This easy, vegan chilled cucumber soup is is easy to make as pulling out your blender. It’s healthy and light, perfect for sweltering summer days when the last thing you want to think about is a hot kitchen. Silken tofu gives this soup a creamy body that pairs perfectly with the cucumber. Top with a fresh pico de gallo and this cucumber and tofu soup is a fresh, lively starter to a larger meal, or a perfect dish with warm flatbreads.
During the winter months in Minnesota they have a PIP meter (pain in the posterior) that measures all nature of weather related suffering. I think it’s time that we in the southern climes come up with similar yardstick for summer. Something like: the number of consecutive days that the thermometer reaches above 90° and the humidity levels never dip below 80%. Or how fast does makeup melt off of your face? As I write this at 4:30 p.m. , the temperature is 91° with the feels like at 102°. Suffocatingly hot and sticky. This is no time to cook! Chilled cucumber soup to the rescue.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for chilled cucumber soup:
- Cucumbers
- Silken Tofu
- Vegetable Broth
- Cilantro
- Garlic
- White Wine Vinegar
- Kosher Salt
I like to use silken tofu in this soup because it liquifies almost immediately in the blender and gives the whole soup a creamy mouth feel. I use hothouse cucumbers (seedless) for this, but you can use regular cucumbers as well. Just peel the skins, halve the cucumbers and scoop out the seeds first. If you’re using the hothouse variety, there’s no need to remove the seeds.
And with this easy chilled cucumber soup, there’s no need to turn on the stove at all! With this simple combination of English cucumbers, fresh cilantro, silken tofu with a little vegetable broth, you’ll have a delicious, refreshing, healthy, homemade soup in minutes!
Just load everything into a blender…
Blend until smooth and chill for a few hours, so it’s nice and cold.
Blend the cold cucumber and tofu soup in the blender until very smooth. The tofu gives the soup body and froth and I love that pale green color, don’t you?
Pico de gallo for cold cucumber soup garnish
For a little contrast, I make a quick pico de gallo with ripe tomato, finely diced white onion and cilantro. For just a bit of acidity, squeeze half a lime over the pico de gallo and give it a quick stir. Check out my pico de gallo recipe here.
When you remove the soup from the refrigerator, check to see that it hasn’t separated (this can happen if it’s been chilled overnight). If it has, make sure the lid is firmly on your soup container and give it a good shake to reblend – or run it through the blender again. Don’t worry, the cold cucumber soup will return to its frothy blended state.
Ladle the soup into bowls and gingerly float a scoop of pico on the surface. This makes a delicious starter for a summer meal and it’s super-healthy too! Want more cold soups? Try this chunky gazpacho, Andalusian salmorejo and creamy chilled vidalia onion soup.
Chilled Cucumber Soup
INGREDIENTS:
For cucumber soup
- 2 hot house cucumbers English, peeled and roughly chopped
- ½ cup cilantro stems and leaves
- ½ lb silken tofu
- 6 ounces vegetable broth
- 1 large clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons white wine or champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For pico de gallo
- 1 large ripe tomato , seeded and finely diced
- ¼ cup white onion finely diced
- ½ jalapeño pepper seeded and minced
- ½ lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste
- additional English cucumber very thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS:
- In a blender, combine all ingredients for the soup. Puree until smooth. Refrigerate at least two hours to chill before serving. Season to taste.
- In a small bowl combine tomato, onion, jalapeño, lime juice and olive oil. Toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and add salt accordingly. Chill two hours before serving for flavors to develop.
- To serve, ladle cold soup into chilled bowls. Float one or two slices of cucumber on the soup and carefully spoon pico de gallo over the soup and sliced cucumber. Be careful so that the garnish doesn't plop to the bottom, but rests gently on top. Enjoy!
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
More Quick Summer Favorites:
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- Snapper and Pineapple Ceviche
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- Mango Chillers
Don’t Forget To Pin It For Later!
Love your soup! Do think it will freeze well?
You could probably freeze it, but it will likely separate when thawed. Before serving, shake it very well to recombine.
I have dietary restrictions on soy. Any ideas for subbing the tofu? Would Greek yogurt work?
Plain or greek yogurt would make a good substitute for the tofu, I think, though I haven’t tried that. It would add more tang — tofu tends to be flavorless — so I would taste as you go when subbing yogurt…
I have made cucumber lemonade before, never thought of making a soup out of it! This recipe is very interesting..love the idea of adding tofu to it. Gives it a good mix of proteins and the soup sounds refreshing as is!
It’s very light and refreshing — a delicious starter to a bigger meal!
Why do I not tend to make chilled soups at home? It’s so hot here in FL and enjoy them when eating out! This looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
Where are you in Florida?
You need this all summer long if it’s going to be 80% + humidity and 90+ degrees days! That’s intense! I know I would love this soup bc I love gazpacho and made an avocado gazpacho last year! Love the addition of silken tofu.
Cold soups, drinks, popsicles and a nearby pool will get us through…
This is my favourite soup to make during the summer and I like to sprinkle some feta on it too.
The feta sounds delicious! I love hearing how everyone personalizes recipes to make them their own!
Such a refreshing recipe and perfect for the weather. I have never tried tofu may be I can give it a try 🙂 Wonderful clicks btw!
You don’t taste the tofu in this recipe, it just adds body.
I make chilled cucumber soup all too often! Knd of a staple in the crazy Indian heat actually. But i have never added tofu!! We usually go with grilled shrimps as a topping. This looks incredibly refreshing Lisa~
Thank you swayam! I think spiced grilled shrimp would be excellent on top as well!
I love a gorgeous chilled soup on a hot summer’s day! Saving this for when it gets warm again here in Sydney
Lisa, I have never made cucumber soup, but your recipe pushing me to make it, definitely I will prepare it once warmer weather turns up:) x
It is great for those hot summer days, Jagruti!
This will be perfect where I grew up, Philippines during the really hot and humid summer days.
I wilt in the heat! So I rely on cold stuff like this to get me through summer. Sounds refreshing and delightful!
I wilt too — consequently, cold soups, icy drinks and frozen pops are the only way to summer!
Hi Lisa, I often make chilled cucumber soup in the summer but I really like your version with silken tofu. I will definitely give it a try 🙂
Thank you Edyta! The tofu adds a great silk mouthfeel, I think!
I love that there’s tofu in there! And I’m a big fan of pico de gallo. Pinning this for when my PIP meter needs to go down a few notches. READ: often.
Glad you like it, Christine! My taste testers loved this one, too!