Favorite Summer Soup Recipes

A collection of my favorite summer soups from gazpachos to summery chowders to fresh-vegetable soups and stews, served chilled or warm, all light and refreshing. It's a great companion to my other summer collection, Favorite Summer Salad Recipes.

Favorite Summer Soup Recipes ♥ KitchenParade.com, a seasonal collection of summer's best soup recipes, some served chilled and some served warm, filled with the bounty of summer's best fruits and vegetables.

Homemade Soups Especially for Summer & Packed with Fresh Vegetables. Many Are Simply Prepared, "Plain" But Perfect, All Made from Scratch, All Fresh & Seasonal. Some Are "Raw" & Require No Cooking At All. Many Are Not Just Vegan, But Vegan Done Real. Many Are Not Just Easy, But Summer Easy. Many Are Served Chilled, Some Are Delicious Both Cold and Hot. Most Are Weight Watchers Friendly & Naturally Gluten Free. Scroll On In, Your New Favorite Summer Soup Awaits!

Blame the Gazpacho.

It was gazpacho – ugh, served cold on a wet and windy November day at a conference in the dank basement of a Kansas City hotel – which turned me into a seasonal eater.

I remember the moment so well: the morning session was in an over air-conditioned room, we were all shivering. So when we walked into lunch and spied soup on the table, we quickened our steps, ready to slip our spoons into steamy soup.

But no. The soup wasn't hot, it was chilled-cold-icy gazpacho. Who in good gracious serves gazpacho on an early-winter day? Who in good conscience makes gazpacho when summer tomatoes are long past?

But on a hot summer's day, when all you want to do is snooze stretched out on a hammock? Nothing invigorates like gazpacho. So wipe the sweat off that brow and let's get on with life, heat or not.

What a lesson! Summer soups are different than cold-weather soups!


10 Ways Summer Soups Are Different.

  • Summer soups are lighter, leaning heavily on fresh vegetables and even fruits.
  • Summer soups rarely include meat, though seafood pops in occasionally.
  • Summer soups are often 100% plant-based or easily switched to vegan.
  • Summer soups some times rely on raw uncooked vegetables, a blender does the "cooking".
  • Summer soups may be served chilled, at room temperature and sure, some times warm.
  • Summer soups may be served in small servings, a quick side to a light meal or a salad.
  • Summer soups welcome pretty garnishes, fresh herbs, tiny bits of diced vegetables, edible flowers, swirls of cream or pesto.
  • Summer soups may be playful and fun, rich with color, vibrant with unexpected ingredient combinations.
  • Summer soups may need a vegetable broth like No-Big-Deal Vegetable Stock instead of No-Big-Deal Homemade Chicken Stock which has too much gelatin for serving chilled.
  • Summer soups may become extra special when the flavors have time to meld, watch the recipes for tips like, "better after 24 hours" or "flavors improve after several hours in the refrigerator".

So here's to soup, summer soup, that is.

Stay cool, everyone!
~ Alanna
PS Let's not forget the
Favorite Summer Salad Recipes!

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Favorite Summer Soup Recipes ♥ KitchenParade.com, a seasonal collection of summer's best soup recipes, some served chilled and some served warm, filled with the bounty of summer's best fruits and vegetables.




Summer Soups Galore!

SERVED COLD
~ Gazpacho ~
~ Summer Vegetable Soups ~

SERVED WARM
~ Summer Chowders ~

SERVED WARM or COLD
~ Colorful Summer Soups ~
~ Tomato Soups Especially for Summer ~
~ Summer Vegetable Stews ~
~ Nordic-Style Fruit Soups ~




Gazpacho:
Spain's Chilled Tomato-Based Soup ... & More

What is gazpacho [guz-PAW-cho] anyway? Gazpacho is the chilled Spanish soup made of finely chopped best-of-the-season summer vegetables (tomato, cucumber, bell peppers) plus dried bread, garlic, onion and olive oil. It's often served as a starter but also as a light meal.

For a history of and collection of authentic Spanish gazpacho recipes, I turn to My Kitchen in Spain: 225 Authentic Regional Recipes (affiliate link).

My most traditional gazpacho recipe is the wonderful Tomato Gazpacho. It is a bit of a production, albeit a worthy one at least once every summer. Good juicy tomatoes are essential!

But as you'll see, I also embrace an expansive definition of gazpacho, including ones with melon, sour cherries, avocado and more.

How to make Tomato Gazpacho, the classic chilled Spanish summer soup ♥ AVeggieVenture.com. Great for Meal Prep. Weight Watchers Friendly. Low Carb. Vegan.

Cantaloupe-Tomato Gazpacho ♥ KitchenParade.com, a slightly fruity vegetable gazpacho, lovely color and quick to the table.

Fruity Gazpacho ♥ KitchenParade.com, an unusual savory-sweet, vegetable-fruit soup that's good as an appetizer, an entrée, even a dessert. Positively fresh and delicious.



Light & Lovely:
Summer Chowders

Chowders are the soups where vegetables and often seafood swim in a creamy base – the tomato-based New England clam chowder is an exception, not the rule.

But summer chowders, at least my recipes, are lighter than the usual thick 'n' heavy glops of cold-weather cream chowders. In summer, the light milky broth is almost silky, especially when there's a little corn to sweeten the milk.

A timing note: chowders really blossom with time, allow 24 hours between making and serving, then gently rewarm unless serving chilled or at room temperature.

Finnish Summer Soup aka Kesäkeitto ♥ KitchenParade.com, perfect new summer vegetables suspended in a milky broth, make it all summer long.

