Chilled Green Soup
Photo by Nicole Franzen
- Serves
- 2 to 4
- Prep Time
- 10 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 2 Minutes
When it’s too hot to think about turning on the stove, and I’m craving something healthy(ish), I make this chilled green soup. It takes a cue from gazpacho and begins in a similar way: a piece of soaked bread that thickens the soup without altering the flavor. Peppery arugula and basil are then added, and later mellowed with yogurt–which also adds creaminess–resulting in a light, herbaceous soup. Top it with crispy bread crumbs and sliced radishes for some crunch.
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 slice bread, crusts removed
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 2 cup arugula
- 1/2 cup basil leaves
- 1 medium shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced, to serve
Bread Crumbs
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup panko or homemade bread crumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Featured Video
Chilled Green Soup
Recipe reprinted with permission from To The Last Bite: Recipes and Ideas For Making The Most of Your Ingredients (Simon & Schuster April 2022). This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. As an Amazon Associate, Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.
Directions
Soup
- Step 1
Run the bread under cold water, then use your hands to squeeze out excess water. Place the bread in a blender.
- Step 2
Add the bell pepper, cucumber, arugula, basil, shallot, garlic, olive oil, water, yogurt, salt, and vinegar to a blender, and blend until smooth.
- Step 3
Transfer the soup to a sealable container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, and up to 2 days. The longer the soup sits the more flavorful it will become.
Bread Crumbs
- Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the panko and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer the bread crumbs to a paper towel-lined plate and season with the salt.
- Step 2
Serve the soup topped with the crispy bread crumbs and radish slices.