A Trio of Cold Summer Soups

Summer soups require little effort, rely on the freshest ingredients, and are often served cold – my summer selection always includes Yellow Pepper & Almond, Spicy Cucumber-Avocado, and Gazpacho.

Jul 21, 2024

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A trio of my favorite summer soups served cold: Yellow Pepper and Almond, Gazpacho, and Spicy Cucumber-Avocado ¦ Photo by Jack McNulty

Summer is the most obvious time of year to enjoy a cold soup. Cold soups possess magical powers to cool you on blazing summer days, just as a steaming bowl of soup packed with beans or rice warms your soul on freezing winter days.

Most cold soups require minimal preparation to make a satisfyingly simple meal, and they often take advantage of seasonal ingredients packed with peak flavors and nutrition. Think of it this way…cold summer soups are basically tasty and nutritious vegetable salads that are blended or finely chopped.

Cold summer soups can be served slightly warmed or ice cold. The simple preparations don’t require much time in the kitchen—some are even prepared entirely raw, like my take on Gazpacho or Spicy Cold Cucumber-Avocado Soup. Minimal cooking is a bonus when you want to keep the temperature of your kitchen in check when the weather turns steamy hot.

Here’s some more good news – cream soups adapt very well to being served either hot, warm, or cold…just like one of my favorites, Yellow Pepper and Almond Soup. This is especially great for cream soup fans because turning your favorite cream soup into a summer delight is simple.

Making cold soups is mostly straightforward – often, it is no more difficult than making a smoothie in the morning. But there are a couple of considerations:

Cold soups usually require a heavy hand in seasoning; otherwise, they may taste bland. I suggest tasting cold soups carefully and adjusting the seasoning when they reach the correct serving temperature.
Most cold soups require some time to mellow – just like a hot soup. This allows enough time for flavors to develop and blend over a day or two. One caveat is to be cautious with sharp-tasting ingredients and seasonings. Onions, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers intensify during the “mellowing” phase, which could lead to an unpleasant surprise.
Cold soups tend to thicken as they cool; the consistency is easily adjusted with added liquid. I try to achieve a creamy but not stiff consistency. Overly creamy soups can leave your mouth feeling like it’s been coated with fat—and that’s unpleasant. Add some additional acid to compensate and balance fats; a shot of citrus, tamarind, vinegar, or pomegranate should do the trick.
Go light on garnishing cold soups. Use simple herbs or create natural texture contrasts that make sense – like torn croutons or roasted nuts. The focus on the freshness of the soup’s ingredients should speak loudly, and the garnish should whisper gently in agreement.
Keep storage times to a maximum of 1-2 days. Some ingredients, like tomatoes or melons, sour quickly and can easily ruin a cold soup.

Soups are incredibly versatile regardless of the time of year—hot soups can easily be turned into cold ones and vice versa.

Somewhere in the back of my head, I always know there is a soup idea stewing...one that uses seasonal ingredients that match the weather or formality of a meal. Soups simply satisfy my every whim.

Nevertheless, many people balk at making soup because it seems old-fashioned or too time-consuming for busy souls making their way through a busy world. But really, making a batch of soup is almost always easy – especially in summer – and that is particularly satisfying!

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Yellow Pepper & Almond Soup

I started regularly using ground almonds to thicken soups after creating my version of this delicious recipe based on Peter Berley’s recipe in The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen. The customary method of thickening soups with ground almond paste is Spanish…but I’m sure its roots go deep into North Africa, where the Arabs and Sephardic Jews were known to use almonds in many ways.

In my version, I roast the almonds in the oven rather than frying them in oil, as is customary in Spain. The roasted flavor of almonds delivers more almond intensity than fried almonds because the nuts toast evenly throughout instead of just on the surface. The subsequent paste produces a wonderfully aromatic background of roasted flavors that pairs exquisitely with the sweetness and gentle bitterness of the yellow peppers.

I like serving this soup barely warmed – just a bit more than room temperature. It is also exceptionally delicious when served iced cold.

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Cold Spicy Cucumber-Avocado Soup

Cucumbers are a refreshing ingredient in cool summer soups served in the late afternoon or early evening of a hot summer day. Their melon-like flavor and watery nature make them ideal ingredients in a non-cooked blended soup—they pair perfectly with fatty and rich avocados and something creamy and acidic like yogurt. Add a bit of background spice, and the soup turns into an ultra-satisfying and simple soup.

Making the soup is as simple as it gets. Garnish simply with fresh herbs like dill, chives, or fresh coriander (cilantro)…or perhaps torn croutons to add texture. I use thin-skinned cucumbers in my preparation to add flavor and color to the soup. Thicker-skinned cucumbers should be peeled first…perhaps even removing the seeds if they are big.

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Gazpacho

It’s difficult to appreciate the simplistic perfection of a classic Andalusian gazpacho if you’ve never traveled to the region and tried one in a Bodega during a hot day. My experience occurred years ago during a day spent walking around Seville. At some point around midday, we spotted a bustling location with people spilling out onto the street. It was getting too hot outside to explore further, and we craved something cold. So, we politely pushed our way to the bar and ordered a gazpacho. What we received remains firmly entrenched in my memory. It was a beautiful creamy pink and orange soup served in an elegantly simple way, with a few bits of chopped-up cucumber gracing the surface. It was cool but not ice cold. It was smooth but with a bit of texture floating around. No ingredient overpowered the others, but they remained separated, and I could still distinguish each unique flavor.

I’ve attempted to develop something resembling this experience…and my recipe works well, but the context is still missing. I’m afraid you will have to make some travel arrangements to experience the context.

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More Soup Ideas…

Sweet Corn and Garlic Soup with Summer Chanterelle Mushrooms ¦ Photo by Giulia Marthaler

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