Light and Refreshing, No-Cook, Cold Cucumber Soup
Cold cucumber soup is as refreshing as it is delicious. It makes an elegant light lunch or a cooling starter for a summer supper.
As temperatures rise with the summer heat, I begin to crave cooling foods, particularly cucumbers. It turns out, this is no accident. Eating cucumbers actually makes your body feel cooler. It also helps your body combat the inflammatory effects of heat. In addition, being packed with water, cucumbers help keep you hydrated on hot summer days. So, there are plenty of great reasons to eat cucumbers all summer long!
If health and coolness aren’t reasons enough to indulge in summer cucumbers, this soup will win you over. It requires no heat or cooking, comes together in mere minutes, but is also very healthy and refreshing.
The Recipe
The rich tanginess of crème fraîche contrasts beautifully with the light, soothing cucumber and fresh dill. This recipe is very light and healthy.
I like to make this soup with crème fraîche because it helps keep me full longer and balances an otherwise light soup. However, if you are on a special diet and need to cut back on fat, you could easily substitute yoghurt for the crème fraîche in this recipe.
This cold cucumber soup is seasoned with fresh dill, an herb I adore. It is a refreshing, cooling herb which is known to support healthy digestion. However, dill has a unique, love it or hate it flavour.
If dill is not your cup of tea, you could always take the herbs in this soup in a more green goddess direction by using parsley, tarragon, and chives. Basil and mint would also be delicious additions. In other words, feel free to adapt the herbs according to what is growing in your garden and your personal tastes.
Whether you use cream or yoghurt, dill or other herbs, I hope you try this simple soup and enjoy it all summer long. Bon appétit!
Light and Refreshing No-Cook Cold Cucumber Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 20 grams fresh dill, coarse stems removed, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 english cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced into half moons
- 250 grams creme fraîche
Instructions
- Combine olive oil, salt, white pepper, garlic, dill and cucumbers in a medium bowl. Toss to combine. Refrigerate covered for 2 to 6 hours.
- Just before serving, stir in 250 grams creme fraîche. The soup will have the consistency of light cream. If you prefer a thinner soup, you can thin it with a bit of vegetable stock.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
If you're not a fan of dill, you can experiment with parsley, tarragon, chives, mint and basil to achieve a flavour of your liking. These herbs all make excellent companions to the cucumbers and the creme fraîche.