Gazpacho

Ever been to Spain? Regardless of your answer, this soup will take you there as soon as you swallow your first spoonful. This Andalusian classic makes the most of your fresh, farmers’ market summer produce. The sweet, ripe tomatoes in particular. Blended together with a handful of other seasonal veggies (my favourite’s the garlic) and some olive oil and red wine vinegar to round things out, the tomatoes turn into this smooth, beautifully simple, incredibly flavourful soup perfect for warmer days.

This no-cook recipe is one of the easier ones you’ll encounter on my site, but it goes to show that easy/simple is sometimes (often?) the way to go. The hardest part is having the patience to let the soup chill in the fridge for a bit. Naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan, gazpacho might just become your new favourite way to enjoy those vine-ripe tomatoes.

What Makes Gazpacho the Perfect Summer Soup

In the mood to delve into some typical Spanish cuisine? Here’s why this gazpacho should be on your list:

• I love a no-cook recipe any time of year, but especially in the warmer months when I don’t want to heat up the kitchen. This gazpacho delivers. No stove. No oven. Just a blender and the season’s best produce.
• This soup might just be my favourite way to highlight fresh summer veggies. Because there’s no cooking involved, the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and garlic hang on to every ounce of their vibrant, authentic flavour. Make this recipe your excuse to get over to the farmers’ market ASAP.
• As this soup chills in the fridge, the flavours actually improve over time. So, it’s an awesome option for summer meal prep.

What Is Gazpacho?

Gazpacho finds its origins in Andalusia, the southernmost region of Spain. It’s been around for centuries, and for good reason (you’ll see when you try it). Traditionally, it’s made by blending a variety of veggies (tomatoes first and foremost) with olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings until smooth. It’s served chilled on hot summer days when tomatoes are at their peak, often as an appetizer or a side dish.

Traditionally, gazpacho includes some crusty, day-old bread to thicken it up. I decided against that here, partly because I wanted to make it gluten-free, and partly because I like the way the freshness of the veggies comes through even stronger in the absence of bread.

Notes on Ingredients

All you need for this recipe is some fresh (I mean it when I say fresh) summer veggies and a handful of staple pantry ingredients. Here’s a shopping list for you (you’ll find precise measurements in the recipe card below):

• Veggies – Tomatoes, English cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and garlic. All as fresh as possible.
• Extra virgin olive oil – The olive oil contributes a smooth richness to the soup, mellowing the acid from the tomato and the vinegar. I suggest using a quality product you enjoy as is.
• Red wine vinegar – To balance the sweetness of the tomatoes (without overpowering the dish). You could also use sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar.
• Seasonings – Fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and ground cumin. If you wish to leave the cumin out for a cleaner, more tomato-forward flavour, you can, but I enjoy the earthy depth it delivers.
• Cold water – As cold as possible. Warm water will compromise the fresh flavours of the veggies.
• Optional garnishes – Gazpacho can be served as is, but it’s more traditionally served topped with diced cucumber, fresh basil (or parsley), a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and/or a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.
• Crusty bread (optional) – For serving. Try my Dutch Oven Sourdough or this Gluten-Free Focaccia.

How to Make This Gazpacho Recipe

This chilled soup is incredibly easy to make. Here’s a quick look at how it’s done. For more detailed instructions, see the recipe card below.

• Prep the veggies. Core the tomatoes, peel the cucumber, core and seed the bell pepper, and remove the outer peels from the onion and the garlic cloves. Give everything a rough chop (the garlic cloves can remain whole).

• Blend. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, seasonings, and 30ml (2 tablespoons) of cold water to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth.
• Adjust consistency. Want a thinner gazpacho? Blend in the remaining cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Chill. Transfer the gazpacho to a covered container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Stir and taste. Give the soup a stir and a taste. Adjust the seasonings as needed.
• Serve. Serve chilled with your desired garnishes (and some crusty bread if you’d like).

Tips for the Best Gazpacho

• Use the freshest, ripest veggies. Use very ripe, in-season tomatoes for the sweetest, most flavourful gazpacho. The tomatoes are the star, but you’ll also want to make sure all of your other veggies are as fresh as possible, too. I like grabbing mine from the farmers market and making this gazpacho the same day.
• No ingredient left behind. Stop every once in a while while blending to scrape down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula. This will ensure all of your ingredients make it into the soup and are blended until smooth.
• Smooth things out. If you want an ultra-smooth gazpacho, you can strain the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve before chilling.
• Don’t skip the chill. Gazpacho needs at least 2 hours in the fridge for the flavours to develop properly. I actually think it’s even better the next day. So, don’t try to serve it too soon.

Flavour Variations

• Make it spicy. If you want to add a little kick of heat to this fresh soup, toss a seeded jalapeño or serrano pepper into the blender. A pinch or two of cayenne pepper would also do the trick.
• Green gazpacho. I’ll sometimes swap the tomatoes for green tomatoes or tomatillos and use a green bell pepper (rather than a red one). You could even add an avocado (for creaminess) and some fresh herbs. Basil and dill would be great.
• Make it fruity. If you have some watermelon on hand, you can replace some (about a third) of the tomatoes with cubed watermelon. Maybe throw some basil in there, too.
• Traditional bread addition. If you’d like to make a more traditional gazpacho, you can add some crusty, day-old bread to the blender. My Dutch Oven Sourdough or this simple Gluten-Free Focaccia would work well.

Storing Leftovers

• Refrigerator: You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir well before serving. Gazpacho is best on day 2 after the flavours have had some time to marry.
• Freezer: When stored in an airtight, freezer-safe container, gazpacho will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge and then run it through the blender before serving.

More Summer Appetizer Recipes

As summer comes to a close, I’m clinging on to all the vibrant veggies and all of the apps they inspire. Here are a few more I’ve been loving:

• 5-Ingredient Mango Basil Salsa
• Mexican Street Corn Dip (Elote Street Corn Dip)
• Classic Bruschetta
• Lettuce Wraps
• Gluten-Free Zucchini Fritters

Enjoy friends! If you make this easy gazpacho recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!