Food and Recipes Recipes Chilled Cucumber Soup 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews Cool off with a bowl of cucumber soup this summer. By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on April 12, 2021 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Active Time: 10 mins Chill Time: 30 mins Total Time: 40 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe This summer, stay cool as a cucumber. We're lucky that cucumbers come into season right as temperatures start to rise. This versatile ingredient deserves much more than a supporting role in salads. Like melons, which are also members of the gourd family, cucumbers have a satisfying crunch and a mild, fruity yet herbal aroma and flavor that make salads, cocktails, soups, and even water more refreshing. One of our favorite ways to use this seasonal stunner? Chilled Cucumber Soup. The ideal starter for teatime (especially when paired with Dainty Cucumber Sandwiches), our Chilled Cucumber Soup looks just as good as it tastes. This smooth and refreshing chilled soup boasts a vibrant green color and a fresh flavor to match. In addition to cucumber, this soup is packed full of green ingredients—from avocado, which adds a natural creaminess, to herbs like basil, parsley, and scallions. A generous splash of lime juice brings a welcome zing to this soup, while Greek yogurt adds body and tang. The ice water helps to keep the soup as bright and vibrant as possible. A final drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil heightens all the other flavors, while sliced cucumber, basil leaves, and black pepper to garnish bring the wow-factor. The best part? This soup doesn't require any cooking at all. Simply zap all the ingredients in the blender, then let it chill for 30 minutes. Does it get any easier? Ingredients 3 medium-size (about 2 lb. total) English cucumbers, coarsely chopped, plus thin slices for garnish 1 (6-oz.) avocado, peeled and pit removed 3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish 1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves ½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt ½ cup ice-cold water 3 medium scallions (green tops only), sliced (about ⅓ cup) 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes) 1 ½ teaspoons Champagne vinegar 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish black pepper, for garnish Directions Process cucumbers, avocado, basil, parsley, yogurt, water, scallion tops, lime juice, vinegar, and salt in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover and chill until cold, about 30 minutes. Divide chilled soup evenly among 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, thinly sliced cucumber, basil leaves, and black pepper. Serve immediately. Rate it Print