Name: Chilled Cucumber-Avocado Soup
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 pound English cucumbers, cut into 2-inch pieces, plus extra sliced cucumber for garnishing; 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 2-inch pieces; 2 cups ice water; 1 shallot, halved; 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and halved; 1½ teaspoons table salt; 1½ teaspoons sugar; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt; 6 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved; ⅔ cup fresh cilantro leaves; ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts; 2 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (½ cup)

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe is perfect for days when it’s just too hot to cook. Ripe avocado, a couple of cucumbers, and ice water blend into a chilled, no-cook soup that’s equal parts creamy and refreshing—with shallot, jalapeño, and a pinch of sugar and salt adding just enough edge. Topping it with assorted garnishes creates a stunning bowl of soup that you can dress up or down.

Before You Begin

It’s important to use a fully ripened avocado here. The soup tastes even better after the flavors meld for some time; you can refrigerate it for up to 12 hours. There’s plenty of opportunity to vary the garnishes for this soup. Consider including corn; sliced radishes; chopped hard-cooked egg or shredded cooked chicken; additional fresh herbs or sprouts; other nuts, seeds, or croutons; and drizzles or dollops of flavored oils, pestos, or nut sauces, or extra yogurt.

Instructions

Process 1 pound English cucumbers, cut into 2-inch pieces; 1 avocado (halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 2-inch pieces); 2 cups ice water; 1 shallot, halved; 1 jalapeño, seeded and halved; 1½ teaspoons table salt; 1½ teaspoons sugar; and ¼ teaspoon pepper in blender until completely smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Strain soup through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl, using back of ladle or silicone spatula to press soup through; discard solids.

Whisk 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt into cucumber mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Soup can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours.) Serve, topping individual portions with extra sliced cucumber, 6 ounces halved cherry tomatoes, ⅔ cup cilantro leaves, ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts, and ½ cup crumbled queso fresco.