As summer stretches into hot days and balmy nights, there’s one type of dish that can help keep your summer menu cool and interesting: Cold Soups. Not only are these dishes delightfully refreshing, but they offer a nutritious way to keep you cool and energized during the warm summer months. Read on to discover some of the many delicious cold soups that can be sure to keep your summer meal plan interesting and delectable.
1. Enjoy the Refreshment of Cold Soups on a Warm Day
On hot days, sometimes all one needs is a cool refreshing soup to beat the heat. Cold soups provide an ideal balance between flavor and temperature, providing an escape from the sweat and exhaustion of a hot day. Whether you need to cool down after a summer hike or relax with a delicious dinner, cold soups are the perfect choice. Here are a few tasty options:
- Chilled Cucumber Soup: A classic cucumber soup is a simple and delightful option to cool off. The creamy base combines with the crispness of cucumbers, onions, and herbs for an unbeatable flavor. Serve it chilled for a deliciously revitalizing meal.
- Shrimp Gazpacho: This colorful pureed soup incorporates tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers and brings it to life with the addition of high-quality shrimp, garlic, and crunchy croutons. Best for a dinner party, this chilled soup is a great crowd-pleaser.
- Avocado Soup: A creamy and nutritious soup that is sure to please. Avocado, cream, and Greek yogurt create a thick and rich base that is spiced up with lime juice and cayenne pepper. Enjoy the cold freshness on a hot day!
These flavorful cold soups are refreshing and tantalizing and make for an ideal way to cool off on a hot, summer day. There’s no need to suffer through the heat, when you can make one of these simple and delicious meals!
2. Safe Summertime Eating: Cold Soups for the Win
As temperatures heat up and the summer months approach, you can still keep your cool while enjoying delicious, no-cook meals that don’t leave you hot and bothered. One of the best ways to do that is to create and serve cold soups — the perfect way to cool off during the hot months ahead.
From creamy avocado to Thai watermelon, cold soup recipes abound with delightfully delicious options that make summertime eating an absolute breeze. Here are some of the ways you can beat the heat without sacrificing flavor:
- Gazpacho: A classic cold soup made from raw tomatoes and bell peppers with other vegetables and seasonings added.
- Vichyssoise: A rich, creamy soup made with leeks, potatoes, and cream.
- Avocado Soup: Avocado blended with other ingredients for a wonderfully creamy, tangy dish.
- Tomato Soup: Tomatoes, herbs, and onions for a light summery treat.
- Cucumber Soup: Cool, light, and refreshing, this soup is a great way to beat the summer heat.
- Watermelon Soup: A Thai-inspired dish combining the sweet flavors of watermelon, cucumber, lemongrass, and ginger.
These deliciously easy cold soups are sure to be a hit at any summer gathering. Serve with crusty bread, colorful salads, or grilled fish on the side, and you’ll have a happy, healthy, summertime meal that is sure to please.
3. In Season Veggies: Healthy Options for a Cooling Treat
Beet and Carrot Soup
Combining the mild sweetness of beets and carrots makes for a colorful cold soup that can be served as a delightful starter or snack. To prepare this, all you need is beets, carrots, salt and pepper, a bit of olive oil, lemon juice and your choice of herbs. Cook the vegetables in boiling water until they are soft and then puree them to your desired consistency. Topped with a dollop of crème fraîche, it’s a great option for a summer get-together with friends and family.
Avocado Gazpacho
This cold soup is a regular favorite among soup enthusiasts. This delightful cold soup combines beef tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, fresh herbs, and avocado. It’s a great way to help cool down on hot days. This soup can be served with a dollop of roasted garlic-infused olive oil or a drizzle of thick Greek yogurt, and garnished with a few slices of fresh bell pepper.
Chilled Cucumber Soup
This refreshing and delicious cold soup contains cucumbers, scallions, and celery. Along with the vegetables, you will also need sour cream, chicken stock, and thyme. Start by chopping the vegetables and sautéing them in olive oil for about three minutes. Then simmer the vegetables in chicken stock for 15 minutes. Once cooled, blend everything together in a food processor and add the sour cream to it. Don’t forget to add the fresh thyme for extra flavor.
4. Re-Think Soup This Summer: Cold Soups Offer a Variety of Flavors
Summer is the perfect time to experiment with soup. And with temperatures rising, nothing’s better than a cool bowl of cold soup to refresh your palette and keep you light and energized. From comforting classics like watermelon gazpacho to cucumber avgolemono, these recipes are sure to add a delightfully flavor-packed kick to your menu.
- Tomato Gazpacho: For a quick and delicious way to beat the heat, look no further than this classic Spanish chilled tomato soup. A blend of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, almonds, cucumbers, and bell peppers, you’ll be delightfully cooled off after just a few bites.
- Lunchtime Gazpacho: For a light and fruity soup, try this combination of honeydew, cantaloupe, and cucumber. Blending the ingredients with some additional spices and a bit of yogurt for topping, it’s perfect for those hot summer midday lunches.
- Sweet Watermelon Gazpacho: Refreshing and sweet, this soup is sure to hit the spot on those hot days. Blend together seedless watermelon, a bit of green apple, cilantro, and some fresh mint for a delightful flavor profile that will leave your taste buds smiling.
