In the summer season, when the heat, sunshine, and tomatoes are in full swing, why not enjoy a delicious gazpacho? This tasty cold vegetable soup is a real delight! Sip it in the shade on the terrace, as an aperitif, or as a refreshing alternative to the traditional barbecue. Discover step by step our delightful traditional Andalusian gazpacho recipe, simple, quick, and refreshing.
Before you begin:
What is gazpacho?
Gazpacho is a cold soup made from raw tomatoes, originating from Andalusia. This delicious soup is very popular in southern Spain and Portugal. Traditionally, it is served as an appetiser or starter. It can also be enjoyed as a snack or main dish.
Depending on the region and recipe, you can add to gazpacho: cucumbers, peppers, garlic, lemon, onions, breadcrumbs, and ice cubes for freshness. You can also adjust the seasoning with a few basil leaves, coriander, Espelette or Cayenne pepper. The more adventurous might add a few drops of Tabasco.
What are the health benefits of gazpacho?
Raw vegetables and tomatoes contain far more vitamins and nutrients than when cooked. Tomatoes are also known for their carotenoid and antioxidant content.
The simple gazpacho recipe:
Ingredients for 2 people:
- 250g ripe tomatoes
- 250g cucumber
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar (preferably sherry vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- A pinch of salt
- A little pepper
The recipe:
- 1/ Start by peeling the cucumbers and washing the tomatoes.
- 2/ Dice the tomatoes and cucumbers and place them in a bowl. You can also blend them directly in a blender. Note: there’s no need to peel the tomatoes or remove the pips.
- 3/ Add the olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The olive oil will emulsify everything nicely.
- 4/ Blend everything (here, I used a hand blender).
- Chill your gazpacho for 1 hour in the fridge to make it even more refreshing.
- Serve very cold in bowls, glasses, or shot glasses and enjoy!
- You can also garnish with a basil or mint leaf and a few ice cubes.
N.B.: There are other delicious cold soups, variations of gazpacho. Like salmorejo, also popular in Andalusia, which comes from the beautiful city of Cordoba. This blended tomato soup is garnished with bread, egg, and cured ham, making it thicker than traditional gazpacho. There’s also green gazpacho, made with courgette, onion, broth, and fresh cheese. And finally, ajo blanco is another refreshing summer soup to enjoy without moderation during hot weather, made primarily with garlic, almonds, and olive oil.
To go further:
- Discover all our tomato varieties
- Also check out our varieties of cucumbers, peppers, and onions.
- For successful tomato cultivation, read our article to learn all about sowing, planting, pruning, watering, and diseases.
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