Chilled blended tomato soup with cucumber, pepper and garlic — Spain's most refreshing summer dish.
Gazpacho originated in Andalusia as a peasant dish made by field workers pounding stale bread with olive oil, garlic, salt and vinegar. Tomatoes were added after Columbus brought them from the Americas. Today it's one of Spain's most celebrated dishes — a cold, vibrant, vegetable-packed soup that requires no cooking whatsoever.
Serves 4
Quarter tomatoes. Roughly chop cucumber, pepper and onion. Place all vegetables in a blender or food processor.
Squeeze water from the bread. Add bread, garlic, vinegar and salt to the blender. Blend on high for 2–3 minutes until completely smooth.
With the blender running on medium, slowly drizzle in olive oil through the spout. This emulsifies the oil into the soup, creating a silky, slightly creamy texture.
The tomatoes must be at room temperature — cold tomatoes have less flavour and the oil won't emulsify.
Taste for salt, vinegar and seasoning. Pass through a fine sieve for a silky result (optional for a more rustic version). Chill for minimum 2 hours — ideally overnight. The flavour intensifies remarkably.
Pour into chilled bowls. Finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Garnish with diced cucumber, tomato, croutons and a few drops of sherry vinegar.
Use the ripest, most flavourful tomatoes you can find — this dish has nowhere to hide mediocre produce.
Chill everything: bowls, spoons, the gazpacho itself — it's a cold dish and warmth dulls it.
Make it the day before — overnight chilling transforms gazpacho.
Salmorejo: Córdoba's thicker, richer version made with only tomatoes, bread, olive oil and garlic — no cucumber or pepper.
White gazpacho (Ajo Blanco): made with almonds, garlic, bread and grapes.
Keeps 4 days refrigerated. Stir before serving as it separates slightly.
Gazpacho dates back over 2,000 years to Roman Iberia. The original version was a simple bread, garlic and olive oil porridge. Tomatoes and peppers arrived from the Americas in the 16th century, transforming it into the iconic red soup known today.
A food processor works. For the most authentic texture, use a molcajete or pound by hand in batches — this was the original method.
Per serving (250g) · 4 servings total
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