These first weeks of summer are lovely: long afternoons spent outside in the park, with cold watermelon slices, tomato sandwiches, and frosty beverages; firefly-flecked evenings spent huddling around campfires, anticipating all the season’s possibilities; grand visions for the road trips and bike rides that will follow; fond anticipation for all the ice cream cones to be enjoyed before they melt; and all the sunburns to be gently treated with aloe vera and cream.
Then July and August roll around, and the pleasant stickiness becomes unfavorable. Hot, thick air will stay still no matter what direction the wind blows on those hot days. Cooking, let alone sustaining an appetite, is draining and exhausting—crisp, excellent autumn calls. There’s soup for all of those days.
Seriously! Soup is the perfect summer food. You can use it to take on any ripe fruits and vegetables in your kitchen. You can make it ahead of time in large batches in a single pot or blender. It can be made early in large batches and left to cool down for several weeks. You can make it hot or cold, and while that may seem counterintuitive, the heat will cool your down even in the most miserable, hellish temperatures. Most soups are comforting and warm; this summer, it is even more so.
Avocado & Green Apple GazpachoGazpacho is a classic summer dish. You may associate it with tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. But it can also be made with other vegetables (and even fruit)—for example, crisp green apples and creamy avocado.
Green Gazpacho with Chili Cumin Shrimp
A tart-herbal chilled soup with tomatillos and cilantro is topped with spicy shrimp. It takes only five minutes to put together the whole thing.
White Gazpacho with Cantaloupe
You will love this combination of juicy cantaloupe, blanched almonds, and bread cubes. It’s not a salad but your new favorite summer soup.
Watermelon Gazpacho with Feta & Mint
Another classic salad-turned-soup move. Fresh watermelon puree is infused with bright spots of mint. Topped with feta, it gets a salty kick and lots of textural interest.
Cold Asparagus Yogurt Soup
This recipe can be made in the first week of summer when spring asparagus is still readily available. Combine the tender, aromatic asparagus with caramelized leeks, tangy Yogurt, and a quick DIY stock (just water and salt, which is acceptable). Enjoy the soup, hot or cold.
Salmorejo (Cold Spanish Tomato Soup with Serrano Ham)
Sweet, fresh tomato canoodles with salted-cured Serrano Ham, soft, luscious white bread, and creamy hard-boiled eggs. Finding good olive oil and the finest tomatoes is worth the effort.
Cold Corn Soup with Basil-Chili Oil
Combining sweet corn, smoky bacon, and a bit of onion makes this a satisfying soup with nothing to hide.
Dr. Zhivago Borscht
Although you might not think of beets being winter food, borscht is an exception. The earthy, dill-fragranced soup can be served cold with a swirl of cream and some diced Persian cucumbers.
Yogurt Soup with Cucumbers and Walnuts (Tarator
This soup is rich in Yogurt for its tang, country bread for the body, and garlic for the zest. It also contains grated cucumbers for moisture, brightness, and moisture.
Zucchini and Almond Soup with Lemony Lentils
The gorgeous pale green color makes it worth whipping up this soup, STAT, until you taste its fantastic fresh-vibrant-nuttiness. You’ll be tempted to make a second batch of crispy lemony lentils, so you can use them in every soup and salad you eat.
Chilled Tomato Peach Soup
Summer is best when tomatoes and peaches are involved. This soup uses an unbeatable combination and is gently flavored with thyme, cayenne, and thyme. The deal is sealed with a swirl of cream at the end.
Tarragon Lemon Summer Squash Soup
This soup is perfect for summertime thanks to its bright yellow color and anise-y Tarragon scent. It can be eaten hot or cold. You can also add or remove dairy. The only thing that is not mandatory is more tarragon and delicately oniony chives. They are technically not required, but we don’t recommend omitting them.
Seared Fresh Sardines and Tomato Soup
This time we’re in tomato soup land but the late-summer version. Seared sardines and salty capers atop a creamy, fresh tomato-and-fennel-soup bed give a pleasantly Mediterranean vibe to the dish.
Greek Lemon Soup – Avgolemono
Lemon adds freshness and lightness to any place it goes, such as this silky egg yolk- and orzo-based soup. P.S. P.S.: This recipe does not require any chopping. You can even tear the herbs to garnish! It takes approximately 20 minutes to make.
Summer Corn Chowder
Corn chowder has long been a summer favorite. This version, with bacon and smoky poblano chilies, will be a welcome addition to your repertoire. The flavors combine to make it even more delicious, so make a large corn chowder on Sunday and enjoy it throughout the week.
Corn Soup with Tofu Larb
Another twist on corn soup. This time, it has a spicy gingery base and sweet-spicy tofu larb. The perfect topping is a plethora of herbs, limes, and chile.
A Lighter Spinach & Parmesan Egg Drop Soup
Egg drop soup takes only minutes to cook; in this case, it’s 10. It is nourishing, delicious, and light. You’ll have some greenery and pizzaz with baby spinach leaves and salty Parmesan.
