Let Me Tell You About This Strawberry Soup Adventure
Okay, imagine it’s a lazy Saturday, your socks don’t match, and you’re somehow craving something super fancy—but not in the mood to actually put in real effort (hi, that’s me right now). So, years ago, we splurged on a breakfast at Disney’s Grand Floridian and I tasted this pink, silky strawberry soup at 1900 Park Fare. You’d think a bowl of cold fruit soup would be weird—honestly, I thought we were being pranked—but one spoonful and I swear it was like eating dessert for breakfast, and somehow it totally made sense. Now, whenever I make this (especially in early June when our little strawberry patch goes bananas), it takes me right back…but with way fewer monogrammed napkins.
Why You’ll Love Making It (Besides Feeling Like a Fancy-Pants)
- I make this whenever I find strawberries in the fridge about to go wrinkly. My partner actually looks for excuses to chop extra berries, so we end up with double batches.
- My family begs for it at brunch, because it’s cold, creamy, and sort of feels like an inside joke between us now. (Also, it’s pink—it makes people giggle. Don’t know why, but it does!)
- I used to be terrified of making "soups" that aren’t, you know, steamy. But this one is forgiving—even my worst, barely-awake versions worked out.
What Do You Need? Here’s My List (With Swaps)
- About 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled (frozen is fine if that’s what you’ve got hiding in the freezer—a purist would gasp, but honestly, still yummy)
- 1 cup heavy cream (sometimes I swap half with whole milk or even Greek yogurt if I’m feeling (or pretending to be) healthy)
- ½ cup sour cream (plain yogurt does the trick, too—my grandma swore by Daisy brand, but store brand works, promise)
- ½ cup orange juice (I’ve used apple juice once and…it was good, just different)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (if you like things less sweet, you can cut this back, taste as you go)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (the good stuff is nice, but sometimes I'm lazy and just use whatever’s handy)
- Optional: A squeeze of lemon for zing; mint leaves for garnish if you want to be extra
Here’s How I Throw It Together
- Dump your strawberries, cream, sour cream, OJ, powdered sugar, and vanilla into a blender. (Yeah, just chuck ‘em all in—the less complicated, the better.)
- Blend! Start slow, then ramp it up to high. I actually like a few little berry bits for texture, but if you want it super smooth, blend the living daylights out of it.
- Okay, now this part is not in the original recipe, but I always sneak a taste here and maybe adjust—sometimes it needs more sugar, sometimes a pinch of salt, and sometimes I get distracted and have to remember what I was doing.
- Pour it into a big bowl, cover, and chill in the fridge. Minimum an hour, but if I’m honest, sometimes I only make it 30 minutes because I can’t wait. It tastes even better the next day…if you can manage to wait.
- Serve cold. Top with sliced berries, or a mint leaf if you’re feeling whimsical.
Stuff I Learned the Hard Way (Notes)
- If you use frozen strawberries, let them thaw just a teeny bit—unless you like your blender cursing your name.
- Sour cream makes it extra creamy, but when I ran out and used really thick yogurt, it was still excellent!
- There’s a magic moment where the soup looks sort of…well, not the best shade of pink. Don’t panic. Once it chills, the color settles down and looks fancier.
What Else Have I Tried? (Variations that Worked…or Didn’t)
- I swapped half the strawberries for raspberries once—awesome, but seeds are a pain, so maybe strain it?
- Tried drizzling a bit of balsamic glaze in—thought it’d be chef-y, tasted like salad. Would not recommend.
- I’ve used coconut milk instead of cream, and it makes a lighter, slightly tropical version, which was fun for a pool day.
Do You Need Fancy Stuff? (Equipment)
I use my battered old blender, but if you’ve only got a stick blender, go for it—just use a deep bowl or you’ll be mopping pink spots for days. No blender? You can mash everything by hand for a chunkier soup, but that’s sort of a workout. Oh, and a fine mesh sieve if you want it super smooth…which I usually don’t bother with, but hey, to each their own.
Where Do I Put the Leftovers? (Storage)
Covered container in the fridge; it’ll keep for 2-3 days, probably (though honestly, it never lasts more than 24 hours in this house). If it separates a bit, just give it a quick stir—it pulls itself together.
How Do You Like to Serve It? (Personal Traditions)
I usually pour it into little tea cups or even drink it like a smoothie (no shame here). Sometimes we have it alongside cinnamon toast or waffles to feel like we’re at a fancy brunch, minus the dress code.
Things I Wish Someone Told Me First (Pro Tips)
- Once I tried to rush the chilling step and served it lukewarm—big mistake. Chilled is way better, trust me.
- Watch out for sneaky chunks if you didn’t blend long enough; it’s best to use a spatula to scrape down the sides so nothing hides out in the corners.
- Use a glass bowl if you can. Plastic kind of holds an odd smell (random, but true in my experience).
Real-Life Questions I’ve Gotten (FAQ)
Q: Can you make this dairy free?
A: Oh, for sure—just use coconut cream and a dairy-free yogurt. Actually, almond yogurt tasted pretty good, but it’s runnier. Worth a go though!
Q: Do I have to use lemon or mint?
A: Nah, I only do when I’m trying to impress guests. Regular soup is delicious as is.
Q: Can I freeze it?
A: Technically, yes, but the texture gets weird when it thaws. Better just eat it up.
Q: Where did you first try this?
A: Disney’s Grand Floridian 1900 Park Fare—highly recommend the visit, even if you just bop in for the breakfast buffet. Here’s a link to the Park Fare restaurant info.
If you’re curious about why fruit soups are a thing, I actually learned a lot from this Saveur piece. Fun to see all the spins out there!
By the way—if you try this and it isn’t pink enough, maybe your berries weren’t super ripe? Or maybe that’s just what home cooking looks like. Either way, it’ll make you smile.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Instructions
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1Combine strawberries and granulated sugar in a blender or food processor. Blend until very smooth.
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2Add sour cream, heavy cream, milk, vanilla extract, and lemon juice to the blender. Blend again until fully combined and creamy.
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3Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity if desired by adding more sugar or lemon juice.
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4Chill the soup in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
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5Pour chilled soup into bowls, garnish with fresh mint leaves, and serve immediately.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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