As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Make fresh, delicious chilled tomato gazpacho in 20 minutes with ripe tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, & garlic. A tasty appetizer/light meal to cool and hydrate all summer! Plus, it’s ready in just 15 minutes!
Vibrant, Tangy, Refreshing Easy Gazpacho Recipe
Tomato season is upon us, and it’s the perfect time to take advantage of them at their peak with super fresh salads, garden salsa/Pico de Gallo, and this tomato gazpacho recipe (which is essentially like fresh salsa in soup form). This cold tomato soup is light, refreshing, and bursting with the fresh flavors of ripe summery produce.
Best of all, this simple, refreshing cold tomato soup is so easy to make. It has just 7 ingredients and is loaded with rich, complex flavors. Just chop and blend the vegetables, and in 15 minutes, you have a simple, no-cook summer soup that highlights the seasonal produce. There’s no need to heat the stove, and it’s good for you, too!
Looking for more ways to enjoy tomatoes this summer? Try making tomato tofu Caprese salad, rainbow salad, stuffed tomatoes, and roasted cherry tomatoes.
What is Gazpacho?
Tomato gazpacho, pronounced gas-pa-cho, is a light and fresh, chilled soup traditionally made with raw fresh vegetables like tomato, peppers, cucumber, onion, and garlic, sherry vinegar, and salt – sometimes with added bread for thickening.
This cold Spanish tomato soup originated in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia (and remains popular throughout Spain and Portugal). It was traditionally made by pounding the vegetables with a mortar & pestle (chunky to smooth).
Luckily, these days, you can prepare an easy recipe for gazpacho at home in a fraction of the time/effort using a high-speed blender.
The Ingredients and Substitutes
What Could I Add To Gazpacho?
- Black pepper: To season to taste.
- Spice: Add a spicy kick with hot sauce/Tabasco, red pepper flakes, or jalapeño (seeds removed – adjust the amount to taste).
- Cumin: To add an earthy, savory flavor.
- Smoked paprika: For subtle smokiness to add depth.
- Corn: Add fresh, canned, or grilled corn for extra sweetness and texture.
- Other veg: Like zucchini/beets for an even more nutritional vegan gazpacho recipe.
- Bread: For tomato cucumber gazpacho with more body, add crustless, white, stale bread (soaked in the gazpacho for 10 minutes, then blended). Use gluten-free bread if preferred.
- Sweetener: i.e., sugar, agave, or maple syrup – if the tomatoes are too acidic.
- Watermelon: Replace some tomatoes with watermelon (play with the ratio) for a naturally sweeter, super refreshing watermelon tomato gazpacho soup.
How to Make Tomato Gazpacho
Step 1: First, rinse, then chop the tops off the tomatoes and roughly chop them along with the cucumber, bell peppers, and onion. Also, peel the garlic.
Step 2: Add all the chopped ingredients to a blender and blend for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, while blending, add the vinegar and salt.
Step 3: Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, then continue to blend for a minute until a creamy and airy consistency is achieved.
Step 4: For the smoothest cucumber tomato gazpacho, pour it through a strainer over a bowl, swirling the mixture with a spoon so it continues to flow.
Step 5: Cover the bowl with a lid (or a large plate/plastic wrap) and refrigerate it for at least 5 hours – or overnight- for a richer flavor.
FAQs
Score an X in the bottom of the tomatoes, then add them to a pan of boiling water for 30-40 seconds until the peel starts pulling away from the tomatoes.
Immediately transfer them to an ice bath. When cool enough to handle – peel them.
Traditionally, stale bread (left to soak in water, then excess air squeezed out) is added to the soup as a natural thickener and to add body.
Gazpacho is packed with plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from the raw vegetables, as well as the healthy fats in the olive oil.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Use fresh, in-season ingredients: Gazpacho tastes best during tomato season and when using the freshest, ripest ingredients.
- To adjust the consistency: Blend it to your desired texture (chunky, slightly chunky, or smooth). Be careful not to over-blend it, though, otherwise it can become thin and watery.
- Slowly drizzle in the oil: By doing so, the texture is lighter and airier.
- Leave the soup to chill: It will taste better and allows time for the flavors to marinate, the foaminess to dissipate, and the harsh, raw flavor of the onion and garlic to mellow into a rich, full-bodied vegan gazpacho.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy tomato gazpacho in a bowl, glass (optionally over ice), or shot glass, optionally garnished with:
- Fresh herbs (like parsley, basil, mint, chives, or green onion)
- A drizzle of olive oil
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- A drizzle of vegan cream
- Finely diced vegetables (like tomato, cucumber, and/or avocado)
- Crunchy croutons (or roasted chickpeas)
- Vegan feta cheese
Enjoy it as an appetizer or light lunch alone or with crusty bread, avocado toast, side salad (like panzanella), vegan frittata, Spanish tapas (like patatas bravas), tacos, Mexican fruit salad, etc.
Remove the cold gazpacho soup from the fridge a short while before serving it, as the oil can solidify somewhat when chilled.
Storage Instructions
After leaving it to chill and marinate, you can store the chilled gazpacho in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days (2-3 when chunky). It tastes even better on day two.
Can You Freeze Gazpacho?
Smooth cucumber tomato gazpacho freezes well (in Ziplock/Stasher bags or an ice cube tray) for up to 6 months. Chunky gazpacho can still be frozen but will likely need to be blended until smooth after thawing, as the texture can change.
Leave it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Tomato Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of ripe roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- ¼ of a red onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ cup of olive oil
Instructions
- To the cup of a blender, add the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Blend for two minutes.
- While blending, add in the vinegar and salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and continue to blend for another minute until a creamy and airy consistency is achieved.
- Using a strainer, strain the mixture into a bowl with a lid. Use a spoon to move the mixture around the strainer to continue to let the mixture flow into the bowl. Discard the pulp left in the strainer.
- Cover the bowl with the lid (or a large plate) and place it in the refrigerator for 5 hours or overnight for a richer flavor.
- Serve cold and drizzle some olive oil as garnish.
Notes
- Use fresh, in-season ingredients: Gazpacho tastes best during tomato season and when using the freshest, ripest ingredients.
- To adjust the consistency: Blend it to your desired texture (chunky, slightly chunky, or smooth). Be careful not to over-blend it, though, otherwise it can become thin and watery.
- Slowly drizzle in the oil: By doing so, the texture is lighter and airier.
- Leave the soup to chill: It will taste better and allows time for the flavors to marinate, the foaminess to dissipate, and the harsh, raw flavor of the onion and garlic to mellow into a rich, full-bodied vegan gazpacho.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Love this tomato gazpacho goodness!