Tarator Soup
When the mercury rises above our comfort levels, most of us don’t really feel like eating anything heavy. We usually opt for either a salad 🥗 or a sandwich 🥪 which is fine. When it’s hot outside, I like to make soups… of course not hot but cold ones. I prep it the night before or early that morning and let it chill as long as possible. Later on or the next day, dinner is ready!
Throughout the years, I’ve been sharing many “cold” soups like Chilled Leek & Fennel Soup, Spanish Gazpacho, Chilled Avocado Soup, Sopa Ajoblanco • White Gazpacho, and others. Now, here’s another delicious one… my version of Tarator Soup!
You’re wondering what it is, right? Originally from Bulgaria, this is a soup made with yogurt, cucumber 🥒 cut into very small pieces, garlic, fresh chopped dill, crushed walnuts, and water. Depending on the region, some make it even less elaborate by substituting yogurt for water and vinegar.
As you know me, I like to elevate my dishes. The first thing I replaced was water. Do you know what water tastes like? Nothing! It tastes nothing therefore I use vegetable broth instead… much better 😉! I also added freshly squeezed lemon juice which brings some freshness to the Tarator Soup. Then it needed a “je ne sais quoi” so I threw in a little bit of red onions… not too much so it doesn’t take over. Last but not least, I emulsified walnut oil as well as grapeseed oil to give more depth to it. When I was done with it, it was awesome! It has nice layers of flavor in perfect harmony!
This is an incredibly refreshing soup for this season. It takes less than 15 minutes ⏳ to prepare and then simply chill it for 16 to 24 hours. When it’s time to serve the Tarator Soup, garnish it with some chopped toasted walnut, a little dill and a few drops of walnut oil for a gorgeous presentation. Voilà, you’ve got yourself a nice light meal to enjoy during the hot summer months!
Bon Appétit!🍽
Check out these other delicious “light” summer recipes…😀
– Easy Chicken Quesadillas
– Vietnamese Summer Rolls
– Chilled Roasted Pepper Soup
– Grilled Brie, Ham & Pear Sandwich
– Asian Chicken Salad
– Creamy Spicy Guacamole
– Classic Vichyssoise
and for even more “chilled” soup recipes 🥣, click on this link… Recipe Category • Soups
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Tarator Soup
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Ingredients
SOUP
- 1 large English cucumber, peeled and finely diced
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
- 3 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
- 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 tbsp. red onions, chopped
- ground Himalayan sea salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 2 tbsp. walnut oil tips & tricks
- 1 tbsp. grapeseed oil
TOPPING
- 2 tbsp. walnuts, chopped and toasted
- 1 tbsp. fresh dill, for garnish tips & tricks
- walnut oil, as needed
Directions
- In the jar of a blender, add yogurt, vegetable broth, lemon juice, dill, red onion, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the lid on and remove the cap. Process at first on medium-low and then increase to medium.
- Slowly emulsify the walnut oil by adding it in a small steady stream. Do the same with grapeseed oil. Let it run for 2 minutes; taste and adjust if necessary.
- Add chopped cucumber to a large bowl and pour the yogurt mixture over; stir well. Cover and transfer to the fridge overnight.
- When ready to serve, sauté the chopped walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Pour soup into bowls and garnish with toasted walnuts and dill; add a few drops of walnut oil.
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