A spicy and refreshing chilled Green Chile Cucumber Soup.
Back in 2011, my first year of posting, I introduced our favorite chilled soup – chilled cucumber soup. I had already been making this soup for years before posting it and I still make today. Well, like all of us, sometimes we just need to do things a little differently. So with the last batch of soup, I added green chile, and why not? The original cucumber soup is still there with all of its goodness, but now it’s complemented with the spiciness and the flavor of roasted green chile. Instead of a green chile sandwich, I serve it with a simple cheese quesadilla or egg quesadilla. However, if you really want a chile fix, you could always make the green chile toas-tite I dished up in 2011.
In addition to adding the green chile to the soup, I also added a touch of Mexican oregano. If you don’t have Mexican oregano, you can use regular oregano. However, keep the dill. Not only is it a necessity for the cucumber, it works with the chile as well.
A tried and true chilled cucumber soup recipe with the addition of roasted green chile and a touch of Mexican oregano.
*See Kitchen Notes for more information and related links.
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ Tbsp. butter
- 1 cup onion, coarsely chopped
- 6 cups cucumber, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth/stock,* canned or homemade
- 2 cups water*
- Juice from half a lime or lemon*
- 1 tsp. fresh dill weed, chopped, or 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup roasted medium green chile,* coarsely chopped
- 1/4 tsp. dried Mexican oregano or regular oregano, crushed
- salt and ground white pepper, to taste
- 6 – 8 oz. plain Greek yogurt*
- fresh chives or mint or oregano, chopped
- Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until butter is melted.
Add onion. Turn down heat and slowly sweat the onions until translucent.
- Add cucumber. If you are using dried dill, add it now. Increase heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the broth*. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook cucumber for 10 to 15 minutes until it starts to become translucent.
Add the green chile and stir into soup
Remove the soup from the heat and let cool for at least 15 minutes. It could cool for up to an hour.
- Using a blender, puree the soup. An immersion blender works great and allows you to blend the soup in the pot you cooked it in.
Add the Mexican oregano and yogurt and blend for about 1 minute or until yogurt has been incorporated into the soup.
If the soup is too thick, add a little water to achieve desired thickness. Stir in the lime juice and fresh dill (if you’re using it).
Add 2 generous dashes of white pepper. Stir.
Taste. Adjust seasoning for the desired amount of salt and pepper. You might also need to add a little more lime juice if the soup tastes a bit flat.
- Chill overnight.
About 30 minutes before serving, remove from the refrigerator.
Ladle into small soup bowls. Top with chopped fresh chives, mint, oregano or more dill – your choice.
Cold Cucumber Soup (from 2011)
Broth / Water – The stock I make is pretty concentrated and quite flavorful; therefore, I use 2 cups stock and 2 cups water. If your stock or broth is thin in flavor, then use all stock/broth.
Lemon / Lime – For this soup, I prefer lime. For the soup without chile, I prefer lemon.
Roasted Chile – The amount of chile is always dependent upon the heat of the chile and how hot you want the soup. Personally, with the cucumber, I just want a little spiciness, not heat. I’ll leave the heat for enchiladas. Therefore, a generous 1/4 cup of medium works for me.
Greek Yogurt – I like to use Greek yogurt because it’s thicker and yields a creamier soup. However, if you don’t have Greek yogurt, use what you have, just be hold off adding more liquid until you add the yogurt. A thin yogurt will make the soup a little thinner whereas the Greek yogurt, helps to thicken it a bit.
Chilled soups are great during the warmer months of the year, especially the hot months like many if us have had to deal with this summer. They are refreshing and can be made with just about any type of vegetable and/or fruit, yielding an endless supply of flavors.
If you haven’t seen my list of chilled soups, you might want to check it out. It includes, not just the soups in my kitchen, but chilled soups from kitchens worldwide. The two soups shown in the picture are my original cucumber soup and another wonderful chilled soup with green chile which I call my Three Onion Green Chile Soup.
I can’t wait to try this soup. It looks wonderful.
i have tried this recipe before and it comes out to be the bestest one going to make this again this weekend thanks for sharing such good recipe 🙂
Oh Mary, Thank you so much for your feedback! I’m thrilled you like this recipe and you are most welcome! 🙂
Mmmm! I’m feeling chile obsessed since I don’t have any in my freezer right now! I can get fresh at HEB, but it won’t last long, and charring them on my grill in south Texas heat is tough. I will try to make this this weekend… It sounds amazing and frankly, perfect in the Texas heat! Love it!
Thanks so much Tamara! So it’s still hot down there? We are FINALLY cooling off this week. Hope you get some relief soon and hope you get a chance to make this. It’s quite good.
It’s such a good idea to dig up a recipe posted a long time ago! I don’t think I’ve ever noticed it on your blog (or I don’t remember!). We all should do this regularly (I often even forget that I actually used to cook certain dishes several years ago, so for me even looking at my own archives can be a surprising discovery!).
I love everything about this soup: the cucumber, the chile, the dill… cucumber is my favourite and most often eaten vegetable, the dill is I think, after chives, my most often used herb and chile, well I couldn’t live without it! I never make cold soups (I’ve never made one I think), so this one also looks very fascinating and mysterious!
