Tarator Soup Recipe: Cold Bulgarian Cucumber Yogurt Soup

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This tarator soup recipe turns a handful of cold, fresh ingredients into a pourable, garlicky yogurt soup with crisp cucumber, plenty of dill, and a crunch of walnuts. There is no stove time except toasting the nuts. The real work is managing water: salting the cucumber, thinning the yogurt just enough, and chilling long enough for the flavors to settle. Get those three things right and you have a cold soup that tastes bright and creamy, not thin or harsh.

From my kitchen

I made this soup following the recipe, with one change: I used mint instead of dill, and it turned out good. If you like mint, or don’t have dill at hand, it works as a simple swap. My children and I enjoy it with fish, chicken, and grilled meats.

Quick Answer

For this tarator soup recipe, whisk 2½ cups plain whole-milk yogurt with 1 cup ice-cold water and 2 grated garlic cloves. Stir in 1 pound of diced, salted, and drained cucumber, chopped dill, toasted walnuts, and olive oil. Chill for at least 1 hour, then adjust the salt and thickness before serving. It serves 4 as a starter, light lunch, or side dish and takes about 20 minutes of hands-on work.

Key Takeaways

• A good tarator soup recipe depends on controlling water: salt and drain the cucumber, and thin the yogurt gradually with ice-cold water.
• Whisk the yogurt smooth before adding water to avoid lumps.
• Chill for at least 1 hour, then taste and adjust the salt and thickness, because cold mutes seasoning and thickens the soup.
• Add the walnuts and reserved dill at the table so they stay crunchy and fresh.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator without garnish and eat within 2 days for best texture. Do not freeze this soup.

What Is Tarator?

Tarator is a cold yogurt and cucumber soup associated with Bulgaria. Versions typically combine yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, walnuts, and oil, thinned with cold water so the soup can be sipped or spooned. The name is also used for other cold soups and sauces in neighboring regions, so recipes vary quite a bit from one kitchen to the next.

This version is written for American kitchens. It uses supermarket yogurt, English cucumbers, and cup measurements, and it keeps the traditional flavor profile. If you have seen tzatziki, the flavors will feel familiar, but tarator is thinned into a soup, while tzatziki is a thick dip.

Ingredients for the Tarator Soup Recipe

Makes 4 servings of about 1½ cups each.

• 2½ cups (20 ounces) plain, unsweetened whole-milk yogurt
• 1 cup ice-cold water, plus more as needed
• 1 large English cucumber (about 1 pound), cut into ¼-inch dice
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 2 medium garlic cloves
• ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh dill, divided (reserve about 1 tablespoon for garnish)
• ½ cup walnut halves, toasted and finely chopped, divided (about ⅓ cup for the soup, the rest for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (optional)

Ingredient Notes

• Yogurt: Whole-milk yogurt gives the creamiest body. Check the label for “plain” and no added sugar, since sweetened or vanilla yogurt will ruin the balance.
• Cucumber: English cucumbers have thin skin and small seeds, so you can leave them unpeeled. If you use standard slicing cucumbers, peel them and scoop out the seeds first, because the seeds hold extra water.
• Garlic: Raw garlic is the sharpest flavor here. Two medium cloves give a clear garlic presence. If you are sensitive to it, start with one and add more after chilling.
• Dill: Use fresh. Dried dill tastes dusty in a soup this simple.
• Walnuts: They add richness and texture. Toasting is optional but brings out a deeper, rounder flavor.
• Lemon juice: Yogurt is already tangy, so the lemon is optional. Use it only if your yogurt tastes mild.

How to Make This Tarator Soup Recipe

1. Salt and drain the cucumber. Toss the diced cucumber with ½ teaspoon of the salt in a colander set over a bowl. Let it drain for 10 to 15 minutes, then pat it dry with a clean towel or paper towels. This step keeps the cucumber from watering down the soup.

 

2. Toast the walnuts. Warm the walnut halves in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly deeper in color. Transfer them to a plate to cool, then chop finely.

3. Make a garlic paste. Grate the garlic on a fine grater, or mince it and mash it with a pinch of the remaining salt using the side of a knife, until no chunks remain.

4. Build the yogurt base. In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt until completely smooth. Add the garlic, then whisk in the cold water a little at a time. The base should look like a thin, pourable cream.

5. Combine. Stir in the drained cucumber, all but 1 tablespoon of the dill, about ⅓ cup of the walnuts, the olive oil, and the rest of the salt. Add the lemon juice if you are using it.

6. Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The garlic mellows and the dill flavors the yogurt as it rests.

7. Adjust before serving. Stir well, then taste. Add salt in small pinches. If the soup has thickened in the cold, stir in more cold water 1 tablespoon at a time.

Tip: Taste after chilling, not before. Cold dulls saltiness, and the raw garlic edge softens as the soup rests, so a soup that seems underseasoned at room temperature may be just right once it is cold.

Getting the Consistency Right

The target is a soup that pours freely from a ladle but still coats a spoon lightly, a little thicker than buttermilk. Several things affect it:

• Yogurt type: Greek or strained yogurt is much thicker and needs more water, so start with 1¼ cups and adjust.
• Cucumber moisture: Even drained cucumber releases a little liquid as it sits, which is why the soup should start slightly thicker than you want to serve it.
• Temperature: Yogurt tightens up as it gets cold. Use ice-cold water and thin it after chilling, not before.

