Chilled Blueberry Soup Recipe or Warm Blåbärssoppa
Updated Aug 16, 2025
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Chilled Blueberry Soup is the perfect cool-down for a long summer day.
This cold blueberry soup goes together quickly and will make you wish that summer would never go away, no matter how high the temperature is reading.
Chilled Blueberry Soup Summary
- 🫐 Simmer blueberries, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until saucy
- ❄️ Cool completely, blend with lemon juice, then chill
- 🥛 Stir in half-and-half just before serving
- 🥣 For a lighter version, blend with plain yogurt instead of cream
- ✨ Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for extra-smooth texture
- 🌿 Serve chilled with fresh mint
- 🗓️ Make-ahead friendly for 1 to 2 days
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Featured Comment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Have been making this DELICIOUS soup for my family for some years. My 22-year-old grandson just called and asked for the recipe. He loved it as a child and always asked me to make it. Now it’s been passed down to another generation! -Linda B.
Table of Contents
About this Blueberry Soup Recipe
This chilled blueberry soup recipe came to me when I found myself, along with my parents, at The Culinary Institute of America. We were attending the graduation ceremony of my sister. It wasn’t as much as a ceremony as a food orgy of sorts and it lasted for days.
Of all the exotic and artfully prepared appetizers, salads, soups, entrees and desserts, and there were scores – this summer soup recipe stands out in my mind as genuinely unforgettable.
Summer is my favorite season and I can’t think of any other food that says summer, more than blueberries.
My favorite things to pair with Blueberry Soup:
About Blåbärssoppa (Swedish Blueberry oup)
Pronounced roughly “blaw-bair-SOHP-pah.”
In Sweden, blueberry soup is known as blåbärssoppa, a simple Nordic fruit soup made from bilberries or blueberries, lightly sweetened and often thickened with a little starch. It’s served hot in winter or as a chilled blueberry soup in warm weather, and it can be sipped like a drink or ladled into bowls.
At home it’s long been everyday fare, but it also has a place in Swedish sports culture. During the 90 km Vasaloppet ski marathon, stations along the course traditionally pour blueberry soup for racers, a practice documented since 1958 and still part of the event’s identity.
Classic versions use potato or corn starch for a light body; modern kitchen riffs swap in dairy or yogurt for creaminess. Our recipe leans into citrus and gentle spice, then chills the base before adding dairy for a smooth finish.
Key ingredients at a glance
- Blueberries
The backbone of any chilled blueberry soup. Use ripe, sweet berries for the best color and flavor. Frozen blueberries work too; they often taste consistent year-round and give the soup a deep purple hue. - Orange juice
Acts as the primary liquid and natural sweetener for blueberry soup. Choose pulp-free for a smooth finish. Its citrus notes round out the berry flavor without watering it down. - Sugar
Adjust to the sweetness of your berries. Start modestly, then taste after chilling and add a little more only if needed. Cold soups read less sweet than warm ones. - Lemon juice
A small splash brightens the fruit and helps lock in that vivid color. Add to taste at the end so the acidity is fresh and clean. - Half and half
Gives a silky finish and dessert-like body. Stir it in only after the berry base is fully cold to keep the texture smooth. Yogurt is a lighter alternative if you prefer a tangier profile. - Warm spices
A pinch of cinnamon with a hint of nutmeg adds gentle depth. Keep them subtle so the blueberries stay front and center. - Salt
Just a pinch to amplify the fruit and balance the sweetness. You shouldn’t taste salt, only more blueberry.
Two Ways to Make Chilled Blueberry Soup
Here’s the quick lay of the land: start with the same blueberry base, then choose your finish. Go rich and silky with half-and-half for a dessert-style bowl, or pick light and tangy with yogurt for breakfast or a snack. Both chill fast, pour smooth, and fit beautifully on a summer table.
🥛 Creamy Half-and-Half Method
Best for: dessert bowls, brunch, when you want a velvety finish
How to finish:
- Let the cooked blueberry base cool to room temperature, then chill until cold.
- Whisk in cold half-and-half right before serving. Start with the amount in your card and adjust to taste.
- Taste and balance with a little lemon juice or a pinch of sugar if needed.
Texture tips: Strain through a fine mesh for an ultra-smooth sip. Skip straining for a rustic feel.
Make-ahead: Chill the fruit base up to 2 days. Add half-and-half just before serving so it stays fresh and silky.
