Chilled Spanish Gazpacho (Printable Version)
A refreshing cold Spanish soup blended from raw summer vegetables, perfect for hot days.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 6 ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
02 - 1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
03 - 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
04 - 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
05 - 1/2 small red onion, peeled and chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
→ Liquids
07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
09 - 2 cups tomato juice (unsalted or low sodium)
→ Bread
10 - 2 slices stale white bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
→ Seasonings
11 - 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - Pinch of cumin
→ Garnish
14 - Diced cucumber, tomato, and bell pepper
15 - Fresh basil or parsley leaves
16 - Additional olive oil for drizzling
# Directions:
01 - Place the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, onion, and garlic into a blender. If using bread for extra body, add it to the blender as well.
02 - Pour in olive oil, vinegar, tomato juice, salt, black pepper, and cumin.
03 - Blend until completely smooth. For a thinner consistency, add additional tomato juice or cold water as needed.
04 - Taste the gazpacho and adjust salt, pepper, or cumin as desired.
05 - Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and develop fully.
06 - Stir before serving. Ladle into bowls or glasses and top with diced vegetables, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The hardest part is waiting for it to chill, which means more time for you to actually enjoy your day
- It transforms ordinary garden vegetables into something restaurant impressive with almost zero effort
02 -
- The longer it chills, the better it gets, so make it in the morning for dinner or even the day before
- Room temperature vegetables blend more smoothly than cold ones, so let everything sit out for 20 minutes first
03 -
- Use the ripest tomatoes you can find since they are the star of the show
- Sherry vinegar is worth seeking out but red wine vinegar works perfectly fine