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Gluten Free Apricot & Cucumber Soup

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Submitted by Annetra

Gluten free apricot cucumber soup blends dried apricots with curried cucumber and orange for a chilled or warm vegan starter. Pumpkin seeds on top add bite to a smooth, naturally sweet bowl.

YIELD

4 servings

PREP

2 hrs

COOK

1 hrs

READY

3 hrs

Gluten free apricot cucumber soup is the kind of unexpected pairing that works once you taste it. Dried apricots bring concentrated sweetness, cucumber cools and lightens the body, and a quick toast of curry powder ties them together with warm spice. The result is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and surprising on a starter menu.

The long apricot soak is non-skippable. Two to three hours in vegetable stock with orange zest rehydrates the fruit while pulling citrus oils into the soaking liquid. That infusion becomes the soup’s flavor backbone.

Frying the onion and cucumber together with curry powder before pureeing is what builds depth. Cucumber rarely sees heat in Western kitchens, but a brief sauté concentrates its flavor and softens the vegetal edge. The puree blends to a smooth, peachy-tan color with floating cucumber slices and toasted pumpkin seeds for textural contrast at service.

Pro Tips

  • Bloom the curry powder in the oil for at least 30 seconds before adding the cucumber. Raw curry powder tastes dusty; toasted curry releases its full aromatic profile.
  • Use unsulfured dried apricots for the cleanest flavor; sulfured varieties carry a tang that fights the curry.
  • Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet until they pop slightly, about 2 minutes. Untoasted seeds taste flat and chewy.
  • Serve with black rye bread on the side; the dark, malty bread is the traditional pairing and works beautifully with the sweet-savory soup.

Variations

  • Chill and serve cold for summer; the soup thickens slightly in the fridge but the flavors hold up well.
  • Add a swirl of coconut yogurt before serving for a richer, creamier finish that keeps the recipe vegan.
  • Replace half the apricots with dried peaches for a milder, more floral fruit profile.

Ingredients

6 173.4
OUNCES ML/G APRICOTS, DRIED
1 ½ 1.5
PINT PT VEGETABLE STOCK *
1 1
EACH ORANGE
juiced & rind grated
1 1
MEDIUM MEDIUM CUCUMBER
1 1
MEDIUM MEDIUM ONION
finely chopped
1 15
TABLESPOON ML VEGETABLE OIL
2 10
TEASPOONS ML CURRY POWDER
1
X SALT AND BLACK PEPPER
to taste *
2 30
TABLESPOONS ML PEPITAS (PUMPKIN SEEDS)
to garnish

Directions

Soak the apricots in the stock with the grated orange rind for 2 to 3 hours. Add the orange juice & simmer for 45 minutes.

Cut 8 thin slices from the cucumber & reserve for garnish. Peel & roughly chop the remainder.

Fry the onion in the oil over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once or twice. Stir in the curry powder & chopped cucumber & cook for 2 minutes.

Purée the apricots with the stock & the cucumber mixture. Return to the pan & heat gently. Season with salt & pepper.

Serve the soup garnished with floating slices of cucumber topped with the pumpkin seeds. Black rye bread makes a good accompaniment.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 146g (5.1 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 130 27% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 8%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Sugars g
Protein 4g
Vitamin A 20% Vitamin C 35%
Calcium 5% Iron 7%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
 

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