Healthy Cold Soup Recipes

Make this cold soup in the middle of summer, when garden tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are at their peak. Start with 1 cup of broth, adding more to reach the desired consistency. Very ripe (and juicy) summer tomatoes will need less broth; less-ripe tomatoes will need more.

The grains of rice disappear into the yogurt as it's simmered and stirred, thickening the soup and giving it substance. Serve warm or chilled, depending on the weather.

Avocado is the star of this light, flavorful soup served chilled to take away summer's heat.

Watermelon, cucumber, and fresh lime juice make this Summer Fresh Gazpacho uniquely delicious and refreshing.

The sweet taste of fresh peas pairs nicely with the coconut and lime flavors in this Greek yogurt-based soup. Topped with delicious pan-seared scallops and fresh basil, this island-inspired recipe is ready in just 25 minutes. If you'd like, skip the scallops and serve it cold on a hot day.

Many gazpacho recipes are thickened with bread, but this one uses just vegetables, making it a gluten-free refresher for a hot summer day. The key to any flavorful gazpacho is giving it time to rest. The flavors meld and become cohesive when the soup is allowed to sit a bit before serving.

Add pizzazz to any meal by starting it off with this refreshing gazpacho soup, topped with a delicious black bean and corn salsa.

Not all gazpachos are red. In this healthy white gazpacho recipe, we use cucumbers, yellow bell pepper and unsweetened almond milk for more savory results.

Gazpacho is a delicious way to eat more veggies. Think of it as a vegetable smoothie. Not only does Chef José Andrés keep a pitcher of this healthy gazpacho recipe in his refrigerator all summer, it's also served at Beefsteak, his chain of vegetable-driven restaurants.

There's no reason to only use cucumbers raw--they are wonderful sautéed then pureed with avocado for a silken-textured soup that's good warm or cold.

This cold cucumber-dill soup has a surprisingly seductive taste. The secret is that both the broth and the yogurt garnish are loaded with fresh (never dried) dill and chives. Serve as a starter or a light lunch entree. The recipe calls for “handfuls” of herbs; if you are relying on the grocery store instead of the garden or farmers' market, you'll need about one large bunch or one to two 2- to 3-ounce packets. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

White gazpacho is made with bread, almonds, grapes and garlic and is one of the traditional Spanish gazpacho variations. In this white gazpacho soup recipe we add cucumbers and honeydew, whir it in a blender and it becomes silky, a little toasty (from the almonds) and refreshing.

Though gazpacho originated as a soup made with bread, today tomato gazpacho recipes are often made with diced vegetables, tomato juice and seasonings, and no bread at all. It's a different approach, but one that's just as delicious, especially with a little seaside flair from Old Bay seasoning and lobster or shrimp floated on top. If you don't have time to cook lobster, buy precooked lobster or ask at the fish counter to have it cooked while you wait.

This easy gazpacho recipe is heaven on a hot day. Just puree everything in a blender and top the gazpacho with a drizzle of great olive oil.

This refreshing summer soup is a great starter for dinner on the patio on a summer evening. Try any variety of melon in this recipe. Serve leftover soup with salad for lunch the next day.

Sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb are whirled together in this chilled soup. Serve it as a starter for an early-summer supper.

Grill the vegetables for this refreshing soup earlier in the day or even the night before. We sometimes serve the gazpacho in clear Spanish wine tumblers to show off the rich color.

Inspired by Spanish pureed gazpachos, this golden-yellow one is based on an idea of Greg Parks's at the Four Columns Inn in Newfane, Vermont.

Delightful and refreshing, this chilled soup works as an appetizer, dessert or snack. If using frozen blueberries, cover the pan in Step 1 to bring the cold blueberry mixture to a boil more quickly.

This is one of the few soups that make the cut in summer. Serve it chilled to take the edge off a hot August night.