Food & Drink

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Cold Comfort: 10 Summer Soups From Around The World

Take your taste buds on a chilled-out trip with these slurp-worthy cold soups from across the globe.

By Jessica Keller

Food & Drink

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Cold Comfort: 10 Summer Soups From Around The World.

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Gazpacho (Spain) – Bursting with the bright flavours of ripe tomatoes and peppers alongside a punch of vinegar and a slight twang of garlic, with extra-virgin olive oil for a smooth finish, gazpacho is the summer soup par excellence. The dish originated in the southern Spanish region of Andalucia, where scorching summer temperatures hover in the mid- to high 30s and can frequently surpass 40°C in certain cities like Seville. Under those conditions, it’s little wonder that rural farm workers traditionally preferred to lunch on something cool that goes down easy. When making at home, the key lies in using the best-quality ingredients available, starting with the ripest, most flavourful tomatoes you can find; sub-par supermarket produce has no business here. Ideally prepare the gazpacho a few hours before serving to allow the flavours to come into their own.

Food & Drink

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Cold Comfort: 10 Summer Soups From Around The World.

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Salmorejo (Spain) – This chilled soup also originated in Andalucia, specifically in the inland city of Córdoba, one of the hottest spots in the region – literally. Though it’s often cited as a type of gazpacho, Cordobans consider salmorejo a distinct dish, taking the ripe tomatoes, garlic and olive oil of gazpacho, but omitting the vinegar and adding heaps of day-old bread for a more satisfyingly thick consistency. Hard-boiled egg and Iberian ham often make an appearance as toppings, too. Salmorejo is supremely easy to whip up at home, but nothing beats slurping it on a restaurant terrace in a leafy plaza in Córdoba, followed by a long siesta.

Food & Drink

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Cold Comfort: 10 Summer Soups From Around The World.

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Chilled Borscht (Eastern Europe) – They call it kholodnyk in Ukraine, šaltibarščiai in Lithuania, chłodnik litewski in Poland, and aukstā zupa in Latvia. Whatever its alias, it’s cold beet soup – and it’s more nuanced than its humble ingredients would imply. Most recipes involve cooked beetroot teamed with refreshing veggies and herbs like cucumber or radish and dill, as well as a tangy dairy component in the form of kefir, buttermilk or sour cream. A hard-boiled egg on top or warm boiled potatoes on the side make for a more substantial meal. For the best results, use young beetroot (it’s sweeter), roast it (boiling can water down flavour and colour), and allow the beets to cool completely before mixing with dairy (lest it separate).

Food & Drink

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Cold Comfort: 10 Summer Soups From Around The World.

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Tarator (Bulgaria) – While zesty dairy hits the high notes in a cold borscht, in tarator, it plays the melody. Plain yoghurt forms the base of this tangy, herbaceous Bulgarian summer soup that incorporates the clean flavour of cucumber, a controlled bite of raw garlic and the earthy richness of walnuts. Crucially, the dish is not pureed, allowing the contrasting textures of the yoghurt, grated cucumber and chopped walnuts to shine. Since the yoghurt does a lot of heavy lifting here, choose a full-fat, unsweetened variety for a particularly rich flavour and texture.

Food & Drink

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Cold Comfort: 10 Summer Soups From Around The World.

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Sulu cacık (Turkey) – Similarly, Turkey’s signature cooling soup starts with yoghurt and features crisp cucumber, pungent garlic and velvety olive oil, but generally swaps dill for fresh mint. Some regional variations toss in grated carrot for sweetness, or trade the cucumber for crunchy lettuce or purslane. Cacık can be served undiluted as a tzatziki-like meze dip, but on a parchingly hot summer day, nothing beats adding water and ice cubes, and slurping it like a savoury smoothie.

Food & Drink

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Cold Comfort: 10 Summer Soups From Around The World.

