Beyond Gazpacho: 8 Delicious Cold Soups

When the weather gets warm it's nice to have a few cold and refreshing lunch ideas on hand. Chilled soups can be an easy and wholesome alternative to traditional no-cook options like salads or sandwiches.

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Cold soups are typically loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables, making them a healthy source of several key nutrients and a good choice for a number of special diets; many cold soups are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or have no added sugar.

Another benefit of cold soups is that most are easy to make because they require few ingredients and involve little-to-no cooking. Fruit and vegetable juices and purees can be combined in a number of creative and delicious ways. The majority of cold soups can even be made ahead so it's easy to stock your refrigerator with healthy meal options for the week.

Best of all, cold summer soups often take advantage of seasonal produce. Using fruits and vegetables at the peak of their ripeness means these soups are bright, colorful, and full of flavor.

When it comes to cold soups, gazpacho (a chilled tomato soup from Spain) and cucumber soup are the most well-known, but there are a number of different vegetables that make delicious and refreshing soups, including asparagus, zucchini, and carrots. Better yet, cold soups don't have to be limited to vegetables; berries, stone fruits, and melons can sweeten vegetable soups or stand alone as delicious fruit soups. 

We've rounded up eight great cold soup recipes to get you started, but we encourage you to get creative and try inventing your own chilled soup recipes!

Strawberry Soup

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This velvety summer soup is reminiscent of strawberries and whipped cream. Incorporating sour cream gives this strawberry soup a unique twist.

Avocado Soup

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Avocados are a good source of heart-healthy fat. Enjoy them, paired with familiar flavors like citrus, cilantro, and cumin in this silky soup.

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Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor. Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.