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Macedonian tarrator (chilled cucumber soup)

A close up of a bowl of white soup topped with a slice of green cucumber and sprig of dill

Macedonian tarrator (chilled cucumber soup)

Name: Macedonian tarrator (chilled cucumber soup)
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients: 2 cucumbers peeled, deseeded and chopped (reserve a few thin slices to serve); 1 tbsp sea salt flakes; 1 clove garlic finely minced; finely chopped to make 1 tbsp dill plus extra to serve; chopped to make 1 tbsp mint; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 litre plain full-fat Balkan yogurt or other plain full-fat yogurt; 120ml double cream

Katerina Nitsou

Published: September 14, 2021 at 3:57 PM

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Serves 6-8

Easy

Total time: 30 mins

+ chilling

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This cold, refreshing soup is popular in Macedonia during the hot summer months, often served with bread and a crisp salad. A finishing swirl of cream balances the tartness of the yogurt and lemon juice

Gluten free

Vegetarian

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This tarrator recipe is adapted from Macedonia – The Cookbook, Katerina Nitsou (Kitchen Press, £20). Katerina says: "This cold, refreshing soup is popular in Macedonia during the hot summer months. It’s often served with bread and a crisp salad. The flavours are simple and bright. A bit of cream rounds out the tartness of the yogurt and adds richness."

Ingredients

Nutrition

2 cucumbers

peeled, deseeded and chopped (reserve a few thin slices to serve)
1 tbsp sea salt flakes
1 clove garlic

finely minced
finely chopped to make 1 tbsp dill

plus extra to serve
chopped to make 1 tbsp mint
1 tsp lemon juice
1 litre plain full-fat Balkan yogurt or other plain full-fat yogurt
120ml double cream

Nutrition: per serving

kcal188

low
fat12.4g
saturates7.4g
carbs10.7g
sugars10.6g
fibre0.7g
protein8.2g
salt1.5g

Method

step 1

Put the cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with the salt. Set aside to drain for 20 minutes.
step 2

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the drained cucumbers, garlic, dill, mint and lemon juice, then blitz for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides with a spatula and blitz for another 30 seconds until you have a thin purée. Transfer to a medium bowl.
step 3

Using a spatula, stir the yogurt and cream into the cucumber mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, ladle the cold soup into bowls and garnish with cucumber slices and dill.

This tarrator recipe is adapted from Macedonia –The Cookbook, Katerina Nitsou (Kitchen Press, £20). Photographs by Oliver Fitzgerald.

Keep cool with more summer soup recipes here

Authors

Katerina Nitsou

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