Classic Spanish Gazpacho (Cold Tomato Soup)
This classic Spanish Gazpacho is the perfect cold tomato soup recipe to whip up on a hot summer day. It’s a super refreshing celebration of summer produce with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and of course, a bit of stale bread. Made in the blender and then strained, it has that classic silky smooth texture.
This bright and refreshing cold tomato soup has been around for over a thousand years. It’s said to have Roman and Moorish roots, and to be a staple due to it’s simplicity.
Today gazpacho is typically served on hot summer days, as a way to avoid turning on the stove while still enjoying a delicious meal. Still celebrated for it’s simplicity, it comes together in a blender in a matter of minutes.
I recommend using the freshest, ripest tomatoes you can find, for that brighter and zippy flavor. Don’t skip the stale bread and high quality olive oil for an emulsified, creamy smooth texture.
Serve alongside a pitcher of sangria for the full Spanish experience.
Ingredients
2 Simple Steps:
Finishing touches: To really dress up your gazpacho, top with a drizzle of olive oil, toasted bread and whatever fresh herbs you like.
Silky Smooth Gazpacho, Every Time
The key to a really good gazpacho is that signature silky smooth texture. Achieve this by using oil and stale bread, blending and straining.
The oil + stale bread combo is one of those odd but essential additions, as it emulsifies and thickens the soup up when blended.
Blend longer than you’d think (until no chunks remain), and strain though a mesh strainer for that creamy end result.
Don’t have stale bread? Turn a fresh loaf of bread stale by leaving it uncovered overnight, or baking slices in the oven at 200°F for 20 minutes.
More Classic Spanish Recipes
Buen Provecho,
Classic Spanish Gazpacho (Cold Tomato Soup)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Lunch, Main Dish, Soup
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: spanish
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This classic Spanish Gazpacho is the perfect cold tomato soup recipe to whip up on a hot summer day. It’s a super refreshing celebration of summer produce with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and of course, a bit of stale bread. Made in the blender and then strained, it has that classic silky smooth texture.
Ingredients
- 4 slices of a stale baguette
- 1/2 cup good quality olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 3 cups fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 cup sweet peppers, roughly chopped (Cubanelles, bell, etc.)
- 1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Add ingredients to blender: Toss all the ingredients to a blender, starting with the bread so it can soak up all the liquids. Blend until silky smooth.
- Strain and chill: Strain through a mesh strainer to remove any solids and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. Serve topped with a drizzle of oil, fresh herbs, and toasted bread, if desired.
