Soups are an easy way to get lunch or dinner on the table, any time of year.
In winter, a piping hot bowl can take the chill off a frosty night. During these last weeks of summer, when the heat and humidity are thick enough to cut, sitting down to a chilled soup offers refreshing (and delicious!) relief.
These simple-to-make cold soups don’t require a lot of hands-on time. They’re great if you’re looking to meal prep for the week, or you want to stock your freezer for those days when you’re too tired or busy to cook.
As with smoothies, soups are a simple way to sneak extra servings of veggies into your diet, and an opportunity to cash in on seasonal produce. Two of these three soups use raw ingredients, so the vitamins and other nutrients stay intact— kind of like drinking a salad. Plus, they’re filling! Paired with a piece of crusty or whole grain bread and a wedge of cheese, you’ll just have enough room for a no-bake sweet treat to top off your meal.
These cold soups offer a variety of flavors and textures and are perfect for serving at home, to take to the beach or on a family picnic. All soups lend themselves to variations and experimentation, so feel free, for instance, to toss some croutons or diced cherry tomatoes onto the cold pea soup. Blend up the gazpacho soup as much or as little as you like (we like ours chunky).
Make a pot, then snap a pic and tag us on Instagram @myx.fitness.
Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a perfect soup to serve in August and even early September as it takes full advantage of summer tomato season.
Ingredients
- ½ Bermuda or other sweet white onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 ½ firm medium cucumbers, peeled or unpeeled, cut into pieces
- 2 small sweet green peppers, seeded, cut into eights
- 1 - 4 large garlic cloves, to taste
- 1 cup (or more) tomato juice, organic if possible
- 6 medium-to-large tomatoes, cut into eights
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¾ tsp chili powder or 1 small piece fresh chili pepper
- Sea salt to taste
Directions
- In a food processor using a blade, add onion and process until finely chopped, about 4-5 seconds. Transfer onion to a large bowl.
- Repeat with cucumbers, then green peppers, adding each to the bowl with the onion.
- Process 5 of the tomatoes until evenly chopped, then transfer to the bowl with the other ingredients.
- Process remaining tomato with garlic, tomato juice, olive oil and chili powder until a smooth liquid forms. Combine with chopped veggies and chill in a covered container.
Note: Before serving, taste for salt. If you prefer a thinner soup, add more tomato juice or a combination of juice and beef stock, and process to a more blended consistency.
Cold Pea Soup with Herbed Oil Swirl
This pretty green soup is creamy and refreshing on a hot summer day. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Ingredients
- 3 tbs unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 16-oz bags frozen sweet peas
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup herbed olive oil (see below)
Directions
- Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add salt and 2 cups water, stirring to combine, and bring to a boil.
- Add peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat and stir in yogurt. Purée soup in a blender or in the pot using an immersion blender, thinning with water if soup is too thick, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a resealable container, cover, and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Divide soup among bowls and top each with a swirl of herbed oil. (The oil gives the soup it’s wow factor, so don’t omit!) Soup can be made and chilled for up to 2 days.
To make the herbed olive oil: In a food processor pulse 3 tightly packed cups of fresh parsley leaves (about 1 bunch), 2 cups fresh mint leaves (about ¾ bunch), and 1 tbs grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons) until coarsely chopped. Add 1¼ cups extra virgin olive and ½ tsp salt and blend until well combined. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Recipe from epicurious.com
Almost instant chilled borscht
A fresh and super-quick take on the traditional version.
Ingredients
- 1 tbs olive oil
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 1 cup coarsely shredded peeled raw beets
- 1 cup coarsely shredded carrots
- Salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbs sherry vinegar
- 1 ½ cups store-bought fresh beet juice
- Prepared horseradish, sour cream, and fresh dill sprigs for garnish
Directions
- In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add the beets and cook, stirring, until crisp- tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add the carrots, season with salt and pepper and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add the vinegar and cook until evaporated.
- Add the beet juice and immediately transfer to a bowl. Set the soup bowl in a bowl of ice water to chill.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with horseradish, sour cream, and fresh dill.
Recipe from foodandwine.com
