Who feels like cooking on a hot, summer day? Not me! A simple chilled vegetable soup is an easy, make-ahead solution. There are endless possibilities based on the fresh produce available to you. A staple in our household is gazpacho, of which there are many variations. I haven’t yet traveled to Spain to taste the most authentic pureed version. However, our family enjoys its own creation consisting of many diced vegetables. Feel free to make it your own and improvise according to your taste but be sure to prepare it ahead of time so that it has sufficient time to chill. This is one of those dishes that definitely tastes best the next day. Pat yourself on the back for eating your vegetables while enjoying a different texture than a salad.
Ingredients for Chilled Vegetable Soup:
- 64-ounce bottle of V8 juice
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 cup fresh diced tomatoes
- 3 ribs of celery, diced
- 2 Persian cucumbers, diced
- 4 radishes, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt to taste, (less than a teaspoon)
Directions:
Into a big pitcher that can be covered and refrigerated, put each of the finely chopped vegetables. Season with garlic, salt, cumin, olive oil, vinegar, hot sauce and Worcestershire as you build the layers so that the flavors begin to marry. Toss to combine and pour in V8 juice. Stir, chill for at least a few hours, and serve.
Serving Gazpacho
Preparing this chilled vegetable soup ahead of time means that it’s perfect for a picnic. It makes a delightful first course or an accompaniment to a sandwich or lox and bagels. How about making it a complete meal by adding some bay shrimp and avocado for protein and texture? How will you add your own unique twist? Let us know in the comments below and share how you have been developing your intuition in the kitchen.
Looking for more refreshing ideas this summer? Try Cold Soba for your next picnic.