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    Home » Europe

    Tarator: Cold Cucumber Yogurt Soup from Bulgaria

    Published on Apr 11, 2024 Modified: Aug 7, 2020 by Alexandria Drzazgowski.

    Jump to Recipe

    Tarator is a cold soup made with yogurt and cucumbers. This Bulgarian and Albanian dish is perfect for a light meal in the heat of summertime and would be delicious with a slice of crusty bread!

    Bowl of Tarator soup garnished with chopped walnuts, olive oil and fresh dill sprinkled on top.

    Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!

    YouTube video
    Jump to:
    • Recipe Origins
    • Why Make this Recipe
    • Ingredients for Tarator
    • How to Make this Recipe
    • Variations of Tarator
    • Expert Tips
    • What to Serve with Tarator
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Tarator: Cold Cucumber Yogurt Soup from Bulgaria

    Recipe Origins

    It’s so clear by researching Bulgaria that Bulgarians love their yogurt. So obviously I had to try making a recipe with it! 

    One of the most famous yogurt dishes in Bulgaria is Tarator, a cold cucumber and yogurt soup. 

    This soup is perfect for a hot day in summer, when the sun is beating down and you want a refreshing, light lunch to cool down with. It would also be perfect served with some crusty bread! 

    The Albanian recipe for Tarator is similar to the Bulgarian version, but there are some other countries with different variations! The recipe reflected here is the Bulgarian/Albanian version of Tarator!

    Why Make this Recipe

    1. Quick: 5-10 minutes is all you need to throw this soup together. It’s a great last minute addition to a meal! 
    2. Cold Soup: In need of a chilled summer soup to cool you down? This recipe for Tarator is perfectly refreshing and great for those hot summer days! 
    3. “Travel” to Bulgaria: If you’ve ever wanted to try visiting Bulgaria (or have been and want to go back) this is a great way to experience Bulgaria from your home (along with these recipes for Palachinki and Gyuveche)! 

    Ingredients for Tarator

    Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

    Measured out ingredients for Tarator with labels.
    1. Cucumber: Use an English cucumber (about ¾ of a large cucumber) if possible as the seeds are smaller and less invasive. If you end up using an American Cucumber, slice the cucumber in half and use a spoon to remove the seeds before dicing and adding to the Tarator. You can peel the cucumber or keep it unpeeled if desired.
    2. Garlic: Using fresh garlic, minced from garlic cloves, is the best option
    3. Walnuts: I used roasted walnuts, but you can also use raw walnuts
    4. Greek Yogurt: Plain, unflavored. I prefer full fat yogurt.
    5. Dill: Fresh dill makes a huge difference in the flavor of this recipe, but you can use dried dill in a pinch! 
    6. Salt: This recipe was made using sea salt, but not all salt is made the same. If you are using table salt, replace the ½ teaspoon sea salt with ¼ teaspoon salt.

    Tools

    1. Bowl 
    2. Whisk 

    How to Make this Recipe

    Step 1: Start the Soup 

    Add the finely diced cucumbers into a bowl along with all of the other ingredients except for the water. Stir to combine. 

    Greek yogurt combined with the diced cucumbers.
    Tarator with cucumbers and greek yogurt combined, with fresh dill and chopped walnuts on top.

    Step 2: Thin it Out

    Drizzle the water into the bowl as you whisk. Once the water has thinned out the soup, check the consistency. If you like a thinner soup, you can add another ¼ – ½ cup. 

    Tarator in a mixing bowl.

    Step 3: Serve

    Spoon into bowls and garnish with extra walnuts, olive oil, and dill if desired. Enjoy!

    Fresh sliced cucumbers sitting alongside a bowl of Tarator with a spoon tucked in.

    Variations of Tarator

    There are some different ways that you can adjust your Tarator soup based on your preferences! Try out these variations:

    • Make this recipe as thin or as thick as you want by adjusting the amount of water in the soup.
    • Herbs: Mint, parsley, or cilantro would be good flavors to add.
    • Different Nuts: This recipe calls for walnuts, but pistachios, almonds, or pine nuts would be good to add different flavors!
    • Adjust the Dairy: If you don’t have yogurt, you can use sour cream or kefir.
    • Garnishes: Add croutons for some crunch or a sprinkle of paprika for some pretty color.

    Expert Tips

    Close up of a bowl of Tarator garnished with chopped walnuts, fresh dill and drizzled olive oil on top.
    • Serve this as a first course in place of a salad, as a main course, or as a refresher between courses! You can also serve it as a side dish.
    • Keep the cucumber unpeeled to add an even better color to the Tarator Soup. 
    • Make this 30 minutes ahead of time and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for best results. 
    • You can also use a Mortar and Pestle to assemble this soup if you prefer!
    • This is a very easy recipe to make “to taste”. Sample a spoonful before serving and if you think the soup needs more of something, go ahead and add it!

    What to Serve with Tarator

    Tarator is a great side dish and can be served with almost anything! Here are some ideas of What to Eat with Tarator:

    • Salad: Make a simple homemade salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce, or add some protein to your salad.
    • Crusty Bread: Perfect for scooping up the last few bites of yummy soup!
    • Grilled Meat: Grilled chicken, ribs (like this Nyama Choma), grilled lamb or grilled fish.
    • Stuffed Vegetables: Try these Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers from Croatia!

