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    Home » SOUPS + CURRIES

    Chilled Cucumber Soup with Watercress

    June 9, 2022 33 Comments

    Bowls filled with chilled cucumber soup, topped with a salsa of corn, tomatoes, dill and dried chilis.

    This chilled cucumber soup hits the spot on a hot summer day for lunch or a starter for a dinner party. Like many others, it includes yogurt, but it also uses buttermilk for a little tang. It includes fresh watercress and is topped with a summer salsa of tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and white onion.

    Make this ahead, and chill for at least 30 minutes, but ideally the day before you serve it. The extra chill time allows the flavors to develop.

    4 bowls filled with chilled cucumber soup topped with a relish of grilled corn, tomatoes, dill and a sprinkling of chile flakes.
    Jump to:
    • Cucumber Soup Ingredients
    • Soup Salsa Ingredients (Optional)
    • Recommended Equipment
    • Instructions
    • Cucumber Soup FAQ
    • Chilled Cucumber Soup with Watercress (Recipe)

    Need a cold soup for lunch? Or as a starter for a dinner party? This chilled cucumber soup is just the ticket. It's refreshing, creamy with a slight tang from buttermilk, and filled will goodness from the cucumbers and added watercress.

    I am a soup person. In winter, it warms me up on a snowy day. In summer, it refreshes me with something healthy. Some soups can be eaten either way, such as this Asparagus Soup. Others should only be eaten cold, such as this Strawberry Coconut Soup, Avocado Soup with Tomatillos and Hatch Chile, and Mango Soup with Coconut and Lime, which came in second place in a recipe contest on Food 52 a few years ago.

    Cucumber Soup Ingredients

    • Cucumbers - use English cucumbers. They're a little sweeter, as regular cucumbers typically have larger seeds in them. The seeds contribute a slight bitterness.
    • Scallions
    • Watercress
    • Greek yogurt - plain, full-fat.
    • Buttermilk
    • Rice vinegar - both plain and seasoned work fine in this recipe.
    • Jalapeño
    • Avocado
    • Fresh dill
    • Dried chile flakes (I use New Mexico Caribe Chile flakes)
    A small bowl of grilled corn with cojita cheese.

    Soup Salsa Ingredients (Optional)

    • Roma tomatoes
    • Grilled Corn
    • Fresh Dill
    • New Mexico Caribe Chile Flakes

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.

    Recommended Equipment

    Vegetable peeler
    Sharp chef's knife
    Countertop blender

    New Mexico Caribe Chile Flakes in a tiny bowl.

    Instructions

    Step 1 (10 minutes)

    Prep the veggies. Peel the cucumbers, and coarsely chop. Chop the scallions and watercress. Coarsely chop the jalapeño.

    Step 2 (2 minutes)

    Purée. Pile everything into a countertop powerful blender. Buzz it until you have a smooth purée.

    Step 3 (at least 30 minutes)

    Chill. Pour the soup into a container, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Chilling overnight is even better - the extra time allows the flavors to meld and develop.

    Step 4 (10 minutes)

    Prep the salsa (if using). Seed and dice the Roma tomato. Coarsely chop the cilantro. Mince the white onion and jalapeño pepper. Chop the avocado.

    Step 5

    Serve: Adjust the seasoning of the soup to your tastes, for example a little more lemon or salt. Serve with the garnishes on the soup or on the side.

    Cucumber Soup FAQ

    Is it necessary to peel the cucumbers?

    Yes. It's typically not necessary to peel English cucumbers since their skin is thinner than regular cucumbers. But if you don't peel them for this soup, the texture will be gritty. I've tried this and then added more avocado, but then the soup is bland.

    So, yes, peel the cucumbers. And if you use regular cucumbers, be sure to seed them as their seeds can be bitter. This isn't necessary with English cucumbers.

    4 bowls filled with chilled cucumber soup topped with a relish of grilled corn, tomatoes, dill and a sprinkling of chile flakes.
    Print Recipe
    4.98 from 36 votes

    Chilled Cucumber Soup with Watercress (Recipe)

    This chilled cucumber soup hits the spot on a hot summer day for lunch or a starter for a dinner party. It includes yogurt and buttermilk for a little tang. And there's fresh watercress, scallions, avocado and a little jalapeño. Add a little optional summer salsa of tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and white onion for a finishing touch, if you want.
    Make this ahead, and chill for at least 30 minutes, but ideally the day before you serve it. The extra chill time allows the flavors to develop.
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    chill time in the refrigerator30 minutes mins
    Total Time50 minutes mins
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Any
    Keyword: cucumber soup, cucumber soup with watercress
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 120kcal
    Author: The Wimpy Vegetarian

