Creamy Cucumber Soup

From EatingWell: May/June 2007 — Subscribe Now!

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.

READER'S COMMENT:

"This soup is delicious cold or hot. It is creamy and very satisfaying. "

4 servings, about 1 cup each

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups peeled, seeded and thinly sliced cucumbers, divided
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

Preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 1 to 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Add 3 3/4 cups cucumber slices, broth, salt, pepper and cayenne; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer until the cucumbers are soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer the soup to a blender. Add avocado and parsley; blend on low speed until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Pour into a serving bowl and stir in yogurt. Chop the remaining 1/4 cup cucumber slices. Serve the soup warm or refrigerate and serve it chilled. Just before serving, garnish with the chopped cucumber and more chopped parsley, if desired.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Nutrition

Per serving: 173 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 2 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 5 g fiber; 494 mg sodium; 544 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (30% daily value), Potassium (16% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 2 fat