Cold Soup

Yellow tomatoes bring a touch of sunshine to this delicious chilled soup, which can be made as spicy or as mellow as you like.

Simmering the cobs lends depth to a cool essence-of-corn soup, enhanced with a swirl of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives.

We love the games this soup plays with our senses: First, its fiery color tricks your brain into thinking it is hot, but when you take a sip, your tongue realizes the soup is cold. Then the spice of the habaneros sweeps in and deliciously complicates matters. Don't be alarmed by the number of chiles called for—habaneros' heat is complex and floral and partners perfectly with the sweetness of the red bell peppers.

This Mexican take on gazpacho has a little bit of crunch, thanks to pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

This refreshing soup makes a great first course for a summer dinner party.

Chop the shallots and the garlic in the processor to make this recipe even easier.

The buttermilk in this soup gives it a light, tangy richness that harmonizes with the sweetness of the peas and the gentle bite of the curry. Though it looks lovely in a bowl, serve this soup in drinking glasses, to be sipped rather than spooned, for a nice change of pace.

This recipe was created by chef Geraldine Ferraro of the Four Swallows Restaurant on Bainbridge Island in Washington. It's part of a special menu she created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Why you'll make it: Because it's the tastiest way we know to use up all those ripe tomatoes you've got at the ready. The flavors of cold soup become muted once the soup is thoroughly chilled. Before serving the gazpacho, check the salt and vinegar and then adjust them, if need be.

This no-cook soup defeats the summer heat — cucumber provides crunch alongside a hint of minutest, and avocado adds mouthwatering creaminutesess.

The soup can also be served warm.

A chilled soup with a taste of the tropics; start making it one day ahead.

For easy serving, ladle the soup into pretty bowls, and set them on the buffet table.

Serve this creamy, chilled soup as a refreshing first course.

Sunday lunch. From Golden Door in Escondido, California. This soup, from The Golden Door Cooks Light & Easy (Gibbs-Smith), is stocked with a gardenful of vegetables. Look for the brightest beta-carotene beauties — golden corn, sunny yellow peppers, and ripe yellow tomatoes. Because the produce is raw, you're not cooking away any vitamins.

Watermelon is a lycopene star — 1 cup has nearly 7 milligrams of the cancer fighter. Riesling adds a refreshing crispness.

This classic soup is a no-brainer, no-cook meal: Simply chop and blend. Serve it with crusty bread and spreadable goat cheese. Any leftovers will keep in your fridge for up to five days.