Cold Yogurt and Cucumber Soup: Delicious Summer Recipe

I have mentioned before that my parents spent a good deal of time in the Middle East before I was born.  They loved the area and what they learned there has had a big impact on my life.  One area that was impacted was the food we eat.  And one of my favorite summer recipes was one my mom picked up while she was serving in the Peace Corps.

Please note that unless I am baking, I tend to take recipes as a "suggestion of ingredients that can be added together to make something yummy!"  I don't always stay faithful to the way things are written, but instead use them as ratio guidelines.  This is the recipe as written down by my mother.  I'll add in my suggestions at the end.

Cold Yogurt and Cucumber Soup

• 1 boiled egg, chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2-3 cups of plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 6 ice cubes
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tsp dill weed)

Soak the raisins in cold water to plump them up.  Put yogurt in mixing bowl, add cream, chopped egg, ice cubes, chopped cucumber, green onions, salt and pepper.  Pour off the water from the raisins and add them to the yogurt mixture.  Add one cup of cold water and mix well.

Let this soup stand in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. When serving garnish with parsley and dill.  Makes 4-5 servings. Make sure you stir it well before serving, to get all the good stuff from the bottom of the bowl!


I made this last week because it is one of my summer favorites.  I actually soaked the raisins overnight because I was planning on getting it made Sunday night and that just didn't happen.  I also doubled the recipe and more than doubled the eggs, cucumbers and raisins.    And, Mom?? I actually added the onions this time!! Are you proud of me?!

Since this soup tastes best cold, you can make it the night before or in the morning.  Nothing better than coming home from work with a hungry family and just pulling this straight out of the fridge!  I was getting ready to serve it and wondering if we should have something else with it when I noticed that the yogurt has 13g of protein per serving! We ended up eating it with crackers and cheese.  For the sake of full disclosure, Benjamin wouldn't even look at it and Henry enjoyed it until he found a raisin.  Frances LOVED it and even asked for seconds. 

 What's your favorite summer recipe?  Do you make an effort to not use the stove/oven?