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Vichyssoise (France/United States) – Some say this chilled leek-and-potato soup arose from the 18th-century court of French King Louis XV, who – terrified of being poisoned – had multiple servants sample his food before him, with the inevitable result that the king’s dinner got cold before it reached his table. More likely, however, vichyssoise finds its origins in the New York Ritz-Carlton in 1917, where famed French chef Louis Diat dreamed up a chilled version of the leek soups from his childhood in France. Delightfully sweet and savoury (and simple), it combines leeks, potatoes, butter, chicken or vegetable stock and cream, traditionally finished with chives. Diat’s original recipe also includes an onion, for a triple-whammy of delectable alliums.

Food & Drink

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Cold Comfort: 10 Summer Soups From Around The World.

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Hiyajiru (Japan) – Literally translating as “cold soup”, hiyajiru enjoys a long-standing tradition as a staple meal during the hot and humid summers of Miyazaki prefecture on the southwestern island of Kyushu. The customary preparation of this flavourful dish – whose records date back to the Heian period (794–1185) – involves a chilled, savoury broth of miso, fish and ground sesame seeds that is poured over warm barley rice and finished with cucumber, tofu and aromatic herbs. Nourishing, satisfying and deeply umami, traditional hiyajiru can be time-consuming to cook at home (though simplified recipes are available), so add it to the list of excuses to visit Miyazaki, in addition to the region’s sun-soaked beaches, dramatic mountains and ancient shrines.

Food & Drink

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Cold Comfort: 10 Summer Soups From Around The World.

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Kongguksu (Korea) – Noodles? In a cold soup? That’s precisely what Koreans propose as a nutritious and gratifying hot-weather meal. Kongguksu sees wheat noodles submerged in a chilled, creamy broth made from freshly ground soybeans. Delicately flavoured, naturally sweet and distinctly nutty, it is usually garnished simply with cucumber and sesame seeds, sometimes joined by tomato or a hard-boiled egg, and seasoned at the table. If you’re travelling through the country during its often sweltering summers, you’ll likely see kongguksu everywhere from specialist noodle restaurants to mom-and-pop eateries. Salt may be provided for diners to season their own bowl, but some people —particularly in parts of the south — prefer sugar, a choice that can spark lively debate. Some make-at-home recipes shortcut by using store-bought soy milk, but taking the time to soak, cook and blend soybeans is well worth the effort for incredibly moreish results.

Food & Drink

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Cold Comfort: 10 Summer Soups From Around The World.

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Meggyleves (Hungary) – When life gives you sour cherries, make sour cherry soup. That’s the Hungarian way, at least. In June and July, meggyleves pops up on menus and kitchen tables all across the country, as home cooks and chefs alike seize the bounty of fresh sour cherries to make this joyful soup whose flavour is as bright as its appearance. Featuring a simple preparation of cherries, sugar, sour cream and lemon, with additional depth from spices like cinnamon and cloves, it’s sweet, tart and creamy – a delightful summer treat you might find yourself craving all year long. Frozen cherries can work in a pinch, but stick to sour varieties for the characteristic tang. Add a splash of red wine if you’re feeling particularly cheeky, and serve it, as the Hungarians do, as a starter rather than a dessert.

Food & Drink

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Cold Comfort: 10 Summer Soups From Around The World.

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Kærnemælkskoldskål (Denmark) – Try saying that three times fast – or simply call it koldskål, meaning “cold bowl”. This beloved Danish summer treat blends buttermilk with eggs, sugar, vanilla and lemon to create something between a soup, a drink and a dessert: light, creamy and decidedly refreshing. It is traditionally served with strawberries and kammerjunkere, crisp little biscuits that soften in the bowl – although when to add them, and whether to crush them first, can provoke surprisingly strong opinions between those who like the crunch and those who prefer a bit of sog. Danes happily buy koldskål ready-made, but it takes mere minutes to whip up at home. Just chill it thoroughly and add the biscuits immediately before serving, unless you’re firmly on Team Soggy.