There’s nothing better than a bowl of soup on a hot summer day… That sounds funny, I know, but keep in mind that A) The high temperature here in Chicago this week was barely over 70 degrees, and B) As described in the title of this recipe, this soup is served cold.
Knowing that it was going to be unseasonably cool this week, Evan and I planned a couple of cool-weather meals: meatloaf one night, grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup another. I decided I wanted to make our soup from scratch this time, instead of doctoring up a Trader Joe’s pre-packaged version. I hadn’t even begun looking for a recipe when I came across this gem in the most recent edition of Cooking Light. It was as if destiny was calling, telling me, “This is the soup for you!”
When I finished making this soup, I thought, “That was really easy.” The prep work is minimal because your blender does all the heavy lifting, and there’s no “cook time” since this dish is served cold. So what’s the catch? Nothing that I could find!
Wash your vegetables and herbs: 3 medium beefsteak tomatoes, 2-3 scallions (also called green onions), and a bunch of fresh basil. Quarter and core your tomatoes. Squeeze 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and set aside.
Remove 1/4 cup of fresh basil leaves from the stems and also set those aside. Cut off and discard the white ends of your scallions, then chop the green stems into 2″ pieces.
Add the following items to your blender: 3 quartered and cored medium beefsteak tomatoes, 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, 2-3 chopped scallion greens, 3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, 5/8 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, and 1 peeled garlic clove.
Be sure your blender lid is secure before getting started or it may look like a volcano erupted in your kitchen! I used the purée setting for about a minute and a half. Add 3/4 cup of soup into a small bowl, top it with a small dollop of Greek yogurt, and a small fresh basil leaf. That’s it! Enjoy!
Tangy Cold Tomato Soup with Basil
Prep time: 10 minutes
3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
3 medium ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cored and quartered
2-3 scallions, chopped
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1) Wash the tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and scallions. Core and quarter the tomatoes. Remove the white ends of the scallions, chopping the remaining greens into 2″ pieces. Squeeze 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Peel one clove of garlic.
2) Add 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup basil leaves, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, 3 tomatoes, 2 scallions, and 1 garlic clove to your blender. Purée for a minute or two.
3) Divide the soup into 6 small bowls. Top each bowl with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a small basil leaf. Serve and enjoy!
Gluten-Free, Soup, Vegetarian
Marta in Michigan 
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