    Equipment

    • Vegetable peeler
    • Chef's knife
    • countertop blender

    Ingredients

    Soup

    • 4 cups English cucumbers about 1 ½ cucumbers
    • ¼ cup chopped scallions about 2 scallions, including the dark green parts
    • ½ cup coarsely chopped watercress
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • ¾ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
    • ¾ cup buttermilk
    • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño
    • ½ avocado
    • 1 teaspoon fresh dill
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon dried chile flakes, such as New Mexico Caribe Chile Flakes or Pequin Crushed Dried Chiles

    Salsa

    • ⅛ Roma tomato seeded and finely chopped
    • 2 tablespoons fresh raw or grilled corn
    • ½ teaspoon fresh dill
    • ⅛ teaspoon dried chile flakes see above links for examples
    • squeeze lime juice

    Instructions

    Soup

    • Prep the veggies. Peel the cucumbers, and coarsely chop. Chop the scallions and watercress. Coarsely chop the jalapeño.
    • Purée. Pile everything into a countertop powerful blender. Buzz it until you have a smooth purée.
    • Chill. Pour the soup into a container, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Chilling overnight is even better - the extra time allows the flavors to meld and develop.
    • Prep the salsa (if using). Seed and dice the Roma tomato. Coarsely chop the cilantro. Mince the white onion and jalapeño pepper. Chop the avocado.
    • Serve: Adjust the seasoning of the soup to your tastes, for example a little more lemon or salt. Serve with the garnishes on the soup or on the side.

    Salsa

    • Mix the tomato, corn, fresh dill together and toss with lime juice. Serve on the side or a dollop on top of the soup, along with some chile flakes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.2g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 6.8mg | Sodium: 359.5mg | Potassium: 455.2mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 6.1g | Vitamin A: 517.2IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 124.7mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Manu

      July 06, 2014 at 3:21 am

      5 stars
      Oh yum! This gazpacho sounds so refreshing! Love it!

      Reply
    2. Hezzi-D

      July 06, 2014 at 5:02 am

      5 stars
      Yum! Sounds like big flavors coming from this soup and I'm liking that it's served cold...perfect for summer!

      Reply
    3. Shannon @VillageGirlBlog

      July 06, 2014 at 6:44 am

      5 stars
      This sounds spectacular! I have had a cucumber soup that was full of cream and it was delicious but I think I would like the yogurt and buttermilk in yours more. Yum!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        July 08, 2014 at 8:05 am

        5 stars
        I find that cream dilutes the flavors too much since cucumber is such a subtle flavor. I hope you like it if you try it!

        Reply
    4. Susan

      July 06, 2014 at 7:25 am

      5 stars
      A large family is absolutely overwhelming and wonderful at the same time! You'll always cherish the time and memories together. Now this soup! It's sounds delicious and cucumber is so refreshing.

      Reply
    5. [email protected] Tastes Good

      July 06, 2014 at 7:26 am

      5 stars
      I loved reading about the large family and all the different preferences. Too fun! This gazpacho sounds so cool and refreshingly delicious!! yummm

      Reply
    6. Liz

      July 06, 2014 at 8:15 am

      5 stars
      Oh, does your soup look both refreshing and delicious! Even when I have our small nuclear family at home, I'm having to jump through hoops to make sure there's something for everyone! But it's always fun!

      Reply
    7. apuginthekitchen

      July 06, 2014 at 8:26 am

      5 stars
      Oh wow Susan, love this soup, perfect for a light summer meal. Perfectly seasonal and delicious.

      Reply
    8. Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch)

      July 06, 2014 at 8:28 am

      5 stars
      What a pretty soup and perfect for Summer

      Reply
    9. Marlene @Nosh My Way

      July 06, 2014 at 8:58 am

      5 stars
      What an excellent way to please all palates and keep your cool in the kitchen.

      Reply
    10. Sarah

      July 06, 2014 at 9:19 am

      5 stars
      This looks delicious, I've only ever had cress in salads and sandwiches!

      Reply
    11. Courtney @ Neighborfood

      July 06, 2014 at 10:25 am

      5 stars
      This looks so incredibly refreshing. What a great way to cool down on a hot summer day. I loved this post--sounds like such a blast to have everyone together!

      Reply
    12. Shannon R

      July 06, 2014 at 11:33 am

      5 stars
      You know so many good eaters! This looks fantastic, thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    13. Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily

      July 06, 2014 at 12:09 pm

      5 stars
      Sounds like some fantastic family time 😉
      This cucumber gazpacho is lovely and I'll bet it tastes wonderful, perfect for the dog days of summer! Pinned.

      Reply
    14. Laura Dembowski

      July 06, 2014 at 12:25 pm

      5 stars
      This soup definitely looks very refreshing! I'd like a bowl to cool me off now!

