Gazpacho
A chilled soup of ripe tomatoes, cucumber, pepper and olive oil, blended until silky and sharpened with vinegar. It is the perfect refreshing starter on a hot day.
Gazpacho Malagueño con su “picaíto” - Moreno, Playa Burriana (cropped): Haydn Blackey, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
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Where it comes from
Gazpacho comes from the sun-baked region of Andalusia in southern Spain, where cool raw vegetables, bread and olive oil made a sensible summer meal. It is now served throughout Spain in glasses, cups and bowls.
Explore the cuisine of Spain.
Make Gazpacho at home
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) very ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 slices day-old bread, crusts removed
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar or red vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- Diced cucumber, pepper and croutons for garnish
How it's made
- Soak the bread in a little water for 5 minutes, then squeeze it out.
- Combine tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, garlic, bread, vinegar and salt in a blender.
- Blend until completely smooth, then slowly stream in the olive oil while blending so it emulsifies.
- Pass through a fine sieve for a silky texture if you like.
- Taste and adjust salt and vinegar.
- Chill at least 2 hours, then serve cold with the garnishes.
Variations
- Salmorejo: a thicker Cordoba cousin with more bread, topped with egg and ham.
- Green gazpacho: made with green grapes, cucumber and herbs.
- Watermelon gazpacho: tomatoes blended with sweet watermelon.
Cook’s tip: Use the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you can find; the soup is only as good as they are.
Related dishes
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
- Gazpacho Malagueño con su “picaíto” - Moreno, Playa Burriana (cropped): Haydn Blackey, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)