Delightfully refreshing, this chilled avocado soup is creamy and flavorful. It's the perfect summertime lunch, and it's also very easy to make!
Cold soups are a lifesaver in the summer, when you just can't bring yourself to heat up the oven or slave over a hot stove.
Chilled avocado soup is delicious and refreshing. While the concept may seem unusual, it actually makes sense that this particular fruit would work well in a soup - after all, it's wonderfully creamy and flavorful. 🥑
The ingredients you'll need
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty soup. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Avocado: The avocado you use should be ripe. I recommend using Haas avocadoes - they are exceptionally creamy and not as watery as some of the other varieties.
Lemon juice: Helps prevent the avocado from browning.
Cilantro: Adds wonderful flavor to the soup, so I wouldn't skip it. I also wouldn't try to replace the fresh herb with dried. It just won't be the same.
Garlic: Mince it yourself or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work.
Greek yogurt: Plain full-fat is best. I don't recommend using low-fat yogurt in this recipe.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the soup could end up too salty.
Spices: Ground cumin and cayenne pepper. Make sure they are fresh! A stale spice can easily ruin a dish.
Water: To thin out the soup and bring it to the perfect consistency.
How to make chilled avocado soup
It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Start by placing all the ingredients in your food processor and processing them until very smooth.
2. Check the consistency and, if desired, add more water.
3. Chill the soup before serving. This allows the flavors to meld, and it also tastes better when chilled.
Tips for making this recipe a success
It's easy to make chilled avocado soup and I don't anticipate you getting into trouble while making it. But I do have a few simple tips to help ensure it's as good as it can be:
1. Make sure you use full-fat Greek yogurt in this soup for the best results. Low-fat yogurt won't be as good, both in terms of flavor and in terms of texture.
2. If you use regular yogurt instead of Greek that's fine, but then you'll need to add less water to the soup, or even none at all.
3. The cayenne is purely optional. It was a last-minute decision to add it. But I do like the subtle kick that it adds to the soup.
How to serve avocado soup
It makes a great appetizer. But I often make a bowl of it for my lunch. It's rich, creamy, and very satiating, so it's very appropriate as a light summer meal.
I usually serve it by itself, but sometimes I serve it with savory cheese muffins or with thick slices of buttered almond flour bread.
What to do with leftovers?
I never tried to keep leftovers of this soup, so I'm not sure how it would hold up. The lemon juice SHOULD prevent the avocado from turning brown.
So I assume it's fine to keep leftovers for a day or two and mix them again before serving. But as I said, I never actually tried it so I'm not sure.
More tasty chilled soup recipes
Another chilled soup that I love making in the summer is gazpacho - it's so very flavorful.
And Tzaziki, although usually served as a dipping sauce, can be slightly diluted and served as a wonderful summertime soup. It's one of my favorites!
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Avocado Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 1 medium avocado ripe, diced (6 oz without refuse)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro plus a few leaves for garnish
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt (I use Fage 5%)
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- ½ cup cold water plus more as needed
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place all the ingredients in food processor, starting with ½ cup water. Process until very smooth, about 1 minute, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Check the consistency and, if desired, add up to ¼ cup more water and process to combine.
- Divide the avocado soup among 4 individual bowls. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Mix again, garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.
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NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living.