Yogurt & Cucumber Soup with Mint & Dill
Strained yogurt whisked smooth with grated cucumber, fresh dill, mint, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon. This chilled no-cook soup is the coolest thing you’ll eat on a scorching summer day.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
0 minREADY
10 hrsWhen it’s too hot to even think about turning on the stove, this is your move.
Strained low-fat yogurt gets whisked with milk until silky, then loaded up with grated cucumber, crushed garlic, fresh dill, mint, olive oil, and a bright hit of lemon juice. A few dashes of hot sauce give it a sneaky little tingle underneath all that cool creaminess.
The key is patience. Straining the yogurt for a couple of hours (or overnight) thickens it up and concentrates the tang, giving the soup real body instead of a thin, watery texture. Chill it thoroughly before serving and garnish with a paper-thin cucumber slice and a pinch of fresh dill.
Pro Tips
- Strain the yogurt overnight in the fridge for the thickest, creamiest base. Two hours at room temperature works in a pinch.
- Seed the cucumber before grating. The seeds add water and make the soup thin out as it sits.
- Mash the garlic to a paste in a mortar and pestle for the smoothest flavor distribution. Minced pieces can surprise you with a raw garlic blast.
- Serve in chilled bowls for maximum refreshment. This soup warms up fast on a hot day.
Ingredients
medium, peeled and minced, mashed in a mortar and pestle, or put through a garlic press
Directions
Put the yogurt into a cheesecloth-lined strainer and let drip over a bowl 2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in refrigerator.
Discard the water and place yogurt in a bowl.
Whisk the milk into the drained yogurt until smooth.
Stir in the cucumber, garlic, olive oil, 2 tablespoons dill, mint, lemon juice, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce.
Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, until ice cold.
Garnish each serving with a little of the remaining teaspoon dill and a slice of cucumber.
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