Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe (2024)

by Erin

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Enjoy this cold Cucumber Soup as a refreshing summer appetizer or side dish. Made with garlic, jalapeno, yogurt, and olive oil, this easy recipe blends up in seconds and has playful and savory flavors.

Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe (1)

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Ingredients needed

How to make it

Should I serve this soup cold or warm?

Tips and substitutions

Can I make it ahead of time?

What to serve with it

Wine pairings

More soup recipes

Cold Cucumber Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Equipment

Nutrition

Cucumbers are a surprisingly versatile kitchen staple; they can be pickled, sliced, spiralized, dipped, or chopped and added to almost any salad.

I always use them for simple, yet flavorful salads, like my Asian Cucumber Salad, Copycat Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad, and Thai Cucumber Salad.

For this reason, I almost always have leftover cucumbers sitting in my fridge. Instead of using them to dip in hummus, I’d much rather blend them up with a few aromatics and yogurt to make this refreshing soup!

Just like a cucumber gazpacho, this elegant soup is served cold. The fresh ingredients are simple, yet still produce luxurious and playful flavors. It’s a fantastic choice for dinner parties and can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or palate cleanser.

This cold and spicy soup is naturally vegetarian, gluten free, and can easily be made vegan with one simple ingredient swap.

Just when you think it can’t get any better, the soup whips up in seconds using a blender and can be made days ahead of time. It’s a must-have when you’re hosting!

Ingredients needed

  • Cucumbers– I prefer to use english cucumbers since they have less seeds, but any variety will work. For more information, read all about the most popular types of cucumbers that you’ll find in stores.
  • Plain Yogurt – Adds a delicious tang and creaminess. For a vegan cucumber soup, replace it with plant based yogurt.
  • Olive Oil– I add some to the soup and drizzle some on top at the end for a pop of flavor.
  • Garlic+ Green Onion
  • Jalapeno – For less heat, be sure to remove the ribs + seeds. Or, you can leave it out entirely.
  • Herbs– Use anything you prefer. I tend to add a blend of fresh dill, parsley, tarragon, mint, basil and/or cilantro.
  • Fresh Lemon Juice – Adds that hint of brightness at the end. Lime juice also works.
  • Hazelnuts – To top your soup with. This is optional, but adds a delightful texture.

How to make it

Place the cucumbers, yogurt, olive oil, garlic, green onion, jalapeno, herbs, and lemon juice into a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Pour the finished soup into bowls and top each portion with chopped hazelnuts, a drizzle of olive oil, and extra diced cucumber. Serve and enjoy!

Should I serve this soup cold or warm?

Cucumber soup is typically served cold. When heated, cucumber loses its iconic earthy sweetness. In my experience, a warm cucumber soup tastes watery and bland, and is never as refreshing as this chilled version.

Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe (2)

Tips and substitutions

  • To make this cucumber soup vegan, replace the regular yogurt with plain plant based yogurt.
  • I particularly love to sprinkle crushed nuts, croutons, diced cucumber or vegetables, microgreens, edible flowers, fresh herbs, or pepitas on the top of my cold cucumber soup.
  • If you don’t have yogurt at home, use sour cream or buttermilk instead.
  • For a heartier soup, try adding some cold shrimp or a variety of chopped veggies on top.
  • If you don’t have a blender, make the soup in a food processor or blend it in a large bowl using an immersion blender.

Can I make it ahead of time?

Yes! You can make this soup up to 4 days in advance. Store the finished soup in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. No heating required!

Can I freeze cold cucumber soup?

I don’t recommend freezing it because the texture is never the same when it thaws.

What to serve with it

  • Homemade Croutons
  • Crispy Prosciutto
  • Crostini
  • Rack Of Lamb With Herb Crust
  • Crab Encrusted Halibut With Chili Cream Sauce
  • Garlic Butter Steak Bites
  • Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe (3)

Wine pairings

  • Gruner Veltliner
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Pinot Gris
  • Cava
  • Prosecco

More soup recipes

  • Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
  • Tomato Bisque Soup
  • Red Cabbage Soup
  • Healthy Potato Leek Soup
  • Instant Pot Potato Soup
  • Instant Pot French Onion Soup

Did you try this cold cucumber soup recipe?