“,,, looking at own archives can be a surprising discover!” Sissi, you got that one right! I cooked a dish the other night and Bobby loved it so much he told me to be sure to write it down. My response “I put it on my blog 5 years ago.” Ha Ha. So yes, it’s time to revisit more and more dishes that we’ve made over the years. Of course the original cucumber soup has been a recipe I make every year. It’s just so good and with the heat, it’s perfect. You should try a cold soup. With the summer y’all have had, you’ll love how refreshing a flavorful cold soup is. Thanks Darling for you comments and for stopping by!
Chile & cucumber, but of course! 😉 what an intriguing combination. This soup sounds so delicious and perfect for us right now; we are still in the high 80s – no fall sweater weather just yet. Really like the idea of using Greek yogurt here to thicken things up, it must add wonderful creamy texture no doubt.
Of course! I think it proves that green chile goes good with anything. Ha Ha. The first time I made the original cucumber soup I used cream, then the next time, I used yogurt. It was surprised as to how much better the yogurt was so I’ve used it ever since. It goes will with the green chile too. 🙂 I wish we were in the 80’s. We’re still in the mid 90’s. Thank goodness it cools off to the 60’s at night. I’m ready for cooler weather.
MJ, I just love your use of green chilis! This soup looks so delicious and refreshing with a perfect little kick.
Thanks Kelly! It’s hard to find a New Mexican that doesn’t like green chile. 🙂
Such a delicious, refreshing summer soup! I need to see if Penzey’s has Mexican oregano, since I’ve always substituted when it’s called for in recipes.
Thanks Liz! They just opened a Penzey’s in ABQ – YAY! I don’t remember if they have Mexican oregano, but I always buy mine and the local Mexican supermercado.
That does look very appealing. You seem to have collected a perfect batch of flavors here. A chilled soup really is right for this month’s weather most places.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Thanks Mae! Oh yes..July and August have been our hottest month this year which is unusual, so cold soups has been on the menu a lot. 🙂
Matt doesn’t go for chilled soups, but I think they are fabulous when temps hit like they have lately. I love the idea of adding the green chile to cucumber for a bit of spice and deeper flavor. This is a keeper, MJ!
Thanks Judy! Several years ago Bobby wasn’t too big on cold soups either, but the cold cucumber soup made him a fan and now he’s willing to try any cold soup I make. As long as it’s not a thick soup, he loves it. He finds thick soups too much like eating baby food. 🙂
This is such a perfect summer soup, looks so creamy and love the subtle color!
Thanks Kankana! It is a nice color isn’t it?
I’ve never had a chilled soup before, it’s rarely so hot here as to actually want to eat something that’s chilled. 🙂 However, yours looks so creamy and delicious I would love to try it. Those egg quesadillas look great as well.
OMG! So it’s never hot enough to want a chilled soup? Girl, I want to live where you live. 🙂 August is suppose to be our cooldown month, but it was 100F Saturday and is suppose to get to 98F today. Therefore, any chilled soup right now would be marvelous! Thanks Adina! I hope one day you do try a chilled soup. It’s would be a new experience for you because they are really quite delicious.
What a flavorful and delicious summer soup. The cool cucumber and the spicy chile make a perfect combination!
Thanks Amy! And thanks for sharing on FB!
I love fresh chilled cucumber soup, and the chile’s are a nice twist on an old favorite.
Thanks Judee! The chile works if you like a little spice in your cold soup. 🙂
Well, it just goes to show that you can add green chile to most any recipe and it will taste good! I would not have thought to add green chile to a cold soup, however it sounds intriguing and I look forward to trying it! Perfect time of year for a cold soup and freshly roasted green chile!
Chile in anything? Isn’t that right? 🙂 I hope you do try it and also, take a look at the three onion and green chile soup as well. It’s another chilled soup with chile winner. Thanks for dropping by Jan and hope you’re having a great summer.
I would have never thought of using chili in cucumber soup. What a fantastic and delicious idea!
Thanks Angie! Well, you know, here in New Mexico we put chile in everything. 🙂
This looks fantastic MJ. Both refreshing and full of flavor, and perfect as we move into late summer and early autumn.! I’m pinning to make this one soon!
Thanks Susan! and thanks for pinning. Hope you enjoy it! It’s a great vegetarian soup to enjoy in the heat!
This is a beautiful refreshing soup to transition from summer to fall. The cool of the cucumber and the spice from the chili brings balance. Our oregano plants are already turning reds and oranges for fall. Crazy, right?
Thanks Bobbi! Yes, it is! Bobby and I start eating cucumber soups when the temps hit 90 and keep it going throughout the summer. It’s going to be in the mid to high 90’s again this week, so nothing here is turning yet. It is crazy that your herbs are already turning. My oregano is still blooming!
I like this — neat twist on classic cucumber soup. I’m waiting impatiently for Hatch chilies to hit the shelves of my supermarket. When they do (and I’ve roasted some!) I can make this. 🙂
Thanks John! The chile should be hitting soon. I know that Hatch is shipping it out. We’re are nearing peak harvest right now. It’s been a good year with all of the rain and if the temperatures stay as warm as they are, it’s going to be a long chile season. YAY!