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Cucumber Soup With Soy and Scallions

Photo: William Brinson

BY Mark Bittman

PUBLISHED August 15, 2024

For hot days, you can’t beat this take on cucumber soup, which blows away the “classic” dairy-based version.

 

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Cucumber Soup With Soy and Scallions

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 medium cucumbers
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice-wine or white-wine vinegar
  • 1 small chile, stemmed, seeded and minced, or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 3 cups chicken stock, chilled
  • 1/2 cup minced scallions, both white and green parts
  • 1 cup chopped watercress or arugula (optional)
  • 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro, mint, Thai basil or a combination

Instructions

  1. Peel cucumbers, then cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Slice cucumbers as thinly as possible (a mandoline is ideal for this). Mix them in a large bowl with soy sauce, vinegar, chile and sugar, then refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

  2. Add stock, scallions, watercress or arugula if you like, and stir. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Just before serving, garnish with herb or herbs of your choice.

— Recipe from The New York Times

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