This Chilled Canary Melon soup is a refreshingly light and flavorful way to start a summery meal, with cool, tangy yogurt and a spicy kick. It’s a perfect sweet-savory combination to celebrate summer!
With the warm weather approaching here in the States, I was super excited to check out the new unique varieties of melons at Sprouts Farmers Market! The canary melon caught my eye, with its beautiful yellow skin. The flavor, in my opinion, tastes like a delicious cross between cantaloupe and honeydew.
The canary melon is just 1 of over 10 specialty melons at Sprouts, and you can find out more about the others here!
The canary melons I picked up were perfectly juicy, aromatic and refreshing in this Chilled Canary Melon Soup. I also found the other great additions to this soup at Sprouts, including the beautiful, fragrant basil, cucumbers, jalapeno (for a nice little spice!) and plant-based yogurt. It’s such a win to find all your fresh, healthy ingredients in one place!
how this Chilled canary melon soup comes together
A quick snapshot of this recipe method is below. For me, it was so tempting to eat it out of the blender like I did! The soup chills in the refrigerator for about 3 hours. You can make this in the morning and enjoy it as part of lunch once it’s cooled down. Or, prepare several hours ahead as part of a summery supper.
- Make the basil-infused olive oil drizzle
- Cook the vidalia onions and cauliflower
- Scoop out the canary melon
- Cook further with mango, blend.
- Chill, meanwhile chop toppings.
A fun way to switch it up further
You can also put a sweeter spin on the soup, if you like. For example, you can leave out the jalapeno, cucumber and basil oil and top with fresh mint, a bit of granola, and vanilla-flavored plant-based yogurt. It’s a great way to sneak some vegetables into an otherwise sweet treat!
other summery dishes (some warm, some cool)
Citrus and Avocado Watercress Salad
Pearl CousCous and Cannellini Bean Salad
Warm Lentil and Mushroom Salad
Chilled Canary Melon Soup
Ingredients
- 1 canary melon
- ½ sweet vidalia onion thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1/3 cup packed chopped cauliflower florets
- 1/3 cup packed fresh or frozen mango
- ½ tsp. fine garlic powder
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 Tbsp. plain plant-based yogurt
- 2 Tbsp. thinly sliced seedless cucumber
- 2 tsp. minced jalapeno
- Fresh basil for garnish
Basil Oil
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil + 1 Tbsp. sliced fresh basil makes extra
Instructions
- Place the 1 Tbsp. sliced fresh basil for the basil oil into a mason jar (or glass). In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, wearing an oven glove, pour the oil onto the basil very carefully. Let sit to cool, while you make the soup.
- Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet, along with the ½ sweet vidalia onion thinly sliced and ½ tsp. kosher salt. Cook gently for 6-7 minutes partially covered, stirring occasionally. Avoid browning, and add one tablespoon of water if the pan gets dry as the onions cook.
- While the onions are cooking, steam the 1/3 cup (packed) chopped cauliflower florets until fork tender.
- Meanwhile, slice the canary melon lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Scoop out the flesh of the entire canary melon with a spoon, placing chunks into a bowl and reserving any juices.
- When the onions are tender and translucent, add the chunks of canary melon with juices, the 1/3 cup (packed) mango and the steamed cauliflower, and cook for 5 minutes at a gentle simmer, partially covered.
- Carefully spoon the mixture to a blender, along with the ½ tsp. fine garlic powder, 2 tsp. lemon juice, and 1 pinch cayenne.
- Very carefully as it’s hot, blend well for 1 to 2 minutes until very smooth. Pour into a bowl to chill in an ice bath or chill in the refrigerator. Before chilling, you may strain through a fine mesh sieve if desired.
- Once chilled, divide into two bowls. Divide the 2 Tbsp. plain plant-based yogurt between the two bowls, 1 dollop each. Do the same with the 2 Tbsp. seedless cucumber and 2 tsp. minced jalapeno.
- Garnish with fresh basil and a small drizzle of basil oil.