Smooth and Chilly Gazpacho

The single easiest way to make the most of ultra-ripe tomatoes.

We eat this Spanish classic at least once a week at my house during the height of tomato season. It’s perfect for a no-cook dinner, for a make-ahead dinner, and for using tomatoes that have gone a touch past perfectly ripe. A bit overripe isn’t just okay for this chilled soup, it’s ideal.

The blend-strain-blend technique may seem like overkill, but it’s how to get an utterly smooth, luscious, and integrated gazpacho.

Offer a range of garnishes for people to add as they like. By including egg or ham and plenty of toasted bread or croutons, it’s pretty easy for this to serve as a light supper.

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Spanish Gazpacho

The bread adds body. If you’re going to serve it in bowls, it’s a good addition. If you want to keep it gluten-free or you want to serve it to sip, leave the bread out for a thinner, more sippable texture.

Course Soup

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword Cold Tomato Soup, Smooth Gazpacho, Spanish Gazpacho

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cooling time 4 hours

Servings 6

Calories 256kcal

Author Molly Watson

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds extremely very ripe tomatoes [may need to use canned to get the good color]
• ½ cucumber
• 1 piece baguette about 5 inches long
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Options:

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 shallot
• 1 hot chile

Possible Garnishes:

• Diced red or green bell pepper
• Diced cucumber
• Pitted and chopped oil-cured black olives
• Chopped hard-cooked egg
• Chopped ham
• Toasts or croutons
• Herbs of any sort

Instructions

• You may need to work in batches, depending on the size of your blender; if you do, use about half the tomatoes in each, do the cucumber in one and the bread in the other, then combine.
• Cut the tomatoes, cucumber, and bread into fiarly big pieces. Put them in the blender with the 2 vinegars and olive oil, and any garlic, shallot, or chile you’re using. Whirl to blend until smooth.
• Run through a food mill or a strainer. Return to the blender, and blend again. Add salt to taste (it’s a lot of liquid and a lot of acid, so salt generously—start with 1 teaspoon, then add more to taste).
• Cover and chill at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Serve with the garnishes for people to add at the table.

Notes

Photo: Erin Scott Studio.

This recipe is part of our 50-page summer recipe e-book. It's a free download when you subscribe here.