Serving food that’s still frozen is a capital offense. Serving food with whole ice cubes in it, however, is an asset rather than an error. After literally drinking through gallons of chilled soups over the years, pouring them into insulated mugs to sip on like savory smoothies, it’s staggering that the thought didn’t occur to me sooner. Gracefully maintaining their composure while other bowls start sweating, there’s nothing more refreshing when sweltering heat bears down midday. Gazpacho is an obvious, well-qualified candidate, but I was inspired to look further afield to another cool contender.

Drink Your Vegetables

Okroshka is sometimes described as a liquid salad, and with the tart tang of buttermilk or kefir that’s evocative of a creamy vinaigrette, it’s an apt comparison. Grassy and milky, light and soothing, it tastes like the sensation of stepping out of the sun and into shade. Finely chopped cucumbers, radishes, and potatoes are essential, swimming beneath a marsh of fresh dill and green onions. Traditionalist may include ham, while vegetarian versions opt for hard boiled eggs, which brings me to the other white meat for my version: tofu.

Melt Down

Worried about ice cubes watering down your soup? Don’t be silly. This particular blend is meant to be brothy, not the sort of thick stew that would suffer from the intrusion. If you’re the type that likes to crunch on ice, you get the bonus of added texture, and if you prefer to spare your teeth, just spoon around the cubes as you go. It doesn’t have to be bland old frozen water, either. Make custom soup cubes using:

• Vegetable or mushroom stock
• Tomato juice
• Unsweetened non-dairy milk
• Diluted pickle brine

Cubed Crusade

I’m well aware that the most American thing to do is add copious amounts of ice to everything. What can I say; I can’t outrun my cultural conditioning, even when crafting a Russian staple. Look, if Jacques Pépin says it’s okay to put ice in red wine, then surely, we can start putting ice in soup. Okroshka, cool, calm, and composed, can withstand the perceived faux-pas. If we’re adding tofu in anyway, I think we’ve already passed the point of offending the purists.

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Yield: Makes 2 - 3 Servings

Okroshka

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Okroshka is the ultimate antidote to a sweltering summer afternoon. This vegan version of the classic Slavic cold soup swaps the traditional ham for tofu, packing crisp textures and heavy herbs into a bright, milky broth that actually benefits from a few ice cubes.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Medium Potatoes, Peeled and Finely Diced
• 1 English Cucumber, Finely Diced
• 4 Ounces Super Firm Tofu, Finely Diced or Crumbled
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Dill
• 3 Scallions, Divided
• 2 Cups Plain, Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 8 Radishes, Thinly Sliced
• 1 Cup Nugget Ice or Crushed Ice

Instructions

1. Boil or steam the diced potatoes for 5 - 7 minutes until tender but still firm, then drain and let them cool completely.
   
2. In a large bowl or pitcher, combine the cooled potatoes with the cucumber, tofu, dill, and two of the sliced scallions. Pour the non-dairy milk and lemon juice over the mixture, stir in the salt, and mix everything thoroughly before placing it in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill.
   
3. When you're ready to serve, divide the soup between bowls and top equally with the remaining sliced scallion, radishes, and ice. Enjoy immediately!

Recommended Products

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• 
  West Life, Organic Soymilk, Unsweetened, Plain, 32 fl oz (946 ml)
• 
  REDMOND Real Sea Salt - Natural Unrefined Organic Gluten Free Fine, 26 ounce pouch (1 Pack)
• 
  Organic Tofu — Always Plant-Based. Always Delicious. Hodo.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 509Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 233mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 5gSugar: 12gProtein: 28g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.