Recipe for: Cucumber and Dill Cold Soup with Young Cheese - photo 1
← Recipes

Recipe for: Cucumber and Dill Cold Soup with Young Cheese

Spicy I'm not hungry Soups 60 min Easy 0 views ~24.68 PLN - (0)
Rate:
(0)
Start Cooking

Description

Light, refreshing cucumber-dill cold soup with young cheese is a classic summer dish in Polish herbal style. The base is a sour, creamy liquid made from buttermilk and cream, dominated by fresh cucumbers and abundant dill, while the soft young cheese adds a velvety texture and protein. The dish is cool, green, and aromatic — perfect for a hot afternoon, served as an appetizer or a light meal after grilling. The distinct dill and chives enhance the freshness, lemon and garlic add a spicy note, and rapeseed oil gently elevates the flavor. Serve with young potatoes or toast; it looks aesthetically pleasing in a shallow bowl with a dollop of cheese and a sprig of dill.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (13)

Servings:
4
  • Cucumber 2 pcs (~600 g)
  • Cottage cheese 200 g
  • Buttermilk 500 g
  • 12% cream 100 g
  • Lemon 0.6 pcs (~50 g)
  • Garlic 2 clove (~10 g)
  • Rapeseed oil 15 g
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Dill 1.5 bunch (~30 g)
  • Chives 0.3 bunch (~30 g)
  • Salt 0.1 pinch (~4 g)
  • Black pepper 2 pinch (~1 g)
  • ✨ Optional
  • Chicken egg 2 pcs (~120 g)
  • Potatoes 4 pcs (~600 g)
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~24.68 PLN (6.17 PLN/serving)

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

Wash the cucumbers under running water with a brush, cut off the ends. If the skin is thick or bitter, peel it thinly with a peeler. Cut 1/4 of the cucumbers into small cubes (these will be for decoration), and cut the remaining cucumbers in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove any seeds if they are very watery.

Ingredients: Cucumber
Use a cutting board and a sharp knife. Remove the watery seed parts if they are loose — excess water will dilute the cold soup.
2

Grate the peeled cucumber halves on a coarse grater or briefly blend in a food processor until chunky. Transfer the grated cucumbers to a large bowl, lightly salt (about 2 g of salt), and let sit for 10 minutes to release excess juice.

Ingredients: Cucumber, Salt
Use a grater or a food processor with short pulses. Salting helps to remove excess water and concentrate the flavor. Do not leave it for more than 15 minutes, as the cucumber may fall apart.
3

After 10 minutes, drain the grated cucumbers: place a strainer or cheesecloth over a bowl and transfer portions, pressing down firmly to release the juice. Keep the collected juice separately — if the cold soup is too thick, you can add some juice after adding the cheese and buttermilk.

Ingredients: Cucumber
Use rubber gloves if you want to avoid staining from the juice. Squeeze by hand in a fist or place in cheesecloth and squeeze over a bowl.

Base

4

In a large bowl, place the cottage cheese and mash it with a fork or blend it with a hand blender until smooth. Add the buttermilk and cream, pour in the juice from half a lemon (about 50 g of juice), add the garlic pressed through a garlic press (10 g), and a tablespoon of rapeseed oil (15 g). Whisk vigorously or use a hand blender for 30–60 seconds until the mixture is homogeneous and slightly frothy.

Ingredients: Cottage cheese, Buttermilk, 12% cream, Lemon, Garlic, Rapeseed oil
Use an immersion blender if you want to achieve a completely smooth consistency. If the cottage cheese is very lumpy, break it down first with a fork. Check the taste before adding salt — the cottage cheese and buttermilk add natural saltiness.
5

Add the drained cucumbers (from step 3) and finely chopped dill and chives (remove the bunches and chop thinly) to the blended base. Stir with a spoon for 1–2 minutes until the herbs are evenly distributed in the cold soup. If the mixture is too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of cucumber juice.

Ingredients: Cucumber, Dill, Chives
Use a large wooden spoon or a silicone spatula. If you want a very smooth soup, use a blender on short pulses (10–15 s).

