What is gazpacho?
My favorite thing to eat during the summer is Gazpacho, a cold Spanish soup from the South of Spain. For me, eating spoonfuls of gazpacho feels like dipping into a cool pool and the scent is like a garden of fresh vegetables. Basically, Spain is my favorite country! I studied in Spain while I was in college and I have loved going back again and again.
The flavors of Spain!
To me, gazpacho holds "el sentir de Espana" (the feeling of Spain.) The flavors are bright with bursts of snappy, sweet, and spicy -sprinkled with salt and a bit of crunch! Try a taste of Spain on a summery day. It's brimming with nutrients. What a way to eat your veggies! Gazpacho is a great for tapas (appetizers).
Gazpacho ingredients
Traditional andalusian gazpacho features tomatoes, cucumbers, green and red peppers and onion.
How to make gazpacho
You can hand chop the vegetables, or chop them in a food processor. Next, you'll puree garlic, lemon juice, jalapeno, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper together with some tomato juice and half the vegetables to make the base.
Bread in my soup?
The next ingredient may surprise you -- bread. Yep! You tear up three pieces of bread and add them to the blender or food processor. The bread isn't noticeable, but it thickens the soup. This method is actually the traditional way for making Gazpacho in Spain. Finally, you add the remaining tomato juice and puree until smooth.
Cold Soup = Summer Lovin'
Serve the cold Spanish soup in bowls and add remaining chopped vegetables and croutons as toppings/garnish. This classic gazpacho soup makes a great main dish or appetizer. It's good all year long, but I especially love it in the summer. It has a such a clean, fresh taste!
Ahhh! Gazpacho -- that cold Spanish soup. I hope you'll love this taste of Spain as much as I do!
Enjoy!
Dianna
You Might Also Enjoy these other summer-time recipes!
- Coconut Corn Chowder
- Lemon Tarragon Pasta Salad
- Corn Fritters with Smoked Chili Peach Sauce
- Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
- Peach Galette
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Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 6 plum tomatoes
- 2 English cucumbers seeded
- 1 green pepper
- 1 red pepper
- ½ medium yellow onion
- 4 green onions
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
- Juice of 2 lemons
- ½ jalapeño seeded
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 quart tomato juice
- 3 pieces bread
- 1 cup croutons
Instructions
- Chop the first six ingredients, (you can hand chop, or chop them in the bowl of a food processor with the chopping blade.) Divide the vegetables in half.
- Puree the garlic, lemon juice, jalapeno, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a blender or food processor. Add a little tomato juice if there’s not enough liquid to process.
- Add 2 cups of tomato juice and half the vegetables to the blender and puree until smooth.
- Tear up the bread and add it to the blender. Add remainder of tomato juice and puree until smooth. Serve soup in bowls and add remaining chopped vegetables and croutons as toppings.
Nutrition
originally published August 21, 2018
Diane Wallace says
Easy, great made the night before!