When the weather gets warm, it’s time to swap your go-to chili recipes for something, well, a little chillier. Stay cool in the heat with this roundup of flavor-packed, easy-to-make and ultra-refreshing soups. From 15-minute gazpacho to avocado soup, here are 31 cold soup recipes to whet your appetite this summer.
31 Cold Soup Recipes for Hot Summer Days
Soup, there it is
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Published Jul 26, 2024
What's Gaby Cooking/Wholesome Yum/Gimme Some Oven
1. 15-Minute Gazpacho with Cucumber, Red Pepper and Basil
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
- Serves: 4
You're only a few pulses away from making the most iconic chilled soup of them all. Its ingredients are almost all vegetables and herbs, so hunting down the best produce you can find is key.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, vegetarian
- Serves: 4 to 6
If the acidity of red tomatoes is a deal breaker for you, swap them for mild yellow tomatoes instead. Better yet, this soup screams summer, thanks to the addition of fresh peaches.
3. 15-Minute Cucumber-Avocado Blender Soup
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian
- Serves: 4
It's as simple as blending the produce, herbs and Greek yogurt until smooth. The Asiago-encrusted baguette is just the cherry on top.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: dairy free, no cook, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 8
Never let another ear of corn go to waste. Pair it with yellow tomatoes and bell peppers, jalapeño and sherry vinegar to turn it into the most surprising cold soup you’ve ever tried.
5. Heirloom Tomato and Bell Pepper Gazpacho
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, vegetarian
- Serves: 8
This summer star is delicious served in a bowl, by why not allude to its ingredients and serve it in a pepper? For the best flavor, seek out heirloom tomatoes and don’t skip the crème fraîche drizzle.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, vegetarian
- Serves: 4
Healthy, beautiful and make-ahead friendly? Dreams really do come true. Top it off with a swirl of sour cream and all the fresh dill.
7. Chilled Cucumber, Avocado and Shrimp Soup
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, gluten free
- Serves: 2
Aka the ultimate summer desk lunch. The shrimp are coated in both smoked and sweet paprika, making them the perfect spicy pairing for the mild, refreshing soup.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <500 calories
- Serves: 8
It’s creamy, velvety, buttery and nutritious. Most importantly, it tastes heavenly both hot and cold. Use vegetable stock if you want to make it vegetarian.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, <30 minutes
- Serves: 4 to 6
Recipe developer Ali Martin lived in Barcelona, so her gazpacho recipe is the real-deal. If you want to switch it up from croutons, she suggests many toppings, like chopped hard-boiled eggs or Spanish ham.
10. Truffled Cream of Asparagus Soup
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, gluten free
- Serves: 4
Earthy black truffle + fresh asparagus + heavy whipping cream = the most decadent chilled spring soup of all time. I'll take mine with a grilled cheese, please.
11. Chilled Cucumber Soup with Yogurt, Cilantro, Coriander and Lime
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, no cook
- Serves: 3 to 4
Lime juice, Greek yogurt and jalapeño bring this cool cucumber concoction to life. It’s ideal for those blazing summer days when you can’t stand the thought of cooking or eating a hot meal.
12. Chilled Cucumber Melon Soup
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, <30 minutes
- Serves: 6
Not into a little spice in your cold soup? Try this twist on chilled cucumber—it calls for half a medium cantaloupe, but feel free to use honeydew or watermelon instead.
13. Strawberry and Tomato Gazpacho
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 4
Sweet, spicy and savory in one bowl, this cold soup recipe turns an unconventional combination into a delicious summer meal. Garnish it with goat cheese, mint and lime juice for the full effect.
14. Ajo Blanco
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, no cook
- Serves: 6
This garlicky cold soup from Spain can be made with cucumber, pear or green apple to keep it ultra-light and fresh, but here it has bread for a thicker texture. Garnish it with green grapes it you want to follow tradition.
