Andalusian Gazpacho – Tomato Cold Soup Recipe
Gazpacho is a chilled soup from southern Spain that saves the day on hot summer afternoons – instead of standing over the stove, you just blend vegetables and you’ve got a no-cook lunch. In Andalusia it’s often served in glasses like a vegetable smoothie. It’s a bit like Polish cold soup, only with tomatoes and olive oil instead of kefir.
This gazpacho is a classic Andalusian-style cold soup: intensely tomatoey, silky from olive oil and bread, and ready in minutes without turning on the stove. It’s refreshing, filling and perfect for using up ripe summer vegetables.
Chef's tips
Use the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you can find – they make the biggest difference here. Chill all the vegetables and even the serving bowls beforehand for an extra-cold soup. If your blender isn’t very powerful, blend in batches and strain the soup for a perfectly smooth texture.
How to serve
Serve in glasses as a refreshing starter, or in bowls with a topping bar: finely diced cucumber, pepper, red onion, croutons, chopped herbs and an extra drizzle of good olive oil. It also pairs well with Spanish tapas like tortilla de patatas or pan con tomate.
Ingredients
- tomatoes ripe, preferably beef or plum tomatoes - 900 g
- cucumber peeled, without large seeds - 200 g
- red bell pepper cored - 150 g
- onion you can use shallot for a milder flavor - 50 g
- garlic small clove, without the green sprout - 1 clove
- wheat bread crusts removed, preferably stale - 40 g
- wine vinegar red or sherry vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- olive oil good quality, for the soup and for drizzling on top - 60 ml
- salt or to taste - 1 teaspoon
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.25 teaspoons
- cold water or ice cubes instead of water - 100 ml
Preparation
- Score a cross on the bottom of the tomatoes, pour boiling water over them for 30 seconds, transfer to cold water and peel off the skins. Cut into large pieces, removing the hard cores.
- Peel the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the large seeds with a teaspoon and cut into pieces. Remove the core from the pepper and cut it into strips. Peel the onion and garlic and cut into smaller pieces.
- Tear the bread into pieces and pour 2–3 tablespoons of water over it to soften.
- Put the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, onion, garlic and squeezed bread into a blender jug or tall container. Add the vinegar, salt, pepper and pour in the water.
- Blend on high speed for 2–3 minutes, until completely smooth. If the blender heats up, take short breaks.
- With the blender running, slowly pour in the olive oil in a thin stream so the soup thickens slightly and becomes creamy.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper or vinegar if needed. If the gazpacho is too thick, add a little cold water.
- Pass the soup through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove skins and seeds (optional, but it gives a smoother texture).
- Chill the gazpacho in the fridge for at least 1 hour so it gets properly cold and the flavors meld.
- Serve well chilled in bowls or glasses, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with finely diced cucumber, pepper or croutons.
Storage
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