Chilled Soup Recipe: Cucumber and Basil Soup

This chilled soup recipe is inspired by the Post Ranch Inn, in Big Sur, California. Our stay there inspired us to want to cook light, and focus on clean ingredients. After hiking a dramatic mountain peak or touring the bay in a kayak, the last thing you’ll feel like doing is spending time in a hot kitchen. You can whip up this easy lunch or dinner appetizer in the time it takes your partner to find a perfectly chilled bottle of wine and pour two glasses.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, sliced thin
2 English cucumbers, peeled and seeds removed
6 basil leaves
1 tablespoon chives
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 ripe avocado
kosher salt, to taste

Directions

This chilled soup recipe is quick and easy, as well as healthy. It’s like you aren’t eating calories, yet you’ll feel satisfied and energized by this dish. To start, in a small pan, heat oil on medium-low and add garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes, until garlic is just a light golden brown. Remove from heat.

The last part of the chilled soup recipe is to blend together the ingredients. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add 1 1/2 cucumbers, basil, chives, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup cold water. Purée until smooth, about 1 minute. Add garlic, lemon juice, and yogurt and puree an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute. Adjust seasoning and chill for at least 6 hours. To serve, spoon soup into 4 individual bowls and garnish with remaining 1/2 cucumber, diced into small pieces.

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