteGiuseppina Mabilia, who blends a fusion of tastes from Italy and Provence at her cooking school Venise en Provence shares this recipe for a savoury, cold melon soup. Perfect for a starter in the heat of summer, or for lunch.

Cold Melon Soup Starter
This is one of my preferred recipes: it's very simple and easy to make but incredibly good, and all your guests will enjoy it so much. Now, as the main ingredient is melon, you should choose a really good one, as that will make the difference. You might be tempted to add something. Well, I did initially, and then I just reduced the ingredients to the minimum, and that's simply perfect.
Ingredients
- 4-5 small melons Cavaillon variety in France, or Cantaloupe
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt just a pinch
- fresh basil
- 1 tsp dried red pepper cayenne or Piment d'Espelette
Instructions
- Start by washing the melon and cutting it in two (if you serve them, try to make a nice cut: equal and clean). Then, make some balls with a Parisian scoop melon baller.
- Calculate five balls for each serving, set in a bowl and cool in the fridge.
- Now, you can scoop the rest of the melon roughly and put it in a blender, though not all at once: start with a small quantity and then add the rest. Mix well.
- Add the oil, a pinch of salt, the red peppercorn and some of the basil and mix again till you have a smooth consistency.
- Taste: If it seems a bit insipid, add a pinch of salt and some extra oil and mix again.
- Store in the fridge and let it cool for 1 hour. Then, pour the half melons into a nice glass or bowl, add the melon balls, and some basil.
- Enjoy!
Notes
If you have the chance to find small melons you can present this starter as you see in the photo, otherwise I serve it in nice cups or glasses. This recipe is highly influenced by the quality of melons that you use.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Côtes de Provence Pierrefeu Rosé 2015Next Post
Events for First Weekend in JuneRelated Provence Articles
Hearty Grain Soup with Petit Épeautre
January 23, 2017
A warm, hearty and filling soup that can be served on a summer day as easily as it can be on a cold winter's eve. …
Recipe for Tomato Soupe au Pistou
November 13, 2015
Jackie shares her version of a Provencal classic soupe au pistou. In this variation, a heavier dose of tomatoes will give you a summery reminder as winter closes in. According to Jackie, All this tomato growing and preserving couldn’t go by without attempting a few new recipe ideas in the kitchen and in a departure …
Provence’s Tasty Cavaillon Melons Achieve IGP Protected Status
May 5, 2025
After a complicated process that took eight long years, on February 12, 2025, the European Commission granted the Melon de Cavaillon its coveted IGP designation. IGP laws (Indication Géographique Protégée) mean that only products from a certain geographic area, following strict rules, can carry the label. It guarantees quality and authenticity for the consumer and …
Easy Dessert Strawberry Basil Soup Recipe
July 8, 2020
All you need is four (4) ingredients, about 5 minutes to prepare and a couple of hours to let it cool. Strawberry Basil Soup is a great summer dessert paired with rosé bien sûr.…
4 Comments
Interesting! I’ll have to try this once the weather gets a bit warmer.
Hi Ashley – yes when the Cavaillon melons are at the height of perfection this soup will be a perfect summer treat.
This looks so delightful, and I wish I could get my hands on some Cavaillon melons to make it! (When you said 4-5 small melons, I knew you meant Cavaillons!) Other nice melons will be coming into season here, soon, and I look forward to making this.
Hi David: Yes you are correct (thanks for clarifying) that would be 4-5 Cavaillon melons. As a not I do not even like melons, except for the Cavaillon version. :-)