Lemon Cucumber Soup – Refreshingly Chilled (with video)

Refreshing chilled Lemon Cucumber Soup recipe is made the Mediterranean way, using heirloom lemon cucumbers, yogurt, lemon and fresh herbs!

Lemon Cucumber Soup - Refreshingly Chilled
Lemon Cucumber Soup – Refreshingly Chilled

Seek out ‘Lemon Cucumbers,’ at your farmers markets, or grow them, you’ll be glad you did! 

Refreshingly Chilled Cucumber Soup

Cucumber soup has most often been served in France. 

Most recipes I’ve encountered, stated that a chilled cucumber soup, served on hot summer days, originated there. 

However, head over to Andalusia on a hot summer day, and you will encounter the cooling effect of a cucumber gazpacho. 

Which leads me right back to my own ethnicity, the Middle Eastern world, in which Andalusia is strongly influenced by. 

Homegrown Lemon Cucumbers
Homegrown Lemon Cucumbers

Mediterranean Refreshing Summer Appetizer

Arabs, however, have been making a cold refreshing drink out of yogurt for centuries. A drink often served as an appetizer or light lunch.

The yogurt is most often Homemade Yogurt. This Middle Eastern drink is known as Ayran. 

Yogurt, a little ice water and a sprinkle of salt, and it’s perfect to sip, during the hot summer months because of the abundance of vitamins cucumbers contain.

Homegrown Green Cucumbers
Homegrown Green Cucumbers

What Is A Lemon Cucumber?

Summertime heat has graced me with an abundance of Lemon Cucumbers that will pair beautifully with yogurt in this cold soup recipe. 

A lemon cucumber is an heirloom variety of cucumbers, round like a tennis ball and yellow like a lemon.

Lemon Cucumber Seeds
Lemon Cucumber Seeds

What Does A Lemon Cucumber Taste Like?

Despite its ‘lemon’ name, they don’t have a citrus-like flavor. 

They simply taste like a traditional oblong, sweet, green cucumber. 

Once I got ahold of seeds for this whimsical cucumber, found how vigorously they grow, they have become my favorite cucumber throughout the summertime.

Besides a few traditional cucumber plants I will still put in my garden, I mostly grow these now.

They make for a beautiful Cucumber Salad and are spectacular in Tzatziki!

Planting Lemon Cucumbers On Earth Day

Greek Yogurt vs Sour Cream

While sour cream may be easily swapped in a variety of recipes, let’s be clear, sour cream does not have the health benefits of real yogurt. 

Yes, I said real yogurt. 

Not all yogurt has been properly fermented into obtaining the needed daily values of probiotics. 

Instead, many yogurts add the probiotics, thickeners and sometimes gelatin. 

So, please, if you want both a refreshingly light meal on a hot day and the added health bonus, use reliable, plain real yogurt for this refreshing soup. 

A Word About Greek Yogurt

As I have mentioned early, my concerns for obtaining real yogurt with natural probiotics, and not added, most Greek yogurt brands have tested true to being real.

How do I know?

Real Yogurt

Since I was a kid, we made yogurt the Syrian way; boil milk, cool to 115 degrees, add half cup of real yogurt, cover and sit out overnight.

The next day, it will have thickened. Store in the fridge and save half cup as starter for the next batch.

Homemade Yogurt Is Easy To Make With Just A Few Tips
Homemade Yogurt Is Easy To Make With Just A Few Tips

Fake Yogurt

I’ve never had a problem finding a store bought yogurt that had live probiotics to start my own batch (kind of like sour dough bread), until 1998.

Suddenly, every yogurt brand started cheapening their process, which also removed the natural, healthful probiotics.

I tested 10 different brands!

Fast forward to 2019, when several Greek yogurt companies appeared on the market, or small dairy farm, yogurt making companies, and I tested again.

It worked!

So, I only buy these brands.

Real Naturally Fermented Yogurt
Real Naturally Fermented Yogurt

Is Greek Yogurt Too Thick For A Chilled Yogurt Soup?

Yes, and no!

Obviously Greek yogurt is too thick to drink or have the consistency of a soup.

However, by the time the juicy cucumbers have been pureed, lemon juice and olive oil added, the consistency is perfect.

