Chilled Cucumber Yogurt Dill Soup

About This Recipe

Chilled cucumber yogurt soup combines cool cucumber with a creamy, tangy base and fresh dill and mint. It should be light enough to sip from a spoon, with garlic supporting rather than overwhelming the herbs.

Equipment

• ✓ Soup saucepan
• ✓ Knife and board
• ✓ Ladle
• ✓ Immersion blender or blender approved for the liquid temperature
• ✓ Shallow cooling containers
• ✓ Ice bath if starting with cooked soup

Ingredients

• 650 g cucumber
• 450 g Greek yogurt
• 120 ml cold water
• 12 g garlic, finely grated
• 25 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 30 ml lemon juice
• 20 g dill
• 10 g mint
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Salt and black pepper

Easy Step-by-Step Method

Complete one numbered step before moving to the next. Keep the heat and timing exactly as written.

Chef Notes & Tips

Grating part of the cucumber prevents the soup from tasting like a plain smoothie. Allow additional refrigeration time until thoroughly chilled; preparation and cooking times do not include chilling.

Ingredient choices: Use plain Greek yogurt and washed cucumber. Remove large watery seeds if the cucumber variety makes the blend excessively thin. Raw garlic strength varies considerably, so begin with a controlled amount and taste after chilling.

Cooking control: Blend the prepared cucumber and yogurt base, adding cold water gradually. Incorporate herbs as directed and chill promptly. Taste lemon, salt and garlic at the actual cold serving temperature before making final adjustments.

If something goes wrong: A watery soup may contain too much added water for the cucumber used. An aggressive garlic finish needs more cucumber-yogurt base. Separation can often be corrected with a gentle stir before serving.

Ingredient Substitutions

• ↔ Unsweetened plant yogurt can replace Greek yogurt; lime may replace lemon.

Food Safety & Doneness

Use pasteurised dairy products and keep them refrigerated until needed. Follow package use-by instructions, and refrigerate prepared food promptly in shallow containers. For hot soup, use an immersion blender with its head submerged, or cool sufficiently before using a blender approved for warm liquids. Never seal hot soup in a closed cup blender.

Serving & Plating

Serve chilled with a little dill and a measured oil finish. Keep refrigerated until needed and avoid prolonged room-temperature buffet holding.

Storage

Chill promptly and store covered at 4°C or below for up to 2 days. Keep cold until serving; do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Follow an earlier dairy or packaged-ingredient use-by date if applicable.