15. Persian-Style Chilled Cucumber Soup
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead
- Serves: 6
It's loaded with toasted walnuts and fresh herbs. Bring a batch to your next barbecue to have with grilled lamb chops or chicken kebabs.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, dairy free
- Serves: 4 to 6
This cold soup is a great way to use up that leftover portion of watermelon that you have hiding in the fridge after last weekend’s picnic. Wondering how to cut a watermelon? I’ve got you covered.
17. Chilled Strawberry Coconut Soup
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <15 minutes, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 6
Believe it or not, this fruity beauty comes together in the blender in just five minutes with the help of vanilla yogurt and coconut cream. Serve it as an appetizer or side dish along with your favorite barbecue meats.
18. Coconut Curried Cauliflower Soup
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: dairy free, vegetarian, make ahead
- Serves: 10
A Thai-inspired dinner that only *looks* like it took you all night to make (even though all you needed was 40 minutes). Serve it hot or cold, depending on the weather.
19. Cucumber Soup
- Time Commitment: 2 hours, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
- Serves: 5
Make it a meal by topping a bowl off with poached shrimp or lobster meat. To keep it vegetarian, finish it with microgreens, fresh cilantro and sour cream.
20. Green Gazpacho
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 6
Fetch your blender and take this cold soup recipe for a whirl—it'll only take 15 minutes and a handful of fresh ingredients, like zucchini, bell pepper, cucumber and herbs.
21. Hot or Cold Thai Carrot Coconut Lemongrass Soup
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 6
This flavorful pick will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for five days or in the freezer for one month. So, make a batch to enjoy chilled and save the leftovers to try hot another time.
22. Chilled Avocado and Cucumber Soup
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <15 minutes, vegan, <10 ingredients
- Serves: 2
Psst: I'm betting you have just about everything you need to make this cold appetizer right this minute. Aside from the produce, it’s all about the garlic, cumin and lemon.
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: make ahead, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
- Serves: 4
Earthy beets puréed with zingy balsamic vinegar and creamy Greek yogurt sound delicious. But TBH, the soup's color is what sold me. Think of it like a cold version of borscht.
24. Chilled Corn and Crab Soup
- Time Commitment: 2 hours, 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: dairy free, gluten free
- Serves: 4 to 6
If you really want to wow your picnic guests, look no further than this 30-minute summer appetizer that boasts fresh corn and snow crab meat.
25. Peach Gazpacho
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: no cook, <15 minutes
- Serves: 4 to 6
With fresh peaches and ripe tomatoes, this cold soup is refreshing, sweet and tangy. Save some of the fruit to use as a garnish, along with basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <15 minutes, no cook, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 6
There’s no need to chill the soup after making it, since it starts with three cups of frozen ripe watermelon. Ingenious, if you ask me.
27. Chilled Zucchini Walnut Basil Soup
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: make ahead, vegetarian
- Serves: 4
When you’ve had your fill of zoodles, you can always lean on this herbaceous soup starring zucchini, fresh thyme and basil, toasted nuts and Greek yogurt. It’s like summer in a bowl.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, low carb, <15 minutes
- Serves: 4
This no-cook soup is beyond simple, so feel free to get fancy with the finishing touches. Think crumbled bacon, quick-pickled onions, toasted pepitas or chili oil.
29. Mango Gazpacho with Quick-Pickled Shrimp
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, dairy free
- Serves: 6
Behold, tomato-free gazpacho. It's equal parts fruity, refreshing and zesty, thanks to fresh ginger, vinegar and mustard seed in the shrimp brine. (BTW, before you get cooking, this is the best way how to slice a mango.)
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
- Serves: 7
Celery is way more nutritious than you may realize. It's high in fiber, folate, vitamin K, potassium and calcium, plus it boasts antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, according to the Mayo Clinic.
- Time Commitment: 6 hours, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 4
Since this cold soup is made from just a few ingredients, it’s worth seeking out the best cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes you can find (plus good olive oil). Time for a trip to the farmers market, no?
