Summer Soups: Lightness and Freshness

Summertime is the time when you want to refresh yourself and lighten your diet. Traditional hot soups are filling and healthy, but in hot weather they do not always seem like the best choice. Instead, you can make cold soups that will not only quench your thirst, but also give you a feeling of freshness and lightness. These dishes will help you cope with hot summer days, and their ease of preparation and useful properties are an undoubted plus.

One of the most popular cold soups is, of course, okroshka. This classic summer soup with fresh vegetables and herbs has become a favorite in our region. Cucumbers, radishes, sausage or boiled meat, as well as eggs are often used for okroshka. All ingredients are cut into small cubes, herbs and spices are added, and kvass or whey is poured over it. This soup can be served with ice for even more cooling.

As for kvass, it is best to use a homemade drink for okroshka. Kvass from a barrel is also good, but ready-made drinks in plastic bottles often contain concentrates and flavors that are not suitable for such a dish. Therefore, if possible, it is better to make kvass at home. You can find a lot of recipes on the Internet on how to do this.

Another wonderful cold soup, which is especially popular in Spain, is gazpacho. This traditional Mediterranean dish is prepared on the basis of fresh tomato puree, and its history goes back centuries. They say that gazpacho was originally prepared by Spanish shepherds, using products that were at hand: tomatoes, onions, peppers and bread. All this was ground with stones, and olive oil was added. Even if this is just a legend, this soup has become a real symbol of Spanish cuisine.

To prepare gazpacho, you will need a few simple ingredients. You need tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, garlic and olive oil. All ingredients are placed in a blender, mixed until smooth, then strained and cooled. If desired, the finished soup can be garnished with fresh herbs, such as basil or parsley.

The advantages of both of these soups are not only their ease of preparation, but also their beneficial properties. Okroshka, thanks to the presence of fresh vegetables and herbs, is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Gazpacho will give the body a boost of antioxidants and vitamin C thanks to tomatoes and peppers. These dishes are perfect for the summer menu, refreshing and saturating the body with essential substances.

Thus, cold soups are an ideal choice for hot days. They are light, healthy and will help diversify your diet. Try cooking these summer dishes, and they will definitely become your favorites!