5 reasons to consider soup in summer

Soup and summer aren’t usually associated with one another and it’s pretty obvious why. A hot broth is far more fit for a chilly day then it is for a scorcher. A lot of people tend to overlook some important factors however. The definition of a soup, as it’s listed in the dictionary is a liquid dish, typically made by boiling meat, fish, or vegetables, etc., in stock or water. The keyword here is typically.

During the summertime, there’s really no need to ‘boil’ or heat many soup recipes at all! Maybe you’ve heard of the term ‘Gazpacho’ or ‘Chilled Soup’ but never tried either. Now’s the perfect time and here’s why:

1. Chilled Soups are refreshing. This one is a no brainer. When it’s hot out, a glass of cold water or a frozen Popsicle is awesome, right? Well the same principle applies with a chilled soup. Anything nice and cold is welcome during a heat wave. Chilled soups can take it up a notch however, because many recipes call for ingredients like cucumbers, mint and lots of citrus elements. These foods are all renowned for their refreshing properties.

2. With cold soup, you may never even have to turn on the stove. An oven or stovetop can heat up really fast, and in most circumstances, heat your kitchen and home with it. During the hot summer months, who’s interested in that? A cold soup could reduce the amount of heat in your home if it’s made only with raw ingredients and a blender.

3. Cold Soups will rely on lots of nutritious fruits, veggies and herbs for flavor. When you’re making a hot soup or stew, it could be tempting and a little too easy to add tasty but unhealthy ingredients, like excess oil and fatty proteins. Something like a gazpacho however, will rely on fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic and onions to develop delicious flavor.

4. Chilled Soup is a great, light-meal option. If your summer is not being spent at the beach, swimming pool, hiking trails and amusement parks, you may want to reevaluate the way you approach the season. The warm weather beckons adventure and you should heed the call. Filling up on a bowl of refreshing and light soup will keep you energized without weighing you down, like, say for example, pasta, or steak and potatoes would.

5. Gazpachos and Chilled soup recipes can be super easy! Generally, a hot bowl of soup or stew would be a multistep process. Stew the vegetables, sweat the onions, sear and then braise the meat…you know the drill. Then there’s usually the ‘simmer’ time, which can take hours. With many cold soups, it’s seriously as simple as a rough chop, followed by a blender. That’s it! This process also makes cleanup really easy. Who wants to spend their summer days washing pots and pans? Yeah…pretty much no one.

If you’ve never tried a chilled soup recipe, you’re certainly missing out. Here’s a delicious recipe sampling- one of the most refreshing we’ve come across- to give you an idea of how easy it is to make such a simple and satisfying meal at home.

Cantaloupe Soup with Chipotle Cream

Ingredients:

1 ripe cantaloupe, peeled and cubed

½ cup of orange juice

2 tablespoons of fresh mint leaves

1 Knorr Cilantro MiniCube, crumbled

1-cup plain yogurt

1 Knorr Chipotle MiniCube, crumbled

Methods:

1. Combine the first four ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate at least one hour.

2. Mix the yogurt and Chipotle MiniCube to create the cream. Before serving, drizzle the yogurt over the Cantaloupe soup.

Source: Knorr

That’s it! Just a few fresh ingredients and a blender is all you need to enjoy a great chilled soup. This summer, introduce your family, friends and yourself to several new soup recipes that everyone will love.