Cucumbers, Mint & Yogurt: Do You Drink it or Eat it?

Considering I forgot a spoon the last two times I took this refreshing, chilled cucumber soup to work with me, I’ll go with drink.

My co-worker simply refers to it as soup crack. It certainly is addictive, so you may want to double up the recipe, especially if you plan to share.

I’ve tried several versions of cucumber soup. I’m partial to this recipe I saw on Food & Style, not for the adorable accompanying how-to video featuring Viviane, but because it’s made with plain yogurt instead of cream.

The recipe calls for mint, which adds an extra summertime burst of flavor and a lovely green. But it’s just as good without. Play with the garlic amounts too. I’ve tripled the garlic, which is fantastic especially after chilling for several hours or, better still, overnight. And as a bonus it’s a great way to keep the vampires away.

Another bonus is that it’s super easy to make.

Just get your food processor ready and add:

1 3/4 lbs seedless cucumbers or 2 lbs regular cucumbers, seeded and peeled, then cut into 3 chunks. [I use a grapefruit spoon for easy seeding.]
1/4 medium red onion, skinned
1 clove garlic, skinned
1 jalapeno, stem removed, halved and seeded [I’ve also used serrano or several dashes of hot sauce.]
2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
2 tbls lemon juice
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp Kosher salt
6 oz Greek yogurt or other plain non-fat yogurt
1/2 cup or more to taste of water [The original recipe calls for spring water, but I just use filtered water.]

Pulse a couple times to mix things up a bit, then blend for about 2 minutes. Chill for at least two hours or overnight for best results.

Viviane serves her “green gazpacho” in lovely glasses with colorful garnishes you can see on her site. So far, my soup hasn’t survived long enough for me to serve it to guests. Maybe at our next dinner party or cookout.