Cold Cucumber Soup
on Apr 10, 2023, Updated Aug 16, 2024
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This Cold Cucumber Soup is called “Tarator” in Bulgaria. You may also know it as “Cacik” (pronounced JAH-jek) in Turkey, or โTzatzikiโ in Greece. The only difference between Tzatziki and Tarator is that we make ours with grated ๐ฅ cucumber, yogurt, garlic, olive oil, dill, and salt, and then add cold water to thin it out. Tarator is a staple in Bulgaria and is on the menu in every restaurant, especially during the hot โ๏ธ summer months. This soup pairs perfectly with grilled meat, fish, veggies, and cevapi (similar to kebabs), or itโs delicious on its own on a hot summer day. You will love this refreshing, healthy, and easy soup.
Why You’ll Love Cold Cucumber Soup
This Cold Cucumber Soup is a unique ๐ฒ soup that is perfectly refreshing on a hot day. It has all the flavors of a delicious tzatziki, but with added filtered water it becomes a luscious and delicate soup. I love the subtle textures of crisp cucumber and ๐ง garlic, but you could chop everything even finer if you want a smoother soup. The beauty of this simple soup is that it is a celebration of fresh, simple ingredients that come together and burst with flavor.
How to Prepare
๐ฅ Use a sharp knife to peel the cucumber and then shred it on the small holes of a box grater.
๐ฟ Now, finely mince the dill fronds and garlic cloves.
๐ฅฃ Add the cucumber, yogurt, salt, dill, and garlic to a large bowl and then stir everything together.
๐ง Next, add in the cold water and mix until smooth. You can add more or less water, depending on the desired consistency.
๐ง Taste and season with more salt, as needed.
๐ซ Next, add a drizzle of olive oil over the top of the soup.
๐ง Store the soup in the refrigerator to chill overnight. Some Bulgarians will add ice cubes to the soup just before serving to make it EXTRA cold. Enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip ๐ฅ
You can either grate the cucumber on the smaller hole setting of a box grater or dice it finely.
Variations and Substitutions for Cold Cucumber Soup
- Use your favorite brand and style of plain yogurt. We like Balkan-style yogurt, Bulgarian yogurt, or Greek Yogurt as well.
- If you like your cold cucumber soup thicker, add less water and if you like it thinner, add more water.
- This dish is supposed to be enjoyed really cold, so some people like to add ๐ง ice cubes and serve it right away.
- Fresh ๐ฟ dill is key and should not be replaced. If you don’t like the taste of dill, you could try basil, parsley, or even mint as well.
- Garlic should be finely minced so that you donโt get that pungent taste from large pieces. Add as much or as little ๐ง garlic as you like.
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Best Served With
- This Cold Cucumber Soup could be served as a light appetizer to a heartier main course.
- Serve this soup with my ๐ No Knead Peasant Bread or pitas.
- If having this Cold Cucumber Soup as a main, I like to serve it with a big, substantial ๐ฅ salad like my Authentic Greek Salad, Healthy Potato Salad, or Best Pasta Salad.
Common Questions
You can use any yogurt variety you love. You just may have to adjust the amount of water added to make it as thick or thin as you prefer.
I haven’t personally tried making this with a non-dairy brand of yogurt, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Again, you may have to adjust the amount of water added to achieve the preferred consistency.
Absolutely! This soup actually tastes even better after chilling in the refrigerator overnight, because the flavors have more time to meld together.
Dill is traditional, but you could certainly add basil, parsley or even mint as well.
Cold Cucumber Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber, peeled and diced or finely grated
- 750 grams plain yogurt , 1 container
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons dill, finely chopped
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ยฝ cups cold filtered water
- chopped or crushed walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the cucumber, yogurt, salt, dill, and garlic and mix. Add in the cold water and mix until smooth. You can add more or less water, depending on the desired consistency. (You can also omit the water for a delicious dip.)
- Taste and season with more salt, as needed. Add a small drizzle of olive oil over the top of the soup.
- Store the soup in the refrigerator to chill overnight. Some Bulgarians will add ice cubes before serving to make it EXTRA cold. Enjoy!
My mom and I made this today and it was so tasty! We halved the recipe. The fresh dill is key. We loved how all the different flavours come out. She preferred it as a salad and I mixed water in mine to make the soup. This definitely will be on repeat!
Love this Rachel. It’s a wonderfully adaptable dish. So glad you both enjoyed!