Gazpacho is a surprising delicacy. A chilled blended vegetable soup that you make in your food processor, it’s so flavorful!
It’s also wonderfully refreshing, and one of my favorite ways to cool down on a hot summer day.
Chilled soups like cold tomato soup and avocado soup are a lifesaver in the summer. When you crave something cool, refreshing, and easy to make, a bowl of chilled soup (or a glass of iced tea) is perfect.
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to prepare gazpacho. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
- Vegetables and herbs: Celery, red onion, cilantro, garlic, and canned tomato sauce.
- Olive oil: I highly recommend using high-quality extra-virgin olive oil in this recipe. It really does make a difference.
- Fresh lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is best. I don’t recommend using bottled lemon juice.
- Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar also works, as does champagne vinegar. Just don’t use distilled white vinegar – it’s too acidic.
- To season: I use kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. You can use smoked paprika if you’d like and maybe add a pinch of dried thyme or oregano.
Variations
- You can make this soup as mild or as spicy as you’d like by tinkering with the amount of cayenne pepper you add. I typically add just a pinch, but you can use ¼ teaspoon to make it spicier.
- Use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika for a smoky flavor.
- If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can use Italian parsley instead.
Instructions
This is such an easy food processor recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making gazpacho:
Process the celery, onion, and cilantro in your food processor.
Gradually add the remaining ingredients and pulse after each addition to combine.
Chill the soup for about two hours before serving.
Expert Tips
- The olive oil is prominent in this recipe, so it’s important to use a good one. It’s like cooking with wine. You don’t want to use a cheap wine that you would not enjoy drinking. Whether you use a bold-tasting olive oil or a lighter one is up to you (I’m partial to a bold one). But just make sure it’s extra-virgin and of high quality.
- Chilling this soup is very important. It won’t be as good if you serve it at room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve this soup as a first course, and when I do, I find that it doesn’t require any additions. But I do like to eat the leftovers for my lunch the next day and make a meal out of it.
So I make myself a bowl, and it’s a lovely summer lunch, tasty and filling. Sometimes I serve it with jalapeno cheese crisps, almond flour crackers, soft pretzels, or garlic bread.
Another way to make it more substantial and filling is to add protein in the form of grated hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken breast, or even fish such as grilled halibut.
Storing Leftovers
Gazpacho is one of those dishes that not only keeps well in the fridge – it actually gets better.
You can keep it for up to four days, covered, in the fridge, and on the second day, it actually tastes better than when freshly prepared! Just remember to give it a good stir before serving.