Whisking the yogurt smooth before adding water is the key technique. Pouring water straight onto thick yogurt can leave small lumps that are hard to whisk out later.

Nutrition Information

Based on standard ingredient values from the USDA FoodData Central database, one serving (about 1½ cups, one quarter of the recipe) provides roughly 255 calories, 8 grams of protein, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 20 grams of fat (about 5 grams saturated), 1.5 grams of fiber, and 430 milligrams of sodium. The yogurt and walnuts supply most of the protein, and the walnuts and olive oil supply most of the fat. These numbers are estimates only.

They exclude the extra olive oil drizzled on top, and they will vary with your yogurt brand, the size of your cucumber, and how much salt you add and drain off, so treat them as a general guide rather than exact values.

How to Serve

Ladle the soup into chilled bowls and top each with a drizzle of olive oil, a spoonful of chopped walnuts, and a pinch of the reserved dill. Add the walnuts at the table so they stay crunchy.

Tarator works as a starter or as a light lunch with crusty bread. On a hot day, you can also pour it into glasses and sip it. Put the bowls in the freezer for 15 minutes beforehand so the soup stays cold longer at the table.

Tip: If you are serving a crowd, keep the soup in the refrigerator and ladle it out in rounds, rather than setting out one large bowl on the table.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing

Making It Ahead

You can whisk together the yogurt, water, garlic, and salt up to a day ahead. Add the cucumber, dill, and walnuts within a few hours of serving so the cucumber stays crisp and the walnuts stay crunchy.

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container, with the walnut and dill garnishes kept separate. The cucumber will soften and release a little water over time, so stir well before serving and thin or season again as needed. For the best texture, finish the soup within 2 days. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service advises that most refrigerated leftovers be eaten within 3 to 4 days, so treat that as the outer limit.

Can You Freeze Tarator Soup?

Freezing is not recommended. Raw cucumber turns limp and watery once thawed, and a thinned yogurt base tends to separate and turn grainy. If you want to prepare ahead, make the yogurt base and refrigerate it instead.

Food Safety

Because this is a dairy-based soup that is never cooked, keep it cold. The USDA recommends discarding perishable food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if the air temperature is above 90°F, as described in its leftovers guidance. Rinse the cucumber and dill well, since neither is cooked.

Troubleshooting Your Tarator Soup Recipe

• The soup is too thin: Whisk in ½ cup more yogurt, a few tablespoons at a time. For next time, drain the cucumber longer and pat it dry.
• The soup is too thick: Stir in cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it pours easily.
• The garlic is too sharp: Give it more time in the refrigerator, since the flavor softens. If it is still strong, stir in a few extra spoonfuls of yogurt and a pinch of salt. Next time, use one clove.
• The soup tastes bland: Add salt in small pinches and stir, then add a squeeze of lemon juice or a little more dill.
• The soup tastes too sour: Plain yogurt varies in tartness. Add a pinch of salt and an extra teaspoon of olive oil to round it out, and leave out the lemon juice.
• Water has pooled on top after storage: This is normal as the cucumber releases liquid. Stir it back in, or add a spoonful of yogurt if the soup now tastes diluted.
• The yogurt looks grainy: Whisk vigorously. In the future, use cold water and whole-milk yogurt that is within its date.

Variations

• Thicker, spoonable version: Use Greek yogurt and only about ½ cup of water for a texture closer to a dip. Serve it in smaller portions.
• Nut-free: Replace the walnuts with toasted sunflower seeds, which provide crunch and richness.
• Mint instead of dill: Replace the dill with mint. I tried this version, and it turned out good.
• Dairy-free: Use plain, unsweetened, thick plant-based yogurt. Flavor and thickness vary by brand, so thin gradually and season to taste.

Tarator Soup Recipe FAQs

Do I have to salt and drain the cucumber?

It makes a clear difference. Unsalted cucumber releases water into the yogurt as it sits, which thins the soup and dilutes the flavor.

Should I peel the cucumber?

Not if you use an English cucumber, whose skin is thin and tender. Peel and seed standard slicing cucumbers, which have tougher skin and more water in the seeds.

Can I use mint instead of dill?

Yes. I made this soup with mint in place of the dill, and it turned out good. fresh or dried. Mint also works if dill is hard to find.

Can I use Greek yogurt?

Yes, but it is much thicker, so you will need more water. Start with about 1¼ cups of cold water and add more until the soup pours easily.

Is tarator the same as tzatziki?

They share ingredients such as yogurt, cucumber, and garlic, but they are prepared differently. Tzatziki is a thick dip, while tarator is thinned with cold water to make a soup.

How far ahead can I make it?

The yogurt base can be made a day ahead. For the best texture, add the cucumber and dill within a few hours of serving, and top with walnuts at the table.

Can I serve it outdoors at a party?

Yes, but keep it cold. Serve from the refrigerator in small batches, and do not leave it out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour in hot weather above 90°F.

How can I make it less garlicky?

Use one clove instead of two, grate it very finely, and let the soup chill for at least an hour. The garlic flavor softens as it rests.

Conclusion

Tarator is a simple cold soup that rewards care with a few details: well-drained cucumber, smooth yogurt, ice-cold water, and a proper chill. Make it on a hot day, serve it in cold bowls, and finish with good olive oil and plenty of dill.