I have another simple, delicious, adaptable recipe in store for you today that is ideal for this heatwave. It’s a chilled (I’ve decided it sounds more appealing than cold), cucumber and yogurt soup. Light and satisfying and wonderfully herby thanks to the addition of fresh basil, mint and dill; have it for lunch, dinner – or in hot weather I think even breakfast might do.
While I cook and test recipes that aren’t always completely low FODMAP (for myself and for work), when I am creating low FODMAP recipes I often start with a seasonal ingredient far down on the FODMAP scale. Cucumbers are one of the few ingredients that FODMAPs weren’t actually detected in when tested, making them a brilliant summer ingredient if you need to be mindful. Today’s recipe for chilled cucumber and yogurt soup really celebrates them in all of their cool, green glory. Find it below!
This recipe is wonderfully easy to make, you just need some kind of blender to get the soup (somewhat) silky smooth. If you’re not sure on cold soups, this one might just sway you.
Ingredients
2 large cucumbers (about 700g total)
Large handful of basil
Large handful of fresh mint
Medium handful of fresh dill
250g thick lactose free yogurt
60ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil (optional)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
To serve
Crumbled feta
Method
- Finely peel or slice a few pieces of cucumber and set them aside to top the soup at the end. Reserve a few herbs too.
- Add the rest of the cucumber and herbs, yogurt, olive oil and garlic-infused oil if using, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt and a generous few grinds of black pepper to a blender. Blitz until smooth and taste to adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Place the soup in the fridge to chill for a couple of hours.
- Divide the soup between bowls and garnish with the reserved cucumber and herbs. Drizzle with a little olive oil and crumble over feta if using. Add a few grinds of black pepper and a sprinkle of salt and serve.
Recipe notes:
- This recipe uses FODMAP friendly ingredients and should fit in with FODMAP limits. I follow the Monash University app data to create FODMAP friendly recipes – if unsure, as always, please ask your dietician or GP
- The courgette flower was from my garden and looked too pretty not to use to top the soup. As far as I’m aware they haven’t been tested for FODMAPs – as always, do what works for you!
- I can confirm a strong cheddar or similar cheese is delicious grated on top, but I think finely chopped up peppers would be nice too
- A neutral-tasting vegan yogurt would work really well subbed in here to make the recipe dairy-free
Recipe images by Jenni Helin.
