There is nothing I love more than a cold bowl of gazpacho soup in the summer! While most gazpacho recipes are tomato based, this one uses cucumber as the main ingredient. The result is a bright green soup that’s as refreshing as a cold glass of cucumber water!
I love the smooth texture and bright flavors of this cucumber gazpacho! The combination of creamy avocado, silky coconut milk, cleansing cucumbers, fruity lime, and tangy white wine vinegar, makes this nutritious soup the perfect light summer meal.
You will need a blender or an immersion blender to make this gazpacho recipe. There are 3 easy steps to follow – sauteing the vegetables, blending the soup, and chilling it.
Table of contents
Cucumber Gazpacho Ingredients
- Celery and onion: This is the base of the soup, the mirepoix for this recipe. Onion and celery add a little sweetness and earthiness.
- Cucumber: Using perfectly ripe cucumbers is essential to the success of this dish. When shopping for cucumbers, pick ones that are vibrant green, even in color, and firm to the touch. I am using Japanese cucumbers but feel free to use Kirby or English.
- Olive oil: Olive oil is needed to saute the vegetables so they are sweeter when blended. Any type of olive oil will do since it’s not the main flavor of the dish.
- Water: A cup of water to thin the texture of the soup.
- Coconut milk: Unsweetened coconut milk for a smooth and creamy texture. It also imparts a subtle sweetness and nuttiness, giving the soup extra depth of flavor.
- Avocado: A perfectly ripe avocado will give the soup a buttery and rich feel.
- Lime: Plenty of lime juice to brighten up the flavors and give it a citrus taste.
- White wine vinegar: Adding a little white wine vinegar enhances the tanginess of the lime juice. Only 1 teaspoon is needed.
- Cilantro: To me, cilantro screams summer and takes me to Southeast Asia in an instant. I love the herbaceous and slight citrus taste of cilantro, so I’ve added a good handful to my soup. However, if you don’t like it, feel free to skip it.
- Salt: Properly seasoning this gazpacho makes a big difference. The salt enhances the layered flavors of the soup and help them pop.
Ingredient Substitutions
Instead of coconut milk, use oat milk or unsweetened soy milk. Both of these options have a slight sweetness similar to coconut milk. You can also use plain yogurt, but the sourness may affect the sweetness of the soup.
Instead of cilantro, use dill or mint. Both of these herbs are often use with cucumber in dishes such as in tzatziki or Bulgarian tarator soup, because they complement it so well.
For a spicy cucumber gazpacho, add a drizzle of hot sauce. Not only will you get some heat, a good hot sauce will also impart a wonderful element of smokiness, similar to this gazpacho bloody mary.
How To Make Cucumber Gazpacho
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.
- Start by chopping the vegetables and sauteing them in olive oil until they have softened a little.
- Transfer the vegetables to a blender and add olive oil, water, coconut milk, and avocado.
- Blend until the soup is pureed and add the lime juice, white wine vinegar, cilantro, and salt. Blend again until the soup is smooth and silky.
- Place the soup in the fridge until it’s cold and garnish with chopped cilantro or sliced cucumbers when serving.
Recipe Tip
Blend the soup well. Take your time with this step to make sure that the soup is creamy like a potage. The creamier it gets, the better and more luxurious it tastes.
Take a few sips before adjusting the flavor. It can take a few sips for the palate to adjust to acidic flavors. What might have tasted bland at first may end up tasting just right after 5 or 6 sips.
Storage and Freezing
- Refrigerating: Transfer the soup to a storage container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: To freeze this cucumber gazpacho, transfer the soup to individual size airtight storage containers, or airtight storage bags. Freeze for up to 2 months. Before eating, thaw the soup overnight in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Run it through a mesh strainer to get rid of the grainy parts.
Start with salt before adding anything else. That’s because salt usually fixes the problem if it’s an issue with the overall taste. If you find that the soup lacks sweetness, try adding a little honey. If it could use a little brightness, add a little extra lime juice. For extra tanginess, add more white wine vinegar, but be careful! Too much vinegar can make the soup very sour and leave a harsh after taste.
What to Serve with Cucumber Gazpacho
This a refreshing soup that can be served as part of a meal or as a main. Unlike a tomato based gazpacho, this recipe is somewhat filling because it contains coconut milk and avocado. It’s especially filling if it’s really hot outside and your appetite has shrunk, like mine does in the summer.
What I like to serve this cucumber soup with:
- Tomato and smoked salmon salad
- Tempeh katsu sandwich
- Egg sandwich (tamago sando)
- Tuna sandwich
- Asian slaw
- Nicoise salad
Other cucumber forward recipes you might like to try: Smacked cucumber with chili oil, easy cucumber pickles, Korean cucumber salad, sesame chicken and cucumber salad, sunomono (Japanese cucumber salad), cucumber kimchi, cucumber sandwiches.
Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Cucumber Gazpacho
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The combination of creamy avocado, silky coconut milk, cleansing cucumbers, fruity lime, and tangy white wine vinegar, makes this cucumber gazpacho the perfect light summer meal.
Ingredients
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 pound Japanese cucumbers or English cucumbers
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 200ml unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- Handful cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Saute vegetables.ย In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, celery, and cucumber, and saute for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
- Add to a blender. Add the cooked vegetables to a blender along with the remaining olive oil, water, coconut milk, and avocado. Blend on high until smooth.
- Season the soup. Add the lime juice, white wine vinegar, cilantro, and salt.ย
- Chill it. Transfer the soup to a storage container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the soup is cold.ย
- Serve. Serve it on its own or garnish with chopped cilantro or sliced cucumbers.
Notes
Storing leftovers: Transfer the soup to a storage container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 296
- Sugar: 4.4g
- Sodium: 334mg
- Fat: 26.3g
- Saturated Fat: 11.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18.4g
- Fiber: 5.6g
- Protein: 3.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
