Soups for hot weather: 5 recipes for delicious cold soups

Chłodnik, or cold soup, to the rescue!

When the sun is beating down, few people fancy hot and hearty meals. So, on sweltering summer days, opt for a chłodnik – a cold soup that can be prepared in many different ways, both sweet and savoury. Chłodniki are not only delicious but, above all, very healthy, thanks to the ingredients they contain, such as fresh vegetables or fruits, which are a source of many vitamins, minerals, and fibre. They perfectly cool, refresh, and quench thirst, helping you get through even the biggest heatwaves. Preparing them is truly express and doesn't require advanced culinary skills. Chłodniki can be served traditionally, i.e., using soup bowls, deep plates, or even glasses – served this way, they make an excellent starter.

Lithuanian Chłodnik – a classic!

Tasty, healthy, and easy to prepare – beetroot chłodnik is an ideal dish for hot summer days. The base of Lithuanian chłodnik is cooked botwina (beet greens) with beetroot, combined with kefir or sour milk. You'll also find delicious additions here, such as fresh cucumber, dill, and chives. Beetroot chłodnik served with a hard-boiled egg tastes absolutely divine!

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of botwina (beet greens)
• 500 ml of broth
• 500 g of sour milk
• 400 g of 18% sour cream
• 3 tablespoons of chopped dill
• 3 tablespoons of chopped chives
• 3 gherkins
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of vinegar
• Seasoning: salt and pepper

Preparation:

• Wash the botwina, cut off the beetroots, peel them, and dice finely. Chop the stems and leaves finely as well.
• Bring the broth to a boil, add the beetroots and stems, and cook for about 15 minutes until the beetroots are tender. Add the leaves 5 minutes before the end of cooking. Let the broth cool.
• To the cold broth, add sour milk, sour cream, 2 tablespoons of dill, 2 tablespoons of chives, and 2 peeled and grated cucumbers.
• Season with salt, pepper, garlic pressed through a garlic press, and vinegar. Mix and refrigerate.
• Pour the finished chłodnik into deep plates. Serve with a hard-boiled egg, the remaining grated cucumber, dill, and chives.

Gazpacho

Gazpacho...

is a delicious and refreshing cold soup originating from Spain, specifically Andalusia. Its main ingredient is aromatic, preferably very ripe and soft, tomatoes, alongside which you'll also find peppers, green cucumber, olive oil, vinegar, and garlic. Gazpacho is a fantastic way to beat the heat! It tastes superb served with finely chopped vegetables and croutons.

Ingredients:

• 500 g tomatoes
• 1 gherkin
• 0.5 pepper
• 0.5 onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of fresh chilli pepper
• 0.5 cup of white bread pulp
• 1 teaspoon of lime juice
• 1 teaspoon of wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 slice of white bread
• Seasoning: salt and pepper

Preparation:

• Blanch the tomatoes with boiling water and peel them. Place the seed pulp from one tomato into a blender, and dice the flesh finely. Cut the remaining tomatoes into larger pieces and place them in the blender.
• Peel the cucumber – dice 1/3 of the vegetable, and place the rest in the blender.
• Clean the pepper – dice 1/3 of the pepper, and place the remaining part in the blender jug.
• Also, add the peeled onion, garlic, chilli, bread, lime juice, wine vinegar, and olive oil to the blender container. Blend everything thoroughly.
• Strain the blended chłodnik through a sieve. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the soup for several hours to chill thoroughly.
• Dice a slice of bread and prepare croutons in a frying pan.
• Pour the chilled soup into bowls. Serve with the previously chopped vegetables and croutons.

Avocado Chłodnik – A Green Delight

An excellent recipe for avocado chłodnik with added fresh cucumbers and spinach leaves. This green portion of healthy, filling, cold soup is perfect as a light summer lunch.

Ingredients:

• 3 avocados
• 3 gherkins
• A handful of spinach leaves
• A handful of mint
• A handful of coriander
• 300 g thick natural yoghurt
• 1 small red onion
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• Juice squeezed from half a lime
• 1 teaspoon of wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• Seasoning: salt and pepper
• 3 cups of cold mineral water

Preparation:

• Peel the avocados, cut in half, and remove the stone. Transfer the flesh to a blender container.
• Wash, peel, and cut the cucumbers into smaller pieces. Add to the avocado. Also, add spinach leaves, mint, coriander, Greek yoghurt, red onion, olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, honey, and salt. Add 3 cups of cold water and blend.
• Refrigerate the cold avocado soup for several hours to chill.
• Pour the finished chłodnik into glasses. Garnish with chopped mint, coriander, and freshly ground pepper.

Watermelon and Strawberry Chłodnik – A Sweet Twist

The recipe for watermelon and strawberry chłodnik is perfect for hot days. To make the chłodnik ready to eat immediately after preparation, it's worth putting the watermelon and strawberries in the fridge a few hours before you start making it.

Ingredients:

• 600 g watermelon flesh (seedless)
• 200 g strawberries
• 4 tablespoons of lime juice
• 3 tablespoons of honey
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon of finely grated fresh ginger
• Feta cheese

Preparation:

• Wash and hull the strawberries.
• Place the watermelon, strawberries, lime juice, honey, mint, and ginger into a blender container and blend until smooth.
• Pour the finished chłodnik into bowls. Serve with crumbled feta cheese.

Tarator – Bulgarian Cucumber Chłodnik

Chłodnik from Bulgaria

Tarator is a chłodnik recipe originating from Bulgaria. It's a delicate cold soup made with Greek yoghurt, cucumbers, dill, garlic, and chopped walnuts. Preparing this chłodnik is incredibly simple – just mix all the ingredients. Simple, light, and delicious!

Ingredients:

• 4 gherkins
• 400 g Greek yoghurt
• 2 cloves of garlic
• A bunch of dill
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 0.5 cup of chopped walnuts
• A few ice cubes
• Seasoning: salt and pepper

Preparation:

• Wash, peel, remove the seeds, and finely dice the cucumbers.
• Transfer the yoghurt to a large bowl, add the cucumbers, garlic pressed through a garlic press, chopped dill, and olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix and refrigerate for several hours.
• Pour the chilled soup into porcelain plates, add a few ice cubes, and sprinkle with walnuts and chopped dill.