    Recipe FAQs

    Spoon lifting up a bite of Tarator out of a bowl.
    What Other Countries Eat This Soup?

    While Tarator is popular in Bulgaria, it is also popular in a few other countries, including Albania.

    There is also a Lebanese version of Tarator that includes tahini paste, but this is not that version.

    What Does Tarator Taste Like? 

    Tarator tastes a lot like watered down tzatziki sauce (that’s pretty much what it is!). The plain yogurt and lemon give it a more bitter taste, while the cucumbers and walnuts add a wonderful level of texture. 

    The dill is the most prominent flavor, mixed with the yogurt.  

    Storing Leftovers

    You can store your Tarator in the fridge for up to 3 days! Keep it in an airtight container, and make sure to stir it up before serving. 

    Difference Between Tarator and Tzatziki Sauce

    Tarator is a thin soup made with cubed cucumbers and typically topped with walnuts. Tzatziki is a thick spread or dip made with shredded cucumbers and not usually made with walnuts.
     
    Even more confusingly, the phrase “Tarator Sauce” is sometimes used to refer to tzatziki sauce in certain countries. However, in Bulgaria and Albania, the word tarator refers to the soup that is made in this article. 

    Can I Make this Recipe in Advance?

    You can definitely make your Tarator in advance, though it would probably be yummiest the same day that you made it. You can also prepare your cucumbers a day in advance if you prefer for a quicker assembly on the day of.

    Did you enjoy this recipe for Cold Cucumber Soup? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you: 

    • Thai-Inspired Meatball Soup 
    • Borscht Soup from Belarus
    • Chickpea Stew from Algeria
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    Close up of Tarator topped with dill, walnuts, and a drizzle of olive oil.

    Tarator: Cold Cucumber Yogurt Soup from Bulgaria

    Tarator is a cold soup made with yogurt and cucumbers. This Bulgarian dish is perfect for a light meal in the heat of summertime and would be delicious with a slice of crusty bread!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Soup
    Cuisine: Bulgaria
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 120kcal
    Author: Alexandria Drzazgowski

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • Whisk
    • Citrus Juicer

    Ingredients

    • ¾ large English cucumber, peeled and finely diced
    • ¼ cup chopped walnuts
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tsp garlic, minced
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • 1 cup Greek Yogurt, plain
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tbsp dill, fresh
    • ½ cup water

    Instructions

    • Add ¾ cup finely diced cucumbers into a bowl along with all of the other ingredients except for the water. Stir to combine.
    • Drizzle ½ cup water into the bowl as you whisk. Once the water has thinned out the soup, check the consistency. If you like a thinner soup, you can add another ¼ – ½ cup.
    • Spoon into bowls and garnish with extra walnuts, olive oil, and dill if desired. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Recipe Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.
    1. Cucumber: Use an English cucumber (about ¾ of a large cucumber) if possible as the seeds are smaller and less invasive. If you end up using an American Cucumber, slice the cucumber in half and use a spoon to remove the seeds before dicing and adding to the Tarator. You can peel the cucumber or keep it unpeeled if desired.
    2. Walnuts: I used roasted walnuts, but you can also use raw walnuts
    3. Greek Yogurt: Plain, unflavored. I prefer full fat yogurt.
    4. Dill: Fresh dill makes a huge difference in the flavor of this recipe, but you can use dried dill in a pinch! 
    5. Salt: This recipe was made using sea salt, but not all salt is made the same. If you are using table salt, replace the ½ teaspoon sea salt with ¼ teaspoon salt.
    6. Garlic: Using fresh garlic, minced from garlic cloves, is the best option
    • Serve this as a first course in place of a salad, as a main course, or as a refresher between courses! You can also serve it as a side dish.
    • Make this 30 minutes ahead of time and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for best results. 
    • You can also use a Mortar and Pestle to assemble this soup if you prefer!
    • This is a very easy recipe to make “to taste”. Sample a spoonful before serving and if you think the soup needs more of something, go ahead and add it!
    • Keep the cucumber unpeeled to add an even better color to the Tarator Soup. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 312mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 71IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheForeignFork or tag #TheForeignFork!

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    Sharing is caring!

    135 shares

    Europe Soup Bulgaria

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jerotha B.McCall says

      February 06, 2025 at 11:14 am

      Persian also has this Cold Soup -we eat with Pita Bread – add onion or raisins -opt.

      Reply
      • Alexandria Drzazgowski says

        February 06, 2025 at 1:05 pm

        Yum raisins in it sounds delicious!

        Reply
    2. Anastasiya Peterson says

      April 11, 2024 at 10:26 pm

      5 stars
      My go-to tarator recipe! So simple but so refreshing and delicious!

      Reply
      • Alexandria Drzazgowski says

        April 15, 2024 at 1:18 pm

        So happy that you love it, Anastasiya! Thank you for leaving a comment 🙂

        Reply
    3. JL says

      May 22, 2022 at 1:40 am

      Hallo from Bulgaria!
      The main difference of Bulgarian yoghurt is that it is sour and that’s because the specific bacteria. Bulgarian word for yoghurt translates as sour milk. If it’s good you don’t have to add lemon juice. I find other yoghurts bland and tasteless. It makes tarator even more refreshing in the hot summer days. Your recipe is accurate.

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        May 22, 2022 at 2:50 pm

        Thank you for the insight JL! So glad to hear that you approve of the recipe! 🙂

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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