Summer Soup Recipe: Cool Vegan Cucumber Soup

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 01/6/22
Cool vegan cucumber soup

The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Looking for the perfect light and filling summer meal? How do you feel about cold soups? You're probably already familiar with traditional Spanish gazpacho, but the world of chilled soups goes well beyond just gazpacho. Try this chilled vegan cucumber soup recipe for a light summer lunch or a simple dinner starter soup (try making it in advance and serving it while you're waiting for those veggie burgers to brown up on the outdoor grill on a hot summer evening). 

This chilled and cooling cucumber soup combines cucumbers with fresh dill, onions and garlic for flavor and blends it all up together with some soy milk (or use any kind of non-dairy milk substitute you prefer, such as almond milk) for a smooth, creamy, and cold cucumber soup that is vegetarian, vegan, and very refreshing.

The soup is also gluten-free, just make sure your vegetable broth is gluten-free as some brands are and some brands aren't; all the other ingredients are safe for those on a gluten-free diet. This recipe comes to us from the Compassionate Cook Cookbook

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

  • 5 cucumbers, chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 onions, diced

  • 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 cup soy milk

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gather ingredients for cucumber soup
    ​The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

  2. First, in a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Next, add the cucumbers, garlic, and onions to the pan and heat just until the onions are transparent, about 6 minutes.

    Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat
    ​The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

  3. Next, add the vegetable broth to the pan, and simmer until the cucumber is fully soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.

    Add vegetable broth to pan
    ​The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

  4. Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and then carefully blend just until the mixture is completely smooth. While the mixture is still warm, stir in the fresh dill and season with fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

    Remove the pan from the heat
    ​The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

  5. Place the entire mixture in the refrigerator and allow to chill until fully cool. 

    Place mixture in fridge
    ​The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

  6. Stir in the soy milk just before serving. Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste.

    Stir
    ​The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

    Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

    Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Tip

  • Note that the recipe doesn't call for salt, but if you're used to salty foods you might find that it needs a touch. We always recommend using kosher salt or sea salt for the best flavor. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
116 Calories
4g Fat
18g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 116
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 454mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 11mg 56%
Calcium 135mg 10%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 565mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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