A machine for making liquid and/or semi-liquid products of the ice cream sector comprises: - a processing container (3) forming a processing chamber (4) for making an ice cream product; - a stirrer (5) mounted inside the processing chamber (4); - a cooling system (13) equipped with at least one heat exchanger (15) associated with the processing container (3), for exchanging heat with the container (3) and cooling the processing container (3); - a unit (9) for receiving and treating a capsule (201) containing a basic preparation (P) for an ice cream product, configured to allow the capsule (201) to be compressed in such a way so as to deform lateral walls (204) of the capsule (201) and to squeeze the basic preparation (P) out of the capsule (201) and transfer it to the processing container (3).