The “I Refuse to Turn on the Stove” Summer Soup

Let us be brutally honest for a second. When the weather hits eighty degrees and my tiny apartment turns into a literal sauna, the absolute last thing I want to do is stand over a boiling pot. My three-year-old is already sweaty and demanding a popsicle. The baby is teething and glued to my hip. The kitchen is the last place on earth I want to be.

That is exactly when I pull out this chilled cucumber soup. It requires zero heat. You literally just chop, dump everything in a blender, and press a button. Ten minutes of actual work, and then the fridge does the rest.

The 8-Hour Chill is Actually a Good Thing

I know seeing “8 hours or overnight” in the instructions might make you think this is a high-maintenance recipe. It is actually the ultimate mom hack. You make it at 9 PM after the kids are finally asleep, shove it in the back of the fridge, and go to bed. By lunch the next day, it is perfectly cold, the flavors have mingled, and lunch is completely handled while you are busy breaking up toddler fights.

A Quick Reality Check on the Macros

We need to talk about the nutrition label, because this is where a lot of well-meaning diet recipes fail us. This bowl is only 100 calories. It is basically hydrating, flavorful water with a little bit of dairy.

If you are breastfeeding that eight-month-old, or if you are navigating blood sugar issues like I did during my gestational diabetes days, 100 calories is not a meal. It is a snack. If you eat just this, you will be starving, shaky, and raiding the pantry by 2 PM.

So how do we fix it? We use this soup as our hydrating, crunchy side dish and we pair it with real fuel. The high water content (over 90 percent!) is amazing for nursing moms, but you need to anchor it. I usually eat a big bowl of this right next to a massive scoop of tuna salad, a couple of hard-boiled eggs, or a thick slice of leftover chicken. You get the refreshing, cooling crunch of the cucumbers and dill, plus the protein and fat you actually need to keep your blood sugar stable and your energy up.

Blend it up, let it chill, and enjoy the only part of your day that does not involve someone screaming your name.

The Chilled Cucumber Soup

Name: The Chilled Cucumber Soup
Cook time: 0 mins
Yield: 7 servings
Ingredients: SOUP :; 2 large English cucumbers, peeled and cut in thirds; 1 cup plain yogurt; 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream; 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 1/2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1/4 cup red onions, roughly chopped; 1 small clove garlic; 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped; 1 tsp. powdered sugar; ground Himalayan pink salt, to taste; freshly ground mixed peppercorns, to taste; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; TOPPINGS :; 2 tbsp. red onions, finely chopped; 1 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped; extra virgin olive oil, as needed for drizzling

🥄 Prep: 10 mins 🔥 Cook: 0 mins ⏱️ Total: 10 mins 🍽️ Yield: 7 servings ⚡ 100 cal

🥫 Ingredients

SOUP :

2 large English cucumbers, peeled and cut in thirds

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

1 1/2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup red onions, roughly chopped

1 small clove garlic

1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped

1 tsp. powdered sugar

ground Himalayan pink salt, to taste

freshly ground mixed peppercorns, to taste

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

TOPPINGS :

2 tbsp. red onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped

extra virgin olive oil, as needed for drizzling

📝 Instructions

In a blender, add all the soup ingredients except the oil. Place the lid and remove the filler cap. Pulse a few times then set the speed to medium.
When the mixture is fairly smooth and the appliance is still running, slowly pour in a thin stream of oil through the top.
Taste and adjust seasoning before transferring the mixture to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, ladle into chilled serving bowls and garnish with red onions, chopped dill; drizzle on some olive oil.

🔬 Nutrition Facts

Calories: 100 calories | Protein: 7 g | Carbohydrates: 8 g | Fat: 4 g | WaterContent: Over 90%

Recipe