Assembly and cooling

6

Season the cold soup with salt (the remaining 2 g) and freshly ground pepper (1 g). Taste and adjust the flavor: if you need more acidity, add a bit of lemon juice; if it's too sour, add 1–2 tablespoons of cream. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes — the flavors will meld, and the cold soup will become fresher.

Ingredients: Salt, Black pepper, Lemon, 12% cream
Use a transparent bowl and cover it with plastic wrap to prevent it from absorbing odors from the fridge. Chilling for at least 60 minutes is key to developing the flavors.

Serving

7

Before serving, stir the cold soup again with a spoon. In the bottom of a shallow bowl, place 1 large ladle of soup, in the center add a teaspoon of fresh cheese (reserved for decoration) and sprinkle thinly with prepared cucumber cubes and chopped chives and dill. Drizzle the top with a few drops of rapeseed oil (a few circles) to add shine and flavor.

Ingredients: Cottage cheese, Cucumber, Chives, Dill, Rapeseed oil
Use a flat, wide bowl — the cold soup looks great in a low dish. Leave 1–2 mini sprigs of dill for decoration.
9

Serve the cold soup very chilled. If you are serving it at a party, keep the bowl of cold soup in a larger bowl filled with ice to maintain the temperature for a long time. Additionally, you can add a slice of fresh bread or a thin toast with garlic butter.

Ingredients: Cottage cheese, Dill, Chives
For serving, use a tablespoon or soup spoon and wide plates. The cold soup tastes best within 24 hours; it loses the delicacy of the herbs if left longer.

Optional Additions

8

If you want the traditional version, boil young potatoes in their skins: place unpeeled potatoes in cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 12–15 minutes until soft (check with a fork). You can also serve halved hard-boiled eggs: place the eggs in boiling water for 9–10 minutes, cool in cold water, and peel.

For cooking potatoes, use a medium pot with a lid. Don't overdo the cooking time — young potatoes soften quickly.

Fun Fact

💡

Chłodnik originates from rural cuisine as a way to utilize sour milk and seasonal vegetables — in Poland, chłodniki have been popular for a long time, especially in regions where fresh herbs and buttermilk were available in the summer.

Best for

letni obiad piknik grill lekki lunch

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve very chilled in shallow bowls. Adding young potatoes in their skins or a half egg increases satiety. To enhance the herbal aroma, just before serving, sprinkle with additional fresh dill and chives and add a drop of rapeseed oil for shine.

🥡 Storage

Store in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours — after that, the cold soup loses the freshness of the herbs and becomes watery. To refresh after storage, stir, and optionally add 1–2 tablespoons of buttermilk or a tablespoon of cottage cheese and chill for a moment.

📸 Cooked by the community

Log in to add a photo
Add a photo of the finished dish

After moderator approval, you will receive 10 experience points.

🍲

No one has added a photo yet. Be the first!

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment on this recipe!

Add a comment

You might also like

Pasta soup with green peas 25 min

Pasta soup with green peas

Soups
Cucumber and Mint Sorbet with Lime 90 min

Cucumber and Mint Sorbet with Lime

I'm not hungry
Beetroot Soup with Goat Cheese and Arugula 90 min

Beetroot Soup with Goat Cheese and Arugula

I'm not hungry
Smoked Salmon Rolls with Dill Cream Cheese 30 min

Smoked Salmon Rolls with Dill Cream Cheese

I'm not hungry
Grilled toast with cottage cheese and fresh radish 35 min

Grilled toast with cottage cheese and fres...

I'm not hungry
Tatar made from ripe tomatoes with fresh chives 40 min

Tatar made from ripe tomatoes with fresh c...

I'm not hungry

Recipe Categories

I'm not hungry
I'm not hungry in: For Kids

Not hungry? Light snacks and drinks for those without an appetite. Fruit and vegetable smoothies - liquid vitamins that are easy to drink. Broths and light soups - warming without weighing down the stomach. Fruit salads - refreshing and easy to digest. Teas and infusions - hydration with a touch ...

See all recipes in this category
Soups
Soups in: Easter

Soups are an essential element of the Easter menu, often served as the first course. The most popular are sour rye soup and white borscht, which have their deep traditions.

See all recipes in this category
Advertisement