Bright and tangy chilled cucumber soup combining creamy yogurt with crisp, cooling herbs. Silky with a slight crunch from reserved cucumber dice for texture contrast. Fresh dill and mint lift the flavors while lemon and olive oil add a clean finish. Serve as a light starter on warm afternoons or alongside grilled fish for a refreshing course.
Ingredients
- English cucumbers (2 medium, about 500 g, peeled, seeded and chopped)
- Greek yogurt (1 1/2 cups, plain, whole-milk or 2% for creaminess)
- Fresh dill (1/4 cup chopped)
- Fresh mint (2 tbsp chopped)
- Fresh lemon juice (2 tbsp)
- Extra-virgin olive oil (2 tbsp plus 1 tsp for drizzling)
- Garlic (1 small clove, minced)
- Cold water or chilled vegetable stock (1/2 cup, to adjust consistency)
- Salt (3/4 tsp) and freshly ground black pepper (1/2 tsp)
- Scallion (1 small, thinly sliced, white and light green parts)
- Optional garnish: reserved cucumber dice, dill sprigs, thin radish slices or smoked paprika (to taste)
Instructions
- Reserve about 1/2 cup finely diced cucumber for garnish and set aside in the fridge.
- Place the remaining chopped cucumber in a blender or food processor with the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped dill and mint.
- Add half of the cold water or stock to start, then blend on high until the mixture is smooth but still slightly textured. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Check consistency and add remaining water or stock in small increments until the soup reaches your preferred thickness (should be pourable but not watery).
- Season with salt and pepper, then blend briefly to incorporate and taste; adjust lemon, salt or herbs as desired.
- Transfer the soup to a covered container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld and the soup become thoroughly cold.
- Before serving, stir gently and taste again for seasoning. If the yogurt has thickened too much, thin with a tablespoon of cold water at a time.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved cucumber dice, a drizzle of olive oil, sliced scallion, a dill sprig and a light dusting of smoked paprika or cracked pepper if using.
- Serve immediately while chilled; leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days—stir well before serving.
Tips or Variations
For a richer version, add half an avocado to the blender for extra silkiness and a subtle nutty flavor.
To make a dairy-free soup, substitute plain unsweetened coconut yogurt and adjust lemon to taste.