Bulgarian Tarator (Cold Cucumber Soup)
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Tarator is a cold Bulgarian cucumber soup made with yogurt, garlic, fresh dill, and walnuts! This chilled soup is light, tangy, and perfect for hot summer days. Best of all? It’s ready in just 10 minutes, and no cooking is required.
Growing up, during the dog days of summer, my mom always made cold cucumber soup. It was light, refreshing, and needed no stove time. She and I devoured it. Even now, it’s still my favorite go-to when the weather gets hot.
Because my mom cooked Lebanese food, I always thought this yogurt-cucumber-dill soup was Arabic. But as an adult, I learned it’s actually Bulgarian tarator. Mind blown!
Much like ajvar, tarator shows how Bulgarian cuisine overlaps with Mediterranean and Balkan recipes. While this is an authentic Balkan dish, I now make it with plant-based yogurt, turning it into a vegan tarator recipe without sacrificing flavor.
Tarator Ingredient Notes
Cucumbers
If you can, buy Persian or English cucumbers. They’re crisp and seedless. If you buy a standard cucumber, peel it first to remove the wax, then cut it in half to remove the seeds.
Dill
This recipe only tastes great with fresh dill. Dried dill isn’t the same, and I don’t recommend using it with this recipe.
Yogurt
You can use Greek yogurt, kefir, or vegan yogurt. I make mine vegan, and it tastes exactly the same!
How to Make Tarator (Cold Cucumber Soup)
1
Prep the Cucumbers
Cut the ends off the cucumber. Slice it in half and, using a small spoon, scoop out the seeds. Then roughly chop the cucumbers.
2
Blend the Ingredients
Add 2 cups plain yogurt, 2 cups cold water, 1 large or 2 Persian cucumbers (chopped), 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons fresh dill, ¼ cup chopped walnuts, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Blend until smooth and pourable. Add more water for a thinner soup.
3
Chill and Serve
Enjoy your summer soup once it’s blended. For the best flavor, refrigerate the soup (I usually keep it in the blender because it’s gone in 24 hours!). Let it chill for at least an hour. Add salt and pepper as desired. Serve in small bowls, garnished with a swirl of olive oil, fresh dill, chopped walnuts, and cucumbers.
What to Serve with Tarator
- Warm pita or Turkish flatbread
- A summery Kale Garbanzo Bean Salad
- Stuffed grape leaves (dolma)
- Light summer Mediterranean mezze with Tomato and Onion Salad, hummus, and Zaalouk
How Did It Go?
I hope you loved this Bulgarian tarator cold cucumber soup as much as I do! Before you go, please leave a rating and a comment to let me know how it went.
Bulgarian Tarator (Cold Cucumber Soup)
Equipment
- 1 blender
- 1 sharp knive
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain yogurt, Greek, Bulgarian-style, or vegan
- 2 cups cold water
- 2 Persian cucumbers or one large English cucumber
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts, optional, but traditional
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, add a fresh squeeze to each bowl
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep the Cucumbers: Rough-chop 1 large English cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers. If using a standard cucumber, peel it, scoop out the seeds, and then chop.
- Blend: Add all ingredients to a blender: 2 cups yogurt, 2 cups cold water, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons dill, ¼ cup walnuts, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth and pourable. Adjust flavor with more salt, water, or lemon if needed.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors develop. Serve chilled in bowls. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon, a swirl of olive oil, extra dill, chopped walnuts, or cucumber pieces.