A machine for making liquid and/or semi-liquid food products of the ice cream sector comprising a unit for receiving and treating capsules containing a basic preparation for an ice cream product, provided with: - a retaining unit provided with a retaining housing configured to receive a capsule containing a basic preparation for an ice cream product, - an expulsion device comprising a nozzle connectable to a compressed air source, the nozzle being configured to emit a jet of air in the direction of the retaining unit and adapted to strike the capsule when the latter is inside the retaining housing in such a way as to expel the capsule from the retaining housing along an expulsion direction, the machine further comprising: - a processing container forming a processing chamber for making an ice cream product; - a dispensing unit configured to open and compress the capsule so that the basic preparation is squeezed out of the capsule and transferred to the processing container; - a stirrer mounted inside the processing chamber; - a cooling system provided with at least one heat exchanger associated with the processing container, to exchange heat with the processing container to cool the processing container; the machine further comprising a device for injecting a dilution liquid, associated with the processing container, for injecting the dilution liquid into the processing container, said dispensing unit being equipped with at least one abutment element which comes into contact with a top wall of the capsule, the abutment element being movable between a spaced-apart position where it is spaced from the capsule and a contact and compression position where it compresses the top wall of the capsule. - a retaining unit provided with a retaining housing configured to receive a capsule containing a basic preparation for an ice cream product, - an expulsion device comprising a nozzle connectable to a compressed air source, the nozzle being configured to emit a jet of air in the direction of the retaining unit and adapted to strike the capsule when the latter is inside the retaining housing in such a way as to expel the capsule from the retaining housing along an expulsion direction, the machine further comprising: - a processing container forming a processing chamber for making an ice cream product; - a dispensing unit configured to open and compress the capsule so that the basic preparation is squeezed out of the capsule and transferred to the processing container; - a stirrer mounted inside the processing chamber; - a cooling system provided with at least one heat exchanger associated with the processing container, to exchange heat with the processing container to cool the processing container; the machine further comprising a device for injecting a dilution liquid, associated with the processing container, for injecting the dilution liquid into the processing container, said dispensing unit being equipped with at least one abutment element which comes into contact with a top wall of the capsule, the abutment element being movable between a spaced-apart position where it is spaced from the capsule and a contact and compression position where it compresses the top wall of the capsule.