- Cucumber Avgolemono: A take on a traditional Greek lemony egg-based soup, this take on avgolemono is particularly cooling. Combine shredded cucumbers, Greek yogurt, eggs, and lemon juice, and you’ll be rewarded with a creamy and invigorating dish.
So say goodbye to warm soup during the hot summer months. With these cold soups, you’re sure to find something delectably cool to enjoy no matter what day of the week it is.
5. Creative Combinations: Customize Your Own Cold Soup
In the hot summer days, cold soups are the perfect way to cool down and get your nutrients. Here are five creative combinations to help you customize your own cold soup.
- Peach Gazpacho: Blend chopped peaches, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, sherry vinegar, and salt together. Serve with slices of sourdough and feta cheese.
- Cantaloupe Soup: Mix ripe cantaloupe, plain yogurt, honey, lime juice, and mint together. Serve over ice with a sprinkling of feta cheese.
- Avocado Soup: Puree avocado, red onion, garlic, cilantro, tomato, lime juice, and salt together. Add a dollop of sour cream and chives.
- Tomato Soup: Puree ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, onion, olive oil, and garlic together. Serve it with crumbled feta cheese and a sprinkle of fresh oregano leaves.
- Cucumber Soup: Blend cucumbers, plain yogurt, lemon juice, honey, dill, and mint together. Serve it chilled and topped with a dollop of sour cream.
There is something for everyone – experiment with different combinations and enjoy your own customized cold soup.
6. Keep it Quick and Cool: Cold Soups Ready in a Jiffy
1. Gazpacho
Nothing is better in the hot summer days than a refreshing gazpacho. Preparing this Spanish cold soup is easy and a single bowl has all the nutritiousness of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions and garlic. Add a few croutons to make it taste more divine.
2. Cucumber yogurt
If you prefer a lighter soup, then cucumber yogurt is a perfect choice! A simple and delicious combination of cucumber and yogurt will cool you down in a heartbeat. You can serve the soup with herbs, some croutons, or fresh vegetables like bell peppers or tomatoes.
3. Avocado
Another great option to beat the heat is with a cool and creamy avocado soup. Make it with just avocados and some cream or add some lemon juice and cilantro to make it more delicious.
4. Cold tomato and basil soup
Tomatoes and basil go hand in hand and make this cold soup one of the best! Simply add tomatoes, basil, olive oil, salt, vinegar, garlic, and a hint of pepper to a blender and enjoy a healthy treat!
5. Grape gazpacho
It’s not only savory dishes that are good on a hot day. Cold sweet soups can refresh you as well! This one combines the smoothness of grapes, the freshness of cucumber, and the sweetness of honey for a balanced flavor.
6. Watermelon and mint
If you’re looking for something unusual yet refreshing, then this is the soup for you! This combination of watermelon, lime juice, and mint will delight your taste buds. The perfect amount of sweet and sour will make you happy.
7. Upgrade Your Summer Salad: Cold Soups for an Alternate Side
As the days grow warmer, summer salads are the perfect light side dish for any meal. However, when the temperature is particularly high, cold soups can be just as satisfying – and a great way to cool down. Enjoy the best of both worlds with these delicious cold soup recipes that will keep you refreshed all summer long:
- Cucumber Gazpacho Soup – This classic soup is full of texture and flavor, with crunchy cucumber and tomatoes enhanced with garlic, onions, olive oil, and herbs.
- Roasted Beetroot Soup – Beetroot lends an earthy sweetness to this velvety cold soup. Bon appetit!
- Cold Avocado Soup – The freshness of the avocado is complemented perfectly with sweet onion, cucumber, and tomato. This flavorful cold soup makes an ideal accompaniment to any meal.
- Fruity Soup – Get creative with a combination of fruits and vegetables – like apples, mangoes, cucumber, and celery - for a refreshing, flavourful cold soup that’s delicious as a side dish or dessert.
Don’t forget to add a tart cream or yogurt for a delightful contrast. Now that your summer salads are upgraded, you’ve got to try these delicious cold soup recipes – they’re sure to refresh you and your guests on even the hottest of days.
8. No Cooking Required: Superbly Simple Cold Soups
Beat the heat with a refreshing cold soup! These no cook soups are perfect for hot summer days. Just mix the ingredients and chill the soup for a few hours and you will be ready to enjoy:
- Spicy Gazpacho- This tomato and pepper soup with a subtle spicy kick is sure to cool you off quickly.
- Cucumber Soup– Hydrate and cool down with a simple yet delicious cucumber soup.
- Chilled Avocado Soup- The citrus and lime juice give this creamy avocado soup a fresh kick.
- Greek Yogurt Soup- A cool and tangy cucumber and yogurt soup great for those looking for some extra nutrients.
- Cold Melon Soup- A deliciously chilled melon soup for those searching for a sweet cold soup.
Whether you’re looking for a savory or sweet cold soup, there are many flavor combinations that will tantalize your taste buds. These no cooking soups are sure to help you cool down quickly on hot summer days!
There’s no better way to beat the heat than by indulging in a cool and delicious cold soup. Whether it’s a fruity blend or a hearty vegetable mix, cold soups can make anyone feel refreshed on even the hottest summer days. It’s the perfect refreshment for those summer days that just won’t quit!