🥣 Yogurt-Based Method
Best for: lighter bowls, breakfast, snack time, protein boost
How to finish:
- Chill the blueberry base until cold.
- Whisk in plain yogurt. Use regular yogurt for a looser soup or Greek yogurt for extra body.
- Sweeten to taste with sugar, honey, or maple. Finish with lemon juice for brightness.
Texture tips: For a glossy finish, blend again after adding yogurt. If it gets too thick, thin with a splash of orange juice or water.
Make-ahead: Mix in the yogurt up to 24 hours before serving. Stir just before ladling.
✅ Quick chooser
- Want rich and dessert-like? Go creamy.
- Want brighter and lighter? Go yogurt.
if you’re using regular plain yogurt, use the same volume as the half-and-half.
If the card calls for 1 cup half-and-half, whisk in 1 cup yogurt after the blueberry base is fully cold.
For Greek yogurt, start with about ¾ the amount (¾ cup per 1 cup half-and-half) since it’s thicker, then thin to taste with 1–3 tablespoons cold orange juice, milk, or water.
Plant-based yogurt can be swapped 1:1 like regular yogurt; just check sweetness and adjust sugar.
Recipe Tip
Add the yogurt last, whisk until smooth, then taste and fine-tune with a splash of lemon or a pinch of sugar. Stir again just before serving.
🍋 Flavor add-ins (optional)
- Fresh mint or basil ribbons
- A pinch of cinnamon or cardamom
- Lemon zest for extra lift
How to Adjust the Texture to Blueberry Soup
Strain the finished blueberry s oup through a fine mesh for velvety soup or leave rustic.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerate either version 3 to 4 days in a covered container.
- Do not freeze once dairy is added. Freeze the fruit base on its own for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then finish with half-and-half or yogurt.
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Recipe questions
Yes. Across the Nordics you will find blueberry soup sold ready-made or mixed from powder, and it is a standard pick-me-up at events like Vasaloppet. Many home cooks also make a summer version as chilled blueberry soup using fresh or frozen berries.
Yes, you can! Traditional blåbärssoppa is a Scandinavian blueberry soup that is served hot and cold.
Yes, frozen blueberries work just fine for this recipe.
In Sweden it is called blåbärssoppa, a sweet fruit soup made from bilberries that can be served hot or chilled. It is closely tied to winter sports culture and is famously offered along the Vasaloppet ski course.
Gently simmer berries with water or juice and a little sugar until the fruit breaks down, then thicken the liquid lightly with starch if you want a classic Nordic texture. Blend until smooth, chill, and add dairy only after the base is cold if you are aiming for a creamy chilled blueberry soup.
Chilled soups are ideal for the hot days of summer. You can serve them for a fancy dinner party or simply as a special treat for you and the one(s) you love. Please, do yourself a favor and dip your spoon into this blueberry soup recipe. Taste the summer.
More Summer Soup Recipes
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Chilled Blueberry Soup
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Ingredients
- 4 cups blueberries, 2 pints, fresh, washed and rinsed.
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 1 pint half & half
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- fresh mint leaves as garnish, optional
Instructions
- Combine berries, orange juice, sugar, and spices in large sauce pan.
- Over medium high heat, stir while bringing to a boil. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly,
- Add contents of sauce pan, along with lemon juice to food processor or blender.
- Blend or process until liquefied, scraping inside edges of container midway through to incorporate skin filaments.
- Refrigerate mixture, to chill, in sealed container.
- Immediately prior to serving, stir in half & half.
- Garnish with mint leaves if desired.
Notes
- Milk or heavy cream may be substituted for half & half.
- Add a dollop of yogurt or sour cream for an added element of creaminess and flavor.
- You can skip the sugar and add a few tablespoons of pure maple syrup as well.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have been making this DELICIOUS soup for my family for some years. My 22 yr old grandson just called and asked for the recipe. He loved it as a child and always asked me to make it. Now it’s been passed down to another generation!
What a beautiful note—thank you for sharing that! I love hearing that this blueberry soup is now part of your family story. If your grandson wants the recipe in his own kitchen, he can use the **Print** button on the recipe card to grab a clean copy. Thanks again for the smile today. Stories like yours are exactly why we love sharing these recipes. Give your grandson our best—and if he snaps a photo of his first batch, we’d love to see it!
Can this be made the night before and stored for breakfast? Or will the consistency or color change?
You can probably make this the night before but you’ll want to stir it up before serving.