Don't knock it until you've tried it! This tasty chilled avocado soup is perfect for a light lunch on a hot summer day.
Last week, Kristen of Dine and Dish and I asked you to save the date for a California Avocado 4th of July Blast. From June 27th through July 4th, we’re hosting a link-up party and are hoping you will share your favorite avocado recipes with us for a chance to win some amazing prizes. While you're putting your thinking caps on and slicing open those avocados (check out How to: Prepare an Avocado), I have a chilled avocado soup to share with you, one that highlights the natural creaminess of this sunny fruit.
Whether you're celebrating the 4th of July in the U.S. or Canada Day on July 1st, the blazing heat always comes as a shock as the calendars flip to July. Cool drinks and chilled meals seemed to be the only thing that my body craves this time of year. That's where this simple, chilled soup comes in. On a hot day, there is nothing more refreshing than a cold vegetable soup, such as these asparagus or zucchini ones.
In each of my chilled soups, I like the fresh taste of the vegetable to shine through, and I avoid masking the natural texture by leaving out heavy creams. In this case, I pureed the avocado with some vegetable broth, as well as some simple aromatics. An extra layer of flavor and a touch more creaminess is achieved with a smidgen of coconut milk.
Given the buttery nature of avocados, this soup is rich and satisfying. I suggest serving it in small portions as an appetizer.
Be sure you don't miss Kristen's Salmon Sliders with Tangy Avocado Sauce. I'm already dreaming up additional ways I could use that gorgeous avocado sauce!
The recipe:
Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan set over medium-low heat. Add the onion and jalapeno pepper, and sweat (cook without browning) until the onion is soft and translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for additional 2 minutes. Stir in the mint. Let the mixture cool slightly.
Place the avocados in a food processor or heavy-duty blender, along with 1 ½ cups vegetable broth. Pulse until finely chopped.
Add the remaining broth, along with the onion mixture, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Pour the soup into a medium-sized bowl and stir in the coconut milk.
Cover the soup and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve chilled, garnished with some diced tomatoes (if desired).
Printable Recipe
Chilled California Avocado Soup with Coconut Milk Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
- ½ large jalapeno pepper seeds & membranes removed (if desired), and minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint leaves
- 3 California avocados peeled and cut into eights
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
- ⅓ cup lite coconut milk
- ⅓ cup diced tomatoes optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan set over medium-low heat. Add the onion and jalapeno pepper, and sweat (cook without browning) until the onion is soft and translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for additional 2 minutes. Stir in the mint. Let cool slightly.
- Place the avocados in a food processor or heavy-duty blender, along with 1½ cups vegetable broth. Pulse until finely chopped.
- Add the remaining broth, along with the onion mixture, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the soup into a medium-sized bowl and stir in the lite coconut milk.
- Cover the soup and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve chilled, topped with diced tomatoes (if desired).
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the California Avocado Commission. In addition, they supplied me with some gorgeous avocados to use for this recipe. All opinions are my own. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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vicky
I love avocados and never had avocado soup I should try your recipe. Love your photos!
Debs @ The Spanish Wok
A pretty and healthy summer soup.
You are welcome to join in my monthly food blogger event THE SOUP KITCHEN, here for entry details and current theme offering a new theme each month. All bloggers are welcome, hope to see you participate soon.
Vicky
What an interesting recipe! I'm intrigued by the ingredients and cannot even begin to image what the combination must taste like! I'll have to try this soon! Would be perfect for the 100 degree days in DC we have coming up!
Sook
I am always looking for a new way to use avocados! Chilled soup? Perfect for this hot Summer day!
Deborah
This sounds so refreshing!! Avocados are definitely on the top of my pregnancy craving list and I've been going through them like crazy lately. Gotta try this one!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
This is such a fun idea! Love that it's chilled 🙂
Jeanette
Dara - I love the sound of this cold avocado soup. We've been enjoying lots of avocados lately in our house.
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective
Loving the jalapeno and mint in this! Bravo Dara.
Laurie @SimplyScratch
This soup looks soooo creamy! I just love how versatile avocados are!
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen
Sounds so creamy and delicious!
carolinaheartstrings
Fantastic pictures. The recipe looks fantastic! Dara come and visit on Friday. We are having a flip flop giveaway!
Riley
This looks beautiful. I've never cooked with coconut milk, but I'll have to try is recipe!
Dana
There are a lot of things I would think to do with an avocado, but making soup isn't one of them! This sounds delicious... I'll have to try it out!
Jennifer | Mother Thyme
Beautiful soup! What a great pairing.
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
I LOVE avocados, and could probably live on them alone! Ok, maybe I would need chocolate too 🙂 I can't wait to see all the recipes! This soup looks so creamy and sounds amazing for summer!
Karly
Ooh, this sounds amazing! I just recently fell in love with avocados and I'm still making up for lost time. It's avocados all the time around here! 🙂
Chaya
I love avocado, any way, it is prepared and certainly in a soup, it has to be yummy. I have to try this during the summer. I am awaiting your linky. I have some powerful avocado recipes, I would love to share.
marla
Dara, I love the idea of this creamy summer soup. Avocado and coconut milk are a great pairing!