A splash of ice cold water can always be added to adjust the consistency, but at least you will know your yogurt has retained the natural health bonus we want in our food.

Summertime Chilled Yogurt Cucumber Soup

If you are looking for a light dinner, or quick lunch, keeping a container of cold Greek yogurt cucumber soup in the fridge, for a few days, is simply wise throughout the summer. 

With only a few simple ingredients you can make this refreshing soup in just minutes. 

Storing Lemon Cucumber Soup Until Ready To Serve

Once the cucumber yogurt soup has been made, it will store in an airtight container for several days.

When you are ready to serve, simply give a shake, adjust the salt and add a splash of ice water if needed and serve.

Cooking For Television

Having been invited to FOX WBFF Television studio to share a few of my recipes, this one is one that I took with me.

Transported in an airtight container, on ice, it was so easy to pour and serve.

Making it perfect for picnics and boating meals.

Why was I invited to the TV studio?

I had just wrapped up being featured in an 8-episode cooking show, The Great American Recipe with PBS, and the news channel was elated to share my stories with our state!

FOX WBFF Morning News
FOX WBFF Morning News

How To Make Cold Greek Yogurt Lemon Cucumber Soup

If using a traditional cucumber, simply peel and chop into smaller portions. 

Green Cucumbers - Peeled and Chopped
Green Cucumbers – Peeled and Chopped

If using the heirloom lemon cucumber, take a moment to hollow out the cucumber from the inside, saving the outside to serve the soup in. 

All of the ingredients get tossed into a food processor, blender or pureed with an immersion blender and blitzed into a creamy cold soup that is ready to serve immediately. 

It’s as simple as that!

Hollow lemon cucumbers to serve the soup in
Hollow Lemon Cucumbers To Serve The Soup In

Equipment Needed

  • Cutting board
  • Paring knife
  • Small spoon – like a demitasse spoon
  • Blender
  • Measuring spoons
  • Garlic press
cucumber soup ingredients
Cucumber Soup Ingredients

Ingredients Needed

Dirt To Dish Cookbook
Lemon Cucumber Soup - Refreshingly Chilled

Lemon Cucumber Soup – Refreshingly Chilled

Refreshing chilled Lemon Cucumber Soup recipe is made the Mediterranean way, using heirloom lemon cucumbers, yogurt, lemon and fresh herbs!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soups
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Chilled Lemon Cucumber Soup
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender
  • Cutting board and knife
  • Airtight container

Ingredients

  • 4 Lemon Cucumbers or 2 English cucumbers
  • 1 cup Plain Greek yogurt homemade
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice 2 lemons
  • 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • 1/4 tsp Sea salt or to taste
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Dill extra for garnish

Instructions

  • If using lemon cucumbers, carefully cut off a small part of the top and hollow them out, reserving the remaining chopped cucumber pieces.
    Save the lemon cucumber balls to use as small serving bowls. If using English cucumbers, simply peel, and reserve finely diced cucumber. Small decorative serving bowls will be needed. 
  • Place the chopped cucumber pieces in a food processor, along with the remaining ingredients and puree until you have obtained a creamy consistency. Transfer to an airtight container and chill for 1 hour.
  • If using an immersion blender and a large bowl, combine cucumber, plain yogurt and lemon juice (lime juice can be used instead if that is your preference), and whisk with the blender until a creamy consistency is obtained. Add remaining ingredients and puree again. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to serve cold. 
  • When you are ready to serve, give the mixture a good shake, to mix well. Taste to see if you want more salt. If the mixture thickens, simply whisk in a little extra cold water to obtain the consistency you want, however the juice of the cucumbers should provide enough liquid for the perfect cold cucumber soup recipe. 
    Portion into each bowl, give a little drizzle of olive oil across the tops, and add a sprig of dill for garnish. 

Video

Notes

  •  Regular cucumbers can be used with a decorative small bowl. 
  • The soup can be kept cold in the fridge until ready to serve but will need to be whisked again before serving. If using Lemon cucumbers, they will last, once hollowed, for an hour in the fridge but not much longer.
  • Refreshing chilled Lemon Cucumber Soup recipe is made the Mediterranean way, using heirloom lemon cucumbers, yogurt, lemon and fresh herbs!
    Lemon Cucumber Soup – Chilled And Refreshing
    Robin
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
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