How to Thicken Chilled Cucumber Soup

Chilled soups are perfect for the summer.

If you've whipped up a chilled cucumber soup to enjoy on a steamy day, you may end up with a soup that has a watery consistency. Cucumbers are a nice, cool ingredient when used in chilled vegetable soups, but they have a high water content, which can lead to a thin soup. Try these methods to make it more substantial and less watery.

Things You'll Need

• 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. room-temperature water
• Buttermilk, heavy cream, plain yogurt, sour cream or crème fraîche

Instructions

Cook With Cornstarch

1. If you are preparing a cucumber soup that involves cooking your vegetables before pureeing and chilling them, try thickening your soup before you chill it.

2. Dissolve 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch in 2 tsp. room-temperature water.

3. After blending your cooked vegetables in a blender, return your soup to the pot and stir in your dissolved cornstarch while the soup is still warm.

4. Stir your soup with the added cornstarch until it thickens, about two minutes; then chill for at least four hours before serving.

Thicken Chilled Soup

1. Choose your favorite dairy product, or use one you have on hand to thicken your already chilled cucumber soup. Pick buttermilk, heavy cream, plain, unsweetened yogurt, sour cream or crème fraîche.

2. Stir your dairy thickener into your soup a little at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Taste your soup as you add, to see if you need to adjust your seasonings after adding your thickener.

3. Serve your chilled cucumber soup with a dollop of sour cream, yogurt or crème fraîche, or a drizzle of heavy cream or buttermilk on top, to make your soup look pretty and give it an extra thickening boost.

Tips & Warnings

• Get extra water out of your cucumbers before you make your soup by chopping them, then setting the pieces in a strainer over a sink. Sprinkle a little salt on the cucumber bits and let them drain for 30 minutes.

• Peel your cucumber skins and scoop out the seeds before making a chilled cucumber soup to prevent getting a bitter flavor in your dish.

References

• The Culinary Institute of America: Chilled Cucumber Soup
• Epicurious; Chilled Cucumber Soup; May 1998
• Food Network: Cold Cucumber Soup
• "The Times"; Chilled Cucumber Soup; Sybil Kapoor; July 2007