By Lesli Baker
Feeling over-heated this summer? Try a cold soup recipe! Cold soups are hydrating, filling, and refreshing. One could always juice fruits and veggies, but a soup includes the same vitamins and minerals while also keeping the fiber. Also, adding together specialized ingredients makes for an entertaining and cooling meal for summer dinner parties and gatherings.
For many, the one cold soup that they are most familiar with is gazpacho, a Spanish-style soup made from tomatoes and other vegetables and spices. But there are so many delicious combinations for other cold soups, even some that would more traditionally be considered a dessert with pureed fruits and even chocolate!
Here is a fun recipe for a cool and tangy watermelon soup with zest, a great idea for a healthy dinner for the hottest summer days. It’s a refreshing combination of sweet and spicy. Give it a try!
Ingredients:
- 7 cups diced watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Salt and Pepper
- Pinch Of Cayenne
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
- 2 cups diced honeydew melon or cantaloupe, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups diced cucumber, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons snipped chives
- Handful of small basil leaves
- Handful of small mint leaves
- Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
- Pinch of flaky salt
Preparation:
- Put 5 cups of diced watermelon in a food processor or blender and purée. Strain purée through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. You should have about 4 cups of purée. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill bowl on ice or refrigerate.
- To serve, place the remaining diced watermelon, honeydew melon and cucumber in a small mixing bowl. Toss with a little salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Divide mixture evenly into chilled soup bowls.
- Ladle watermelon purée into each bowl. Sprinkle with chives, basil and mint. Add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper and flaky salt if desired. Pass lime wedges separately.