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In our Northern climes, soup is a dish we tend to relegate to colder temperatures. It is a dish we serve in order to warm bodies and cure colds. Yet this is not the way in other parts of the world, say the steamy South of Vietnam where bowls of spiced beef broth with noodles are a breakfast staple or the Mexican desert where stew-like posoles and tripe-filled menudo fill the bowls on weekend tables.
All that being said, I still gravitate to hot soups in cold weather. In hot weather I sometimes crave the same soothing texture and liquid hydration of a good bowl of soup, I just want it cold.
Tomato based cold soups like gazpacho and roasted tomato are staples of restaurant menus this time of year. But I am often surprised at their lack of creativity. Melon soup might be a bit adventurous for the average diner but there are plenty of other ways to achieve chilled soup satisfaction without touching a tomato.
My inspiration for soup this time of year: yogurt. It seems many a vegetable can be transformed into a complete soup with the use of a blender and a little yogurt to round it all out. Yogurt adds creaminess without cream and tartness without citrus or vinegar. What’s more, it has protein. Add a chunk of bread and you have a complete light lunch.
But before getting to the yogurt one must have a base. Certain vegetables, like cucumber, can be added to the blender with the yogurt, raw garlic, mint and dill without ever needing to touch a stove.
Other vegetables, like the summer’s bounty of squash, benefit from a little softening on the stovetop. This is also a great time to add spices or curry powder, allowing the flavors to mingle and mellow a bit during a brief sauté with some onion and oil. Into the blender with cold yogurt and out comes a lovely puree, perfect right then at room temperature or super cold after an hour in the refrigerator.
But no need to stop there. If you can stand a bit of heat in the kitchen (and have good air conditioning to balance out the broiler), go to town with the rest of summer’s big produce. Red peppers, overflowing the vegetable bin this time of year, need to blacken slightly before their skins are free to slip off. Puree those with some water or vegetable stock to thin it out, stir in the yogurt, and top with some pesto or basil for a lovely cold roasted red pepper soup.
Finally, if you have ever grown eggplant you know there comes a time when the garden is simply overrun. Eggplant soup with roasted garlic is a terrific base for a cold yogurt soup. Roast the eggplant in a hot oven until it collapses and the garlic until soft. Blend with oregano or parsley, lemon juice, and yogurt for a taste of the Mediterranean.
Soup, hot or cold, needs no restrictions on time of year. But for all the soothing, silky comfort without the added heat, try a summer vegetable puree. Add some yogurt and with a buzz in the blender, lunch is served.
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/1280-chilled-soups/
For A Chilled Out Soup, Try Yogurt
In our Northern climes, soup is a dish we tend to relegate to colder temperatures. It is a dish we serve in order to warm bodies and cure colds. Yet this is not the way in other parts of the world, say the steamy South of Vietnam where bowls of spiced beef broth with noodles are a breakfast staple or the Mexican desert where stew-like posoles and tripe-filled menudo fill the bowls on weekend tables.
All that being said, I still gravitate to hot soups in cold weather. In hot weather I sometimes crave the same soothing texture and liquid hydration of a good bowl of soup, I just want it cold.
Tomato based cold soups like gazpacho and roasted tomato are staples of restaurant menus this time of year. But I am often surprised at their lack of creativity. Melon soup might be a bit adventurous for the average diner but there are plenty of other ways to achieve chilled soup satisfaction without touching a tomato.
My inspiration for soup this time of year: yogurt. It seems many a vegetable can be transformed into a complete soup with the use of a blender and a little yogurt to round it all out. Yogurt adds creaminess without cream and tartness without citrus or vinegar. What’s more, it has protein. Add a chunk of bread and you have a complete light lunch.
But before getting to the yogurt one must have a base. Certain vegetables, like cucumber, can be added to the blender with the yogurt, raw garlic, mint and dill without ever needing to touch a stove.
Other vegetables, like the summer’s bounty of squash, benefit from a little softening on the stovetop. This is also a great time to add spices or curry powder, allowing the flavors to mingle and mellow a bit during a brief sauté with some onion and oil. Into the blender with cold yogurt and out comes a lovely puree, perfect right then at room temperature or super cold after an hour in the refrigerator.
But no need to stop there. If you can stand a bit of heat in the kitchen (and have good air conditioning to balance out the broiler), go to town with the rest of summer’s big produce. Red peppers, overflowing the vegetable bin this time of year, need to blacken slightly before their skins are free to slip off. Puree those with some water or vegetable stock to thin it out, stir in the yogurt, and top with some pesto or basil for a lovely cold roasted red pepper soup.
Finally, if you have ever grown eggplant you know there comes a time when the garden is simply overrun. Eggplant soup with roasted garlic is a terrific base for a cold yogurt soup. Roast the eggplant in a hot oven until it collapses and the garlic until soft. Blend with oregano or parsley, lemon juice, and yogurt for a taste of the Mediterranean.
Soup, hot or cold, needs no restrictions on time of year. But for all the soothing, silky comfort without the added heat, try a summer vegetable puree. Add some yogurt and with a buzz in the blender, lunch is served.
Thai Curried Summer Squash Soup
Made with salt and pepper, lemons, plain yogurt, vegetable oil, onion, garlic, yellow squash, Thai red curry paste, yellow curry powder, water or vegetable broth
Made with salt and pepper, lemons, plain yogurt, vegetable oil, onion, garlic, yellow squash, Thai red curry paste, yellow curry powder, water or vegetable broth
Serves/Makes: 4
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 medium yellow squash
- 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- 1 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt
- 2 lemons, juice of
- salt and pepper
Heat vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Roughly chop onion. Saute onion for 5 minutes until soft.
Meanwhile, mince garlic and dice squash into small, even dice. When onion is soft, add garlic and saute for another two minutes. Add squash along with curry paste and curry powder. Saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and curry paste and powder are evenly distributed.
Add water or stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer uncovered until squash is soft. Remove from heat.
Transfer squash to a blender or food processor. Work in batches if your blender is small. Blend until it is a smooth puree. Add yogurt, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Blend again.
Serve at room temperature or chill until cold before serving.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/1280-chilled-soups/