Fresh Cold Gazpacho Soup Recipe

Gazpacho is a Spanish based uncooked (raw), cold, and uber fresh tomato based soup.

Summer tomatoes are poppin' right now and so delicious!  I can't think of anything better to eat on a hot day then fresh cold gazpacho soup.

What is Gazpacho?

Chilled Gazpacho soup is made of fresh tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, crisp red bell peppers, red onions, a hint of garlic, fresh lime juice, and olive oil. A little bit of tomato juice intensifies its richness and thickness.

Gazpacho soup is a labor of love. I say this because it takes time to work with gazpacho's beautiful vegetable ingredients.

It tastes so good, so the return on the investment for hard work to make it is that your bowl will be empty rather quickly and way too soon to be precise.

Gazpacho is served cold.

Gazpacho Soup Recipe Ingredients

The main ingredients for gazpacho are: fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, basil, vinegar, and red pepper.

Having said that, there are so may summer vegetables that can be added based on preference.

Use any tomato for this fresh gazpacho recipe, but Romas are "meaty" with the fewest seeds. The seeds are removed to create a smooth textured gazpacho.

Add a couple jalapeno slices as a garnish or a couple shakes of tabasco sauce for spice.

Why is Gazpacho Soup Served Cold?

Fresh Gazpacho soup generally needs time for the ingredients to integrate together and intensify.

Make this gazpacho soup recipe ahead of time. It tastes best after it's been chilled at least a couple hours and tastes even better the next day.

Creamy Vs. Chunky Cold Gazpacho

Gazpacho soup can be made either smooth or creamy. I like a little bit of both so generally blend about 1 cup of the ingredients to create a little smoothness and a little chunkiness. Pour it in a bowl and add a spoon.

Blending part or all of the soup gives gazpacho a more orange creamy color tone.

Blending the soup completely makes for more of a drink like consistency. Add a couple ice cubes, pour it in a glass, and enjoy a refreshing summer drink.

Peeling Tomatoes for Gazpacho Soup

Although I have seen some recipes that don't peel the tomatoes, I will argue that peeling them makes for a better textured and smoother gazpacho soup.

Making an "X" on the end of the tomato before blanching them makes it easier to peel them after blanching. Don't know which side is the tomato end (it's the opposite of where the stem is). Doesn't really matter, make an x on both sides if you don't understand what I'm putting down.

Blanch the tomatoes (cook in a simmering pot for a couple minutes). Strain and immediately place the tomatoes in an ice bath. The ice bath stops the tomatoes from cooking and also makes them easier to handle for peeling.

Don't want to turn the stovetop on to blanch the tomatoes to peel?  Cool, just peel the tomatoes with a vegetable peeler.  It will take a little longer and require more patience but it's nice to not have to turn the stovetop on too.

Final Tips On Making Chilled Gazpacho Soup

Throw all of the garlic in the blender instead of mincing it and mixing it into the soup. This ensures a smooth garlic taste without biting into a big chunk of garlic.

Play with the ingredients in this gazpacho soup recipe.  If you have more than a cup of cucumber, just throw it all in and maybe add a little more tomato juice if needed.

I've made this Gazpacho soup a multitude of ways, sometimes without garlic, sometimes with parsley instead of basil and sometimes with lemon instead of lime. It's always good.

Feeling like you need a little more carbs in your meal?  Add a couple croutons as a garnish or some fresh bread for dippin'. Serve this soup with crackers and pimento cheese or Parmesan Crisps.

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