If you loved this cucumber soup I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a ⭐️star review⭐️! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me onInstagramusing the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me onInstagram,TikTok,PinterestandFacebook.

Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe (4)

Cold Cucumber Soup

Enjoy this cold Cucumber Soup as a refreshing summer appetizer or side dish. Made with garlic, jalapeno, yogurt, and olive oil, this easy recipe blends up in seconds and has playful and savory flavors.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Chilling time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Created by Platings and Pairings

Ingredients

  • 2 large cucumbers (peeled, halved and seeded, then cut into large chunks (reserve some for garnish))
  • 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
  • 1 clove garlic (peeled)
  • 1 green onion (root end trimmed)
  • ½ jalapeno (seeded and rough chopped (optional))
  • ½ cup packed mixed fresh herbs (like parsley, dill, tarragon, basil and cilantro)
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)
  • cup hazelnuts (rough chopped)

Instructions

  • In a blender, combine the chopped cucumber with the yogurt, olive oil, garlic, green onions, jalapeno, herbs, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, or until chilled.

  • Taste and season the cucumber soup again as necessary just before serving.

  • Pour the soup into bowls. Garnish with hazelnuts, diced cucumber and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!

Notes

You can make this soup up to 4 days in advance. Store the finished soup in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Equipment

Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe (5)Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe (6)

Blender

Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe (7)Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe (8)

Knife

Nutrition

Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 31mg | Potassium: 448mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 157IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 1mg

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Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to soup? ›

7 Tips for Successful Soup Making
  • Use a Sturdy Pot. It is worth investing in a heavy pot with a thick bottom to use for making soup. ...
  • Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  • Start with Good Broth. ...
  • Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  • Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  • Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  • Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

Why is my old cucumber soup bitter? ›

Cucumbers contain cucurbitacin, a substance that contributes to the bitter taste cucumbers may sometimes have.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What not to do when making soup? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make Cooking Soup
  1. Boiling instead of simmering. You want a small bubble or two to rise to the surface of the liquid every few seconds. ...
  2. Not using enough salt. ...
  3. Ignoring water. ...
  4. Overcooking the vegetables. ...
  5. Adding tomatoes at the beginning. ...
  6. Neglecting to garnish. ...
  7. Not trying a pressure cooker.
Nov 19, 2014

What is the benefit of old cucumber soup? ›

Old cucumber soup is also cooked with pork, poultry, or dried, salty seafood for added flavor. In addition to acting as a cooling ingredient, Old cucumber soup is a popular home remedy in Cantonese culture to detoxify the digestive tract, help soothe sore throats and coughs, and contribute anti-aging benefits.

Why do cucumbers taste weird lately? ›

Environmental factors have an impact on the levels of cucurbitacin. High heat and constant temperature swings, for example, can affect an entire garden's worth of vegetables. The watering process has a major impact as well. Too little water followed by dry spells will often cause higher levels of this bitter compound.

What gives soup the best flavor? ›

Herbs and spices add aroma, flavor, and intensity to soup broth. "Use fresh or dried basil in tomato-based recipes or fresh parsley to add freshness to clear broth soups," says Sofia Norton, RD. You can also go with more heat and spices.

What are 2 principles of soup making? ›

The document provides 5 basic principles of preparing soup: 1) Starting with cold water. 2) Cutting vegetables to an appropriate size. 3) Selecting a protein such as beef, chicken, pork, or fish. 4) Simmering the soup for 4 hours.

What are three qualities of a good soup? ›

A soup's quality is determined by its flavor, appearance and texture. A good soup should be full-flavored, with no off or sour tastes. Flavors from each of the soup's ingre- dients should blend and complement, with no one flavor overpowering another.

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