Summer's Best Corn Chowder, a classic summer soup ♥ AVeggieVenture.com, packed with our favorite fresh and seasonal summer vegetables. Great for Meal Prep.

Summer Seafood Chowder, another Quick Supper ♥ KitchenParade.com, sweet seafood and late-summer vegetables in a milky broth.
  • THE RECIPE Summer Seafood Chowder Shrimp and scallops in a milky broth, with barely cooked tomato, corn and my favorite vegetable this summer, okra.
  • ANOTHER TAKE Finnish Summer Soup Milky broth with the freshest, newest vegetables from the garden. (PIN This)



When the Garden's Cup Runneth Over:
Summer Vegetable Soups

Those first zucchini off the vine are so sweet and welcome, no bigger than large fingers, many of them. And then the baseball bats arrive ... so our summer arsenal of recipes must include a collection of recipes that move past the familiar uses, you know, like summer soup!

Chilled Zucchini Soup Shooters, another easy summer soup ♥ AVeggieVenture.com. Rave Reviews! Fresh & Seasonal. Quick to Make. Weight Watchers Friendly. Low Carb.

Raw Corn Chowder, another easy summer soup ♥ AVeggieVenture.com, served cold. Just Two Ingredients! Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Vegan.

Cold Cucumber Soup, the summer classic ♥ AVeggieVenture.com, light but flavorful after a recipe makeover. Budget Friendly. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Gluten Free.



Painting Our Bowls with Color:
Colorful Summer Soups

Winter food can be, well, kinda "brown". But not these summer soups!

Summer's food moves up the rainbow and back down again. One of the greatest joys of summer is its color, indoors and out, on our plates and in our bowls.

Chilled Carrot Soup with Honey, a simple summer soup ♥ AVeggieVenture.com, bright with spices and a small kick of cayenne, sweetened with a drizzle of honey.

Cold & Creamy Cantaloupe Soup ♥ KitchenParade.com, a simple chilled summer soup of ripe melon and milk, brightened with a little lemon zest.

Sweet-Corn Soup with Shrimp ♥ KitchenParade.com, familiar ingredients combined into something unusual and surprising. Serve chilled in summer, warm in the spring. Fresh & Seasonal. High Protein.

Yellow Squash Coconut Soup, a riff on Julia Child's master soup recipe ♥ AVeggieVenture.com. Concept Recipe. Beautiful Color. Vegan. Great for Meal Prep.



Tomato Soups Especially for Summer

Hold the grilled cheese! These soups are decidedly summery, light and extra tomato-y and deserving of a light summer sandwich or a beautiful summer salad alongside.

Summer's Tomato Soup ♥ KitchenParade.com, simple, light homemade tomato soup, made with fresh tomatoes. Beautiful color. Looks simple, tastes complex.

Slow-Roasted Tomato Soup ♥ AVeggieVenture.com. Built-in flavor boost from roasted tomatoes.

Tomato Bisque, another easy summer soup ♥ AVeggieVenture.com, start with Marcella Hazan's Famous Tomato-Onion Sauce. Fresh & Seasonal. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Low Carb.



From Summer Soups to ...
Summer Vegetable Stews

These all-vegetable stews are a mélange of height-of-summer vegetables. They're heartier than soup, no broth at all, any liquid is from vegetable juices. And they are gorgeous ... whether served as a side or a light supper, definitely a celebration of summer. I look forward to these, every single summer. Do wait for good and very ripe tomatoes, all that juiciness makes the stews.

I like to make these early in the day or better yet, a day before serving. And days later, the leftovers remain vegetable-rich and delicious.

Summer Vegetable Stew ♥ AVeggieVenture.com, a soupy stew made with fresh vegetables, a great master recipe and a rainbow of summer vegetables, full of different flavors and colors and textures. Weight Watchers Friendly. Vegan. Gluten Free. Paleo.

Armenian Vegetable Stew, another seasonal stew ♥ AVeggieVenture. Late-summer and early-fall vegetables, eggplant, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, okra. Weight Watchers Friendly. Low Cal. Low Carb. Gluten Free. Paleo. Vegan. Best Soup September 2014.

Summer Vegetable Curry ♥ AVeggieVenture.com, great for summer vegetables at their peak.



And for Dessert:
Nordic-Style Fruit Soups

When I lived in Finland as an exchange student, I fell in love with clear, fruity fruit soups for dessert, often garnishes with something creamy, something fruity. I haven't yet posted my recipes (peach, cherry, rhubarb) because my preferred thickener is potato starch, an ingredient not easily found in the States.

Peach, Cherry & Blueberry Fruit Sauce or Fruit Soup ♥ KitchenParade.com, a summery combo, unusual and delicious, especially good with chocolate ice cream.

Peach & Cantaloupe Soup ♥ KitchenParade.com, an easy cold summer soup. Or is it a smoothie? No matter, beautiful color, just fruit, yogurt, orange, lemon and mint.


Seasonal Soups & Salads, Especially for Summer

~ Seasonal Soup & Salad Recipes for May ~
~ Seasonal Soup & Salad Recipes for June ~
~ Seasonal Soup & Salad Recipes for July ~
~ Seasonal Soup & Salad Recipes for August ~
~ Seasonal Soup & Salad Recipes for September ~

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, for more scratch cooking recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments

  1. Catherine7/19/2012

    Hello from cool and rainy London. Today wasn't bad though because the sun was out.

    I don't envy you your record breaking heatwave. It sounds miserable.

    All the soups look good and I will start experimenting. I have loved gazpacho from when I first had it in Spain. The white one is also delicious, and served with grapes.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna