A Cold Soup for a Hot Day
My kitchen gets so warm in the summer. I do not like to turn on the stove. This soup is my favorite trick. It is called gazpacho. You make it entirely in a blender.
It is like a vegetable smoothie you eat with a spoon. All you do is chop, blend, and chill. It is so easy. I still laugh at the first time I made it. My grandson thought I had forgotten to cook it!
The Secret in the Bread
You might see bread in the ingredients. This is not a mistake. The bread makes the soup creamy and thick. It is a very old trick from Spain.
You just tear up some stale bread. Then you let it get soft with a little water and oil. This matters because it gives the soup a wonderful texture. It feels rich and smooth in your mouth.
Making the Magic
Now for the fun part. You wash all your lovely vegetables. Then you just chop them roughly. There is no need for perfect pieces. Toss everything into your blender.
Listen to the whirring sound. Watch the colors mix into a beautiful pink-orange. Doesn’t that smell amazing? All those fresh garden smells fill the air. It makes me so happy.
A Little Story About Patience
The hardest part is next. You must wait. The soup needs a few hours in the fridge. This matters because the flavors need to get to know each other. They mingle and become best friends.
I always make it in the morning. Then it is perfect for lunch. What is your favorite make-ahead meal? Do you have a dish that tastes better the next day?
Time to Eat!
When it is cold, it is ready. You can drink it from a glass. Or you can serve it in a bowl. I love adding little diced veggies on top. It gives a nice little crunch.
*Fun fact: In Spain, people often drink gazpacho from a glass like a smoothie!* How will you serve yours? In a bowl or in a cup? Tell me your plan.
Why This Simple Soup is Special
This recipe is more than just food. It is a way to enjoy summer’s best gifts. You use the ripest tomatoes and the crunchiest cucumbers. It is a celebration of the season.
It also shows us that cooking does not have to be complicated. Some of the best things are the simplest. What is one simple food that always makes you smile?
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stale white bread | 3.5 oz (about 100g) | About 1/4 of a baguette |
| Water | 1/4 cup + 3 Tablespoons (50ml) | Divided use |
| Olive oil | 1 Tablespoon | For the bread |
| Ripe Roma tomatoes | 2 lb | |
| Garlic | 1-2 cloves | Center piece removed |
| Red onion | 1/4 cup chopped | |
| Green bell pepper | 1 medium (140g) | |
| Cucumber | 1 medium (200g, 1/2lb) | Peeled |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 3 Tablespoons (50ml) | |
| Red wine vinegar | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Fine sea salt | 1 teaspoon | Or more to taste |
A Cool Soup for a Hot Day
When summer is just too hot, I make gazpacho. It is a cold soup from Spain. My friend Rosa taught me this recipe years ago. We would sit in her garden and sip it from little cups. It is like drinking a summer garden. Doesn’t that smell amazing?
You just need a blender and some fresh vegetables. The secret is a little bit of old bread. It makes the soup wonderfully smooth and creamy. I know it sounds funny. But trust your kitchen grandma on this one. It is a trick I still use today.
Ingredients
- Stale bread
- Olive oil
- Water
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Onion
- Green pepper
- Garlic
- Vinegar
- Salt
Instructions
Step 1: First, take your stale bread. Tear it into small pieces. Drizzle it with water and a bit of olive oil. Let it sit and get soft. This is the secret to a creamy soup. I still laugh at the time I used fresh bread. The soup was too thin!
Step 2: Now, wash all your vegetables. Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Peel and chop the cucumber. Chop the onion and green pepper. For the garlic, pull out that little green sprout inside. (This is my hard-learned tip. It keeps the garlic from being too spicy!).
Step 3: Put everything into your blender. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and water. Now blend it all up. Let it go until it is super smooth. The sound reminds me of a summer rainstorm. It is so loud but so nice.
Step 4: Pour the soup through a strainer. This catches any tiny seeds or bits of peel. It makes the soup so silky. You can skip this if you like it thicker. Taste it now. Does it need a little more salt? You are the boss of your soup.
Step 5: The hardest part is next. You must put the soup in the fridge. Let it get very cold for a few hours. This waiting time lets all the flavors become friends. What’s your favorite thing to do while you wait for food to chill? Share below!
Cook Time: 3-4 hours (chilling)
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Category: Soup, Lunch
Three Tasty Twists to Try
Once you know the basic recipe, you can play with it. I love adding little changes. It makes the soup feel new again. Here are a few of my favorite ideas. They are all so simple and fun.
The Watermelon Fiesta: Swap half the tomatoes for sweet, juicy watermelon. It adds a lovely, fresh sweetness that is perfect for a picnic.
The Spicy Kick: Add a small piece of jalapeño pepper when you blend. It gives the soup a little zing that wakes up your taste buds.
The Herb Garden: Toss in a big handful of fresh basil or cilantro. It makes the soup smell and taste like a summer herb garden.
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
How to Serve Your Gazpacho
This soup is so versatile. You can serve it in a pretty bowl for lunch. I love to add the diced veggies on top. It gives a nice little crunch. For a fancy touch, add some homemade croutons. They float on top so nicely.
You can also drink it from a glass! It is so refreshing that way. My grandkids love it as a cool afternoon snack. It is much healthier than a sugary drink. I feel good giving it to them.
For a drink pairing, a crisp glass of white wine is lovely for the grown-ups. For everyone, I love homemade lemonade with a sprig of mint. The tart lemon goes perfectly with the sweet soup. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Your Gazpacho Fresh
This soup loves a cold fridge. Pour it into a jar with a lid. It will stay happy for three days. You can freeze it for one month. But the texture may change a little.
I remember my first big batch. I filled three jars for a hot week. It was so nice to have a cool lunch ready. Batch cooking saves you time on busy days. It means a healthy choice is always waiting for you.
No reheating needed. Just take it out ten minutes before serving. This takes the icy chill off. Fun fact: Gazpacho is sometimes called a liquid salad! Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!
Simple Fixes for Common Gazpacho Troubles
Is your soup too thick? Just add a splash of water. Blend it again for a moment. I once made it too thick for a party. A little water fixed it right up.
Does it taste a little flat? It probably needs more salt. Salt makes all the other flavors pop. This matters because good flavor makes you feel proud of your cooking. Tasting as you go builds your confidence.
Is the gazpacho too sharp from the garlic? Always remove the green germ inside the garlic clove. This stops it from tasting too spicy. Getting this right means everyone will love your soup. Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Gazpacho Questions Answered
Q: Can I make this gluten-free? A: Yes, just use your favorite gluten-free bread. It works just as well.
Q: How far ahead can I make it? A: It is best made one day ahead. The flavors get even better overnight.
Q: What if I don’t have red wine vinegar? A: You can use sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar instead.
Q: Can I double the recipe? A: Absolutely, it is perfect for a crowd. Just use a big blender.
Q: Is straining necessary? A: No, it just makes the soup extra smooth. Which tip will you try first?
A Note From My Kitchen to Yours
I hope you love this cool summer soup. It always reminds me of sunny days. Making it is such a simple joy.
I would love to see your creation. Your photos make me so happy. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest!
Happy cooking!
—Grace Ellington.
Classic Tomato Gazpacho Recipe for Summer
Description
A refreshing and classic cold Spanish soup, perfect for hot summer days. Made with ripe tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and bread for a smooth, vibrant, and healthy dish.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep Bread: Break the bread into small pieces. Drizzle it with 1/4 cup water and some olive oil and set it aside, to soften the bread.
- Prep Vegetables: Wash all vegetables well. Peel garlic and remove the center piece (since we’ll be eating it raw and don’t want it to make the gazpacho spicy). Cut tomatoes into quarters. Peel and chop the cucumber. Chop the onion and bell pepper.
- Blend: In a high powered blender, add bread, tomatoes, garlic, onion, bell pepper, cucumber, olive oil, vinegar and water and blend really well, until very smooth.
- Strain: Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any small seeds or pieces of veggie peel (if you like a thicker texture, you can serve the soup without straining it). Taste and add more salt or vinegar, if needed.
- Refrigerate for a few hours to let the flavors blend and the soup chill.
- Serve cold, as a beverage, or in a soup bowl garnished with leftover diced veggies, or sometimes croutons or chopped pieces of ham.
Notes
- For Garnish (if serving as a cold soup): diced onion, tomato, green bell pepper and cucumber.