      Reply
    15. cheri

      July 06, 2014 at 1:54 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Susan, this is my kind of soup, the this combination. I bet it's refreshing too! Sounds like you are having a wonderful week-end, so glad you have the family you always wanted. What fun!

      Reply
    16. Simply Gourmet

      July 06, 2014 at 2:08 pm

      5 stars
      Lovely soup and I loved your story about your family. Enjoy the tiny bit of weekend that is left.

      Reply
    17. Julie @ Texan New Yorker

      July 06, 2014 at 3:03 pm

      5 stars
      I'm a new gazpacho convert, so I'm so happy to see your recipe this week! I'll have to make this soon.

      Reply
    18. Kim (Feed Me, Seymour)

      July 06, 2014 at 3:37 pm

      5 stars
      This is definitely a summer soup that I can get on board with!

      Reply
    19. Cathy

      July 06, 2014 at 3:54 pm

      5 stars
      Susan -- this looks so nice and cool!

      Reply
    20. Rosemary

      July 06, 2014 at 5:14 pm

      5 stars
      Loved hearing about your family -- you are a trooper! It's hot hot in Walnut Creek, I want try the soup tonight, but don't have watercress...will see what I substitute and let you know how it goes.

      Reply
      • Rosemary

        July 06, 2014 at 9:18 pm

        5 stars
        My version of your soup was great, and my husband liked it! The topping really made it nice. Since I didn't have watercress, I steamed some turnips (desperately looking for ways to use them up from my CSA), and pureed in the soup. Probably didn't make a lot of difference but I thought might give a little of that radish-y bite flavor. Thanks for the dinner inspiration!

        Reply
        • The Wimpy Vegetarian

          July 08, 2014 at 8:08 am

          5 stars
          I'm so thrilled that you made it!!! Glad to hear the turnips worked - great idea. That's one of the things I like most about CSA boxes, the creative opportunities they offer with fruits and veggies you might not normally have on hand. Hope you had a great 4th of July!

          Reply
    21. Cheryl

      July 06, 2014 at 8:00 pm

      5 stars
      What a full house you had! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I'm so excited to have so many yummy sounding cold soup recipes to try. Here in New Mexico it is hot and dry, perfect weather for this kind of dish! HUGS

      Reply
    22. Serena | Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch

      July 06, 2014 at 9:48 pm

      5 stars
      What a gorgeous Gazpacho! I love all the fresh ingredients and the bright color!

      Reply
    23. Choc Chip Uru

      July 07, 2014 at 5:42 am

      5 stars
      The colour is stunning, and enough to make me devour this beautiful soup 😀

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

      Reply
    24. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

      July 08, 2014 at 7:05 am

      5 stars
      What a fun menagerie you have going! I'm sure it's the highlight of your year!

      Reply
    25. Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen

      July 08, 2014 at 1:00 pm

      5 stars
      Yummm it sounds cool and refreshing, and looks beautiful!

      Reply
    26. Alice

      July 08, 2014 at 2:55 pm

      5 stars
      that is truly wonderful to get something you always wanted! I wanted a close family, but so far its not happened yet... our little family of 4 are close, but the rest of us are still a bit spread out to hang out often.

      Also, love your gazpacho! I'm not a fan of cold soups, but I want to be and try every one I can! : )

      Reply
    27. Amy Kim (@kimchi_mom)

      July 09, 2014 at 9:49 am

      5 stars
      Family time sounds fun in your household! And I agree that it's so much better to eat in!

      I love chilled soups...these looks and sounds incredible!

      Reply
    28. dina

      July 11, 2014 at 5:57 am

      5 stars
      great summer soup. i love anything with buttermilk. yum!

      Reply
    29. Mary @ Fit and Fed

      July 16, 2014 at 9:07 pm

      5 stars
      Beautiful Susan! And perfect for this hot summer weather. I've been having a lot of summer soups myself! I'm glad that you enjoy having your stepchildren and grandchildren visit despite all the necessary fuss. It could easily be the opposite so it shows a lot of generosity and flexibility that you've embraced it.

      Reply
    30. mjskit

      July 20, 2014 at 8:23 pm

      5 stars
      What a lovely soup! Cold cucumber soup is my favorite summer soup and I love your version. Topping it with salsa is a great idea. Great recipe Susan!

      Reply

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    Susan at The Wimpy Vegetarian

    Hi there! I'm Susan.

    A mostly vegetarian married to a mostly carnivore, living in the mountains with our doodle, on Lake Tahoe. My cookbook, Simply Vegetarian, was named #1 best cookbook for new vegetarians. Come join me in simplifying life, starting with dinner!

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