If you’ve ever grown cucumbers, you know that by midsummer your plants have produced enough to feed your entire neighborhood. And if you don’t have a bit of garden to watch these miraculous vines grow, you’ll at least notice the stall of every vegetable grower at your farmers’ market overflowing with many varieties of cucumbers.
Most gardeners and cooks want to know: what to do with all these cukes?! Once you’ve made your favorite salad or special relish a dozen times over, there’s still a way to enjoy this humble vegetable: a chilled soup!
What I love most about cucumbers is their crunchiness and their delicate, fresh flavor. That’s exactly what I tried to highlight when creating this recipe. Served very chilled, the soup is not only light, but extraordinarily refreshing — a perfect hors d’oeuvre or first course for a summer menu.
For a bit of fun, I like to serve this soup in stemless martini glasses (it’s easy to sip and won’t fill anyone up before dinner). For a gorgeous presentation, I garnished the glasses with yellow tomato cubes and a drizzle of lemon-infused oil.
And just like that, the humble cucumber is transformed into a green gazpacho every bit as exciting and delicious as its big sister!
Food & wine pairing: Vinho Verde with chilled cucumber soup
This dish demands a crisp, light wine. A bone-dry white Vinho Verde made with the Alvarinho grape (also known as Albariño) from Portugal with its mouthwatering acidity and slight effervescence is delightful with this soup. Of course, a crisp Albariño from Galicia is a great match too.
Chilled cucumber soup with yogurt and fresh mint
serves 4 as an appetizer or 12 as an hors d’oeuvre
active time: 20 min
For the soup
- 1 3/4 lbs (795 g) seedless cucumbers – peeled and cut in 3” pieces (or 2 lbs (905 g) regular cucumber peeled, seeded and cut in 3″ pieces)
- 1/4 medium red onion – skinned
- 1 garlic clove – skinned
- 1 jalapeño – stem removed, halved and seeded
- 8 large mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 – 6oz (170 g) plain yogurt
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup spring water to taste
For the garnishes
- lemon oil
- 1 medium yellow tomato – seeded and cut in 1/8” cubes (or 8 yellow grape tomatoes quartered)
- tiny mint leaves
- Step 1: Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor with 1/2 cup of the spring water. Pulse a few times so the ingredients are coarsely chopped, then process until soup is very smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. If necessary, thin with the remaining water to the desired consistency.
- Step 2: Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight, until well chilled. Place the soup in the freezer for 30 minutes before serving.
- Step 3: Ladle soup into chilled soup bowls or cocktail glasses. Drizzle a little lemon oil in the center of each bowl. Garnish with a few tomato cubes, a mint leaf and serve immediately.
- Cook’s note: The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
OMG! I made this soup during this week of the hottest weather we have ever had here in Sebastopol, California… 111 degrees F… and it was a balm for our insides and our minds, a refreshing balm of great taste, health, and hope! So perfect and delicious. Thank you, Viviane, for the inspiration and perfect instructions. 🙂
Thank you, Neise! I am so happy you loved this soup!
The perfect soup for the hot weather we’re experiencing.
Those photos are so gorgeous! The soup is perfect for the season, Viviane.
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This looks so good. May I ask what “Spring Water” is?
Hi Lisa! Spring water is bottled water that comes from a spring, rather that filtered water or tap water. I recommend it in recipes because it has no flavor and therefor is best to cook with. But if you have access to a good filtered water that works too… Not everyone does though, hence my recommendation. Enjoy the chilled cucumber soup!
What beautiful recipe. It was delicious. I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you
Suzanna! Thank you so much for taking the time to write a note. I’m delighted you loved the recipe! I must say I make it myself very often in the summer months here. Bon appétit!
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Wow/this looks and sounds so wonderful. I hope to make this tomorrow.
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This looks so refreshing! I was going to whip up some chilled cucumber soup tonight, great minds think alike 🙂
This is just perfection! So beautiful and refreshing! And a great way to use all those cucumbers!
The first time I ever tasted cold cucumber soup was many years ago at Le Bernadin and it was wonderful. Yours looks amazing in the cosmopolitan glasses and the little garnish on top is fantastic. This looks like an amuse bouche I’d expect at a fancy restaurant!
What an absolutely beautiful soup–and a perfect summer appetizer. I’m afraid I am one of those cooks who always does about the same three things with cucumbers.
This soup is so gorgeous! It sounds so refreshing as well, and just the type of thing I would love to make when cucumbers come into season here!
