Summer Soup Recipe: Cool Vegan Cucumber Soup

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 30 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Looking for the perfect light and filling summer meal? How do you feel about cold soups? You’re probably already familiar with traditional Spanish gazpacho, but the world of chilled soups goes well beyond just gazpacho. Try this chilled vegan cucumber soup recipe for a light summer lunch or a simple dinner starter soup (try making it in advance and serving it while you’re waiting for those veggie burgers to brown up on the outdoor grill on a hot summer evening). 

This chilled and cooling cucumber soup combines cucumbers with fresh dill, onions and garlic for flavor and blends it all up together with some soy milk (or use any kind of non-dairy milk substitute you prefer, such as almond milk) for a smooth, creamy, and cold cucumber soup that is vegetarian, vegan, and very refreshing.

The soup is also gluten-free, just make sure your vegetable broth is gluten-free as some brands are and some brands aren’t; all the other ingredients are safe for those on a gluten-free diet. This recipe comes to us from the Compassionate Cook Cookbook

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

• 5 cucumbers, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 onions, diced

• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 cup soy milk

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. First, in a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Next, add the cucumbers, garlic, and onions to the pan and heat just until the onions are transparent, about 6 minutes.

   

3. Next, add the vegetable broth to the pan, and simmer until the cucumber is fully soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.

   

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and then carefully blend just until the mixture is completely smooth. While the mixture is still warm, stir in the fresh dill and season with fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

   

5. Place the entire mixture in the refrigerator and allow to chill until fully cool. 

   

6. Stir in the soy milk just before serving. Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste.

   

   Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

   Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Tip

• Note that the recipe doesn’t call for salt, but if you’re used to salty foods you might find that it needs a touch. We always recommend using kosher salt or sea salt for the best flavor.