This chilled mango melon soup is garnished with tangy pickled cucumber and prosciutto skewers for a salty, sweet and cool summer dish.
I’ve never really been a fan of cantaloupe.
I love fruit. Like really love.
If it were possible to subsist on rare steak and ripe summer fruit for the rest of my life, I’d probably seriously consider it; unless that fruit was cantaloupe only.
It’s not even just cantaloupe actually, honey dew does nothing for me either.
I think it’s all the horribly unripe hotel/airport/convenience store fruit cups that ruined both these poor unsuspecting melons, but if it’s orange or green (watermelon gets a pass) and round shaped with a rind, I usually want nothing to do with it.
*This post is sponsored by Vital Proteins.
But, every summer I concede to their presence at some point or another and give them a shot once again.
Most times, I’m disappointed.
This year, however, on an unplanned trip to my usual produce-haven little ghetto Asian market, I spotted local cantaloupe for a steal of $0.99 each.
Not per pound, each.
At less than a buck, I figured there could be no harm in trying once more to change my opinion of the ubiquitous summer fruit.
And you know what? This time, it actually didn’t suck.
In fact, I’d even venture to say it was borderline good!
So after happily devouring the cautiously sized small one I bought initially, I went back for more.
This time, with a chilled melon soup in mind.
Chilled soups are one of my favorite things about summer.
Gazpacho will always remain supreme but chilled fruit soups (like cherry gazpacho and chilled strawberry soup) are just so refreshingly welcome on a hot summer day.
The combination of mango and cantaloupe in this chilled soup is, in my mind, perfection.
The mango brings a certain level of sweetness that I find cantaloupe is otherwise missing and the two play beautifully together.
With a touch of lime and hint of savory flavors it’s almost the ideal light summer meal.
The only thing missing? Protein.
Which gave me a great excuse to use one of my new favorite recipe additions, Vital Proteins collagen peptides into the dish.
I feel like collagen is on a comeback. I’m seeing it incorporated more and more in foods and for good reason.
Collagen has been linked with supporting joint & bone health, promoting healthy skin and most important to me, supporting athletic performance by supplying essential amino acids necessary to rebuild collagen stores that get broken down with strenuous exercise.
Unlike gelatin, collagen will dissolve in cold liquids making it a great choice for this chilled soup.
It’s completely flavorless so you get all the added health benefits and extra protein while maintaining the exact flavor, texture and consistency of whatever it is you’re putting it in. It’s a total win win.
With the extra protein kick the only thing missing in this mango melon soup was fun topping.
A little pickled cucumber (or swap in pickled fennel), toasted pine nuts and prosciutto skewer does the job quite nicely.
ps – this cucumber gazpacho and cold avocado soup are two other great summer recipes!
In fact, the prosciutto skewer in all it’s salty cured meat goodness might just be my favorite part.
Want to double up on mango flavor? Try topping the soup with this mango habanero salsa instead!
This melon soup is basically a fancy version of these melon, prosciutto, mozzarella skewers – a great summer appetizer too!
Love this Mango Melon Soup with Pickled Cucumber recipe?
Try this cantaloupe jalapeno lime agua fresca and this cucumber melon salad for other refreshing ways to enjoy some cantaloupe this season!
And if you’re a fan of pickled things like the cucumber garnish in this soup, try pickled cranberries too. They bring sweet and tangy to a whole new level!
Cheers to summer, a new outlook on melon and a fun soup to try out!
Mango Melon Soup with Pickled Cucumber
Ingredients
- 1 small kirby cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup mango flavored rice vinegar, I use Nakano brand but regular rice vinegar will work as well
- flesh of 1 ripe mango, about 225g
- 1/2 small cantaloupe, about 500g
- 2 scoops, 20g Vital Proteins collagen peptides
- 1 small shallot
- 1 small clove garlic
- zest of 1 lime
- juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 slices imported prosciutto, skewered
- 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
- pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Combine diced cucumber and vinegar in a small bowl making sure all the cucumber is submerged in the vinegar. Set aside while you make the soup.
- Combine the mango, cantaloupe, collagen peptides, shallot, garlic, lime zest and juice in a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Transfer soup to a bowl and refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes.
- Drain the vinegar from the bowl with the cucumbers.
- Spoon the soup into serving bowls, garnish with prosciutto skewers, toasted pine nuts, red pepper flakes and the pickled cucumber.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Melons are wonderful, if you know how to choose ripe ones. Never, ever eat melon you haven’t chosen yourself or you will be disappointed every time. When they are ripe, they are succulently sweet naturally. Choosing a ripe melon is easy. This is how you do it.
1. Look for melons with an unblemished rind that isn’t stiff. It should feel a little pliable in your fingers.
2. Look for slightly fragrant melons. Pick it up, press the stem end of the melon and see if it smells sweet, fruity and like, well, melon. The rind might also smell sweet when touched, so get personal and give it a good sniff.
3. Next, hold it to your ear and give it a few gentle knocks. If someone answers, put it back! Just kidding, it should sound hollow, not solid.
4. Last, It should feel a little heavy for the melon size. In other words, if it is a one pound melon, it should feel like it weighs more than a pound.
Choosing melons this way will give you sweet, juicy, ripe melons every time! Gonna give this soup a try for sure!
I made this as a first course for a dinner party last night (minus the collagen only because I have yet to try it myself). It was so easy and delicious – a big hit on a hot night! Thank you.
It’s a great summer starter. Glad you all liked it!
What a gorgeous soup! This is looks absolutely incredible!!
Thanks, Alida!
Chilled soup??? Never tried it! This is so interesting!
So great in the summer!