This is a very refreshing loooking soup my friend, I llove the colour and sides to it 😀
You are very creeative!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
CCU! So are so adorable… Thank you my dear! I do my best to remain “creeative” at all times 🙂
Hi! This looks so delish! I was thinking of a recipe like this today when I had my cucumber soup as a starter at work. Grilled prawns go so well with this, too.
Greetings from Germany,
Christine
Greetings back from NY Christine! Thank you for stopping by… and for your comment.
Very refreshing and delicious looking gazpacho. Love your food presentation and photos are making me want some right now to cool me off.
Prefect summer dish! Thank you for sharing and have a beautiful week ahead!
Thank you Sandra… Hope you had a “cool” and delicious weekend!
I think you just change my mind about yogurt based cucumber soups! I love the spicy, minty, and a touch of sweet! Headed to the growers’ market Thursday with cucumbers on the list! Love the idea of serving it in the martini glasses! Gorgeous photos as always!
MJ! the yogurt here gives the soup a wonderful texture without being predominant. Local cucumber season has started for me too, so I made this soup twice last week… with mint from my garden – very refreshing. Enjoy!
This was a great soup. I left out the maple syrup and doubled the garlic. Will def make this again.!
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Amazing. I just made it, the maple syrup and jalapeno in this just make it sooo addictive 🙂
Thank you so much!
Justine! Thank you for letting me know – I’m over the moon! Patiently waiting for cucumber season to start in my neck of the woods… Happy cooking and eating!
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Excellent soup. I have used honey outstanding. Best summer soup ever I had or made
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I’ve made this three times since finding the recipe, and every time it gets rave reviews. It tastes delicious. A great way to use a bumper crop of cucumbers from the garden. Thank you!
I make Cucumber Dill Soup all summer long, but this recipe is a nice variation, never added jalapeno or mint before. And I love the presentation!
I know people who make this with watermelon. Delicious!
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Your cucumber soup was delicious – just right for a hot evening when, here in Northern Europe, we have a glut of cucumbers. I used tabasco because I had no jalapenos: a nice kick but the soup lacked the creamy green I see your video. This is important because I think a cucumber soup should be a little green, even if the cucumbers are peeled.
Stephen, Thank you so much for your comment. I’m delighted you enjoyed the chilled cucumber soup. Cucumber season is on its way here too and I’ll be making it myself all summer long. Young seedless cucumbers have a greener flesh than the common cucumber. If you use those, you might be able to get a bit more of that pretty green color. Happy cooking and thank you again for stopping by!
I just made your cucumber soup and it’s absolutely delicious – so refreshing!
Thanks for the recipe!
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I love this! The picture is beautiful…it looks like it belongs in a food magazine. So glad you joined us — hope you’re cooking along with us for the next #letslunch challenge — fall salads!
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Could you recommend an entree to accompany cucumber gazpacho soup? Trying to find light summer dinner that I can make and not expire from the heat in my kitchen. I have rosemary, thyme, basil, and parsley growing in my garden (if that helps)
Amy, Thank you for your comment. Yes, I certainly recommend a main dish that only takes minutes to cook and therefore won’t make your kitchen hotter than it is these days: fresh corn polenta topped with a quick sauce made with summer squash, tomatoes and fresh herbs. You can use your parsley, basil and thyme.
http://foodandstyle.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/polenta%E2%80%A6-italy%E2%80%99s-other-national-dish/
What I like about this dish also is that you can make the polenta ahead of time, perhaps is the morning or the day before. The total cooking time before you assemble the dish and serve is only about 10 minutes. It is also incredibly delicious!
Hope you enjoy.
Beautiful presentation. I just love the video, and can’t wait to try your recipe.
I will definitly visit again.
Thank you for sharing your amazing gift.
you already know i love your pics, i just came to print this recipe and watched your video… FABULOUS! you are just adorable, what a wonderful treat to have your chat and cook for us, i am totally hooked on your blog, thanks so much for sharing with us!
Thank you so much Jain! I’m sure you know how much work goes into doing all of this… so you really just made my day!
My kind of soup! Cold, lite and delish. Yes, the cukes are abundant in the garden right now and this just made tomorrow’s lunch menu. Thank you.
That sounds really refreshing. The heat is just too much right now.
Gazpacho, yum! What a perfect ending to a summer evening. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe.
I have to come clean: I have never made Gazpacho, but I am going to try this recipe.
This is such a nice alternative to tomato gazpacho!I love the look of the yellow tomato garnish. And yes, I am swimming in cucumbers right now, so the timing is perfect!