Cucumber soup is most often prepared in the summer. It is served cold, and seasoned with any dairy product. In this article, we will consider several recipes for preparing this wonderful dish, which is prepared quickly and easily.
Bulgarian soup
This is the name of the dish, which we’ll talk about. First heard of cucumber soup in Bulgaria. To taste, it is very similar to okroshka. However, it does not include sausage, and the soup is called dietary, since thanks to it it is easy to lose weight.
Many housewives experiment and add their favorite ingredients. If you do not want a dietary cucumber soup, you can add meat, sausage and other products that are more accessible specifically for you.
Today, there are many types of this dish, which is served not only cold, but also hot. You can diversify the taste with the help of avocados, prunes, dried apricots, lemon, etc. However, let's talk about everything in order.
Classic Cucumber Soup Recipe
Cooking this dish will not take much time, but you will be able to diversify your menu.
After all, housewives have to think every day than to please the family. To make a cold cucumber soup, you need products:
- Cucumbers - 0.5 kg.
- Kefir - 500 ml.
- Walnuts - 100 gr.
- Dill is a small bunch.
Sometimes they cook such a dish in the winter. Then add the pickles and serve it hot.
Kefir cucumber soup has a fresh and original taste. First chop the nuts with a blender, and chop the garlic very finely. Combine these two ingredients, mix well and crush a little with a rolling pin so that the garlic starts juice. It is he who gives the unforgettable aroma to the dish.
Then rinse the cucumbers well and cut them into thin circles, and then cut them into strips. If the peel is hard, cut it off. Place the cucumbers cut into strips in a bowl and lightly add salt to let the juice flow.
Dill in cold water - let it lie down for several minutes. Then pour over boiling water and chop finely. If you wish, you can add other greens that your family loves.
When the cucumbers started the juice, then you can combine all of the above ingredients in one container. Pour kefir there and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to completely cool. Now you can serve to the table in portioned plates.
With the addition of tomatoes
Many housewives love to experiment in the kitchen. Therefore, culinary experts advise adding tomatoes to the cucumber soup. Prepare the dish as described above, only finely chopped tomatoes add to the cucumbers.
The soup will turn out to be a tender pinkish or red tint, and the taste and aroma will be unforgettable. It all depends on the number of tomatoes.
There is another way to add tomatoes. Rub them on a grater so that the skin does not get into the soup, and add the tomato juice at the very end. Stir the liquid and put it in the refrigerator. Let the soup cool for 30-40 minutes. Then you can serve.
Mashed soup
This dish is also served cold. To prepare it, take 0.5 kg of cucumbers and a bunch of dill. You can cut them arbitrarily. That is, the way you like it, because cutting is absolutely not important for mashed soup.
Combine kefir and sour cream (2 cups each). In the same capacity add 2 tbsp. l wine vinegar and the same amount of olive oil. Mix everything well. Salt, pepper and add the dill cucumbers.
When all the products are combined, beat them with a blender to a homogeneous consistency. You will get cucumber soup puree, which, before serving, it is desirable to place in the refrigerator. Pour it into portioned plates, garnish with greens or lemon slices. It will turn out to be a dish not only tasty, but also beautiful.
Chicken Broth Cucumber Soup
As mentioned above, such a dish can be served not only cold, but also hot. It is best to cook it on chicken broth. It turns out that the soup is very nutritious, tasty, original and beautiful.
To prepare it, you first need to cook chicken broth, about one liter. Then peel 0.5 kg of cucumbers and cut into small cubes. Put them in a boiling broth, boil for two minutes, add finely chopped dill, boil another minute. Cool and beat the whole mass with a blender.
Pour the cucumber puree back into the pan, bring to a boil, salt and pepper to taste, boil for no more than one minute. Turn off and serve hot to the table. Be sure to add 1 tsp. butter. You can decorate the dish with fresh herbs. For example, dill or cilantro.
Culinary Tips
In the article, we examined how to make cucumber soup. The recipe for each dish is simple and affordable for the hostess. However, taste is not everything. We must not forget about the appearance of the dish. After all, if it is not very beautiful, then you will not want to try it.
Presentation is very important for the kitchen. Therefore, culinary experts advise decorating cucumber soup with bright products. It can be radishes, various greens, fresh peas, corn, crab sticks, pineapple. You can also decorate plates with portions, for example, slices of lemon or orange.
The recipe contains approximate proportions. It all depends on how thin or thick the soup you need. Therefore, if you need a density, pour less kefir, and put more cucumbers.
Garlic croutons are ideal for soup . Fry the bread or loaf in olive or butter until golden brown. Then rub them with garlic, cool and serve. Croutons will be softer if moistened in milk before frying.
If the soup is made on kefir, then before serving, you can add one tablespoon of sour cream to the plates. The taste will be more delicate and refined. Experiment, cook from the heart, and each of your dishes will have not only a presentable appearance, but also excellent taste.