Cold Cucumber and Cubanelle Soup with Cashews and Chives

I absolutely love this recipe, though I can understand why some reviewers may have found it on the bland side. Like others, I reduced the liquid to one cup and used homemade vegetable broth instead of water. I also added a generous handful of dill and chives for extra flavor, and a seeded serrano chile for a little kick. I've been making it for years and there are never any leftovers! Everyone is surprised to find that it is dairy free and it even please my non-vegetarian guests.

• Anonymous

• Jersey City, New Jersey

• 11/20/2017

I haven't made this yet but intend to tomorrow. Just wanted to note that I've made cashew cream many times and it requires soaking the nuts overnight. Maybe that will help the texture. I'm hoping, because I'm looking forward to the soup!

• sleepyma

• Arlington, VA

• 9/3/2016

Not reviewing, just making a note -- where is the My Notes tab? Cashew butter would help texture.

• alecto07

• 7/14/2013

I have made this twice it is amazing. I only used one cup water. It was enough. i also toasted the cashews which adds a lot of flavour! The first time I did not whizz it enough.. keep going until it is nearly all smooth. I also added a small handful of flat leaf parsley which made it more green and really brought out the flavours!

• KatieinCayman

• 8/29/2010

I was really, really disappointed in this recipe. I followed the advice of other viewers and added less water. I only put in a cup and it was still very watery. The texture is off-putting, the flavors were very bland. Don't waste nice cashews on this.

• Anonymous

• Detroit, MI

• 8/18/2010

I am hoping no one ever finds this recipe and forgets all about it so I can pass it off as my own. I have actually told people they cannot have the recipe, they have to hire me to make it for them. Its so special, and has been such a big hit...you better not tell anyone else!! ;)

• allisonperson

• brooklyn

• 8/6/2010

I added 1/2 of a small vidalia onion and one avocado to the puree, which gave body and more depth of flavor. It was still missing something so I added about a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, a tspn of fresh culantro, and just a bit of ground cumin. One cold-soup disdaining adult & 3 school-aged kids actually ate this up and demanded more. The cashews make it. Oh -- tried the sieve idea, wouldn't recommend it. Too much of the flavor is locked up in those "solids". However, I did not think it was too grainy. I did roast the cashews fresh in the microwave with a tspn of oil, stirring every 30 seconds until light golden brown. (Would store-bought pre-roast cashews have a different "feel"? Maybe.) We have a fairly high-powered blender (standard though, not one of those vegematic things) and I blended the heck out it all -- no texture complaints. I'd say this is 2.5 forks without the mods, but definitely cold cashew cuke soup deserves enough forks to get people trying their own variations.

• lisabmco

• kentucky

• 6/20/2010

I have made a very similar soup from a different recipe that used hazelnut oil and toasted hazlenuts,plus about half a cup of sour cream mixed in the soup. It really worked and I've made it a couple of times as a startimg course. Small servings of veggies do well as a starter.

• eyeroll

• Orlando, FL

• 3/6/2010

I didn't enjoy the texture of this soup either. The nuts don't process well. Even with using 1C water, it was still too runny.

• brightblueduck

• Phoenix, AZ

• 10/25/2009

Crisp cool flavors good for a hot day, but I was a bit disappointed by the texture. I made this as an appetizer for a barbecue with friends, and I served it in shot glasses garnished with chopped chives and small cubes of tomato...it was beautiful and the garnishes added great flavor! However, the grainy texture was not the creamy soup I was anticipating. If I were to do this over again, I'd pass the soup through a sieve and discard the solids and use peanut oil to maintain the nutty flavor. I used 1 1/2 cups water and seedless English cucumbers (peeled but not seeded/cored) and the liquid level seemed fine. I also used a garlic-clove size bit of sweet onion rather than garlic itself to avoid the bitterness that raw garlic can sometimes impart. The salt really will really bring out the flavors so don't skimp on the salt! http://apricosa.blogspot.com

• sommermann

• Santa Barbara

• 9/9/2009

I used 1.5 cups of water and it was way too much. If there's a next time, I'll use no more than 1/2 cup.

• brightblueduck

• Phoenix, AZ

• 9/7/2009

I thought this was good after I added some red onion into the puree as well as sprinkling additional red onion on top. I enjoyed the crunchiness of the cashews. Not a stellar recipe but good for a hot day.

• yuzu

• New York

• 9/6/2009

I only added one cup of water and could have added more, but this was an easy recipe to make, very refreshing because of the cucumber but rich tasting without being heavy from the cashews. I will definately make it again.

• melitz243

• SLC, UT

• 9/6/2009

They left out the water measurement. It should be 2 1/2 cups water.

• Anonymous

• 9/6/2009

Um, hello? How much water???

• notafoodie

• 9/4/2009