Simple Summer Soups

Everyone associates soup as a heavy, hearty meal to warm up with on chilly winter days.  But I love soups every season of the year, and summer is a great time to make simple, pure soups that aren't heavy or hearty.  You can use ingredients that are in season and in your CSA box or local farmer's market every week.  And the best part of making seasonal summer soups is how easy it is!  Most of the ingredients you need are already in your kitchen cupboards.  Here are some of my favorite summer soups that are full of great seasonal flavors and wonderful nutrients, but won't be heavy or overly filling.


Chilled Melon Soup:

6 cups cubed ripe melon
1/2 cup diced seedless cucumber
6 tablespoons lime juice, divided, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion green, plus 1 whole scallion, divided
1 jalapeño pepper, plus more to taste
1 cup cold water
1 2-by-1/2-inch strip orange zest
1/2 cup orange juice, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, or mint for garnish
6 teaspoons plain yogurt, or crème fraiche for garnish

1.)  Dice enough melon to measure 1 cup and combine in a small bowl with cucumber, 2 tablespoons lime juice and scallion green. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve the soup.
2.)  Place the remaining melon and 4 tablespoons lime juice in a blender. Chop the whole scallion and seed and chop jalapeño; add to the blender along with water, orange zest, orange juice, ginger and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more lime juice, jalapeño and/or orange juice, if desired.
3.)  Refrigerate the soup until chilled, 2 hours.
4.)  Stir the reserved diced melon mixture and divide among 4 soup bowls. Pour the soup into the bowls. Garnish each serving with cilantro (or mint) and yogurt (or crème fraîche), if using.

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Total Kcals: 63

Carbohydrates: 16g

Protein: 1g

Fat: 0g

Bold Spinach Soup:

 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish

2 large yellow onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons plus 3 cups water, divided
1/4 cup rice
1 bunch green chard (about 1 pound)
14 cups gently packed spinach (about 12 ounces), any tough stems trimmed
4 cups vegetable broth, store-bought or homemade
Big pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste

 1.)  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons water and cover. Cook, stirring frequently until the pan cools down, and then occasionally, always covering the pan again, until the onions are greatly reduced and have a deep caramel color, 25 to 30 minutes.
2.)  Meanwhile, combine the remaining 3 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a soup pot or Dutch oven; add rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Trim the white ribs out of the chard (save for another use, such as to add to a stir-fry or other soup). 3.)  Coarsely chop the chard greens and spinach.
4.)  When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, stir in the chard greens. Return to a simmer; cover and cook for 10 minutes. When the onions are caramelized, stir a little of the simmering liquid into them; add them to the rice along with the spinach, broth and cayenne. Return to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring once, until the spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes more.
5.)  Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth or in a regular blender in batches (return it to the pot). Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish each bowl of soup with a drizzle of olive oil.

Serving Size: 1 1/4 cup

Total Kcals: 99

Carbohydrates: 14g

Protein: 3g

Fat: 4g

Fragrant Fish Soup:

1 cup jasmine rice

2 cups water
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1 pound tilapia fillets, or other firm white fish

4 cups bite-size pieces arugula, or watercress (about 1 bunch), tough stems removed
1 cup finely shredded carrots
1/4 cup very thinly sliced fresh mint
2 scallions, finely chopped

1.)  Combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cover and cook until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and juice.
2.)  Meanwhile, bring broth to a simmer in another medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the broth remains steaming, but not simmering. Add fish and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove and break into bite-size chunks.
3.)  Divide the lemony rice among 4 bowls. Top with equal portions of the fish, arugula (or watercress), carrot, mint and scallions. Ladle 1 cup of the warm broth into each bowl and serve.

Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups

Total Kcals: 239

Carbohydrate: 25g

Protein: 29g

Fat: 3g

Paprika And Red Pepper Soup:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 small onion, diced

2 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, stemmed, seeded and diced
1-2 fresh green Thai or serrano chiles, stemmed and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup unsalted shelled pistachios
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro or basil


1.)  Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers and chile to taste. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables release some of their juices and the onion is lightly brown around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with paprika, salt and cardamom and cook, stirring, until the spices are very fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
2.)  Add pistachios and broth (or water). Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat; let cool 5 minutes.
3.)  Transfer the soup to a blender (in batches if necessary) and puree until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the soup to the pan.
4.)  Whisk buttermilk and cream in a bowl; stir into the soup. Gently warm over low heat. Serve sprinkled with cilantro (or basil).

Serving Size: 1 cup

Total Kcals: 246

Carbohydrate: 18g

Protein: 7g

Fat: 17g

Spiced Blueberry Soup:

4 cups fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries, plus more for garnish

2 cups water

1 whole cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons honey, or more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 cardamom pods, (optional)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup low-fat milk
1 cup 4 teaspoons reduced-fat sour cream, divided

1.)  Combine blueberries, water, cinnamon stick, honey, ginger and cardamom pods (if using) in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, until most of the blueberries have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick. Puree the soup in 2 batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when pureeing hot liquids). Place a fine sieve over the pan and pour the soup through it back into the pan, straining out any solids. (Discard the solids.)
2.)  Whisk cornstarch and milk in a measuring cup until smooth. Whisk into the blueberry mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over medium heat, stirring. Boil, stirring constantly, until the soup thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, loosely cover and chill until cold, at least 5 hours or up to 2 days.
3.)  Just before serving, whisk 1 cup sour cream into the soup and ladle into bowls; top each serving with 1/2 teaspoon sour cream and swirl decoratively into the soup. Garnish with additional blueberries, if desired.

Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Total Kcals: 115
Carbohydrate: 19g
Protein: 2g
Fat: 4g