Fun
Recipe File: Gazpacho
It’s the hottest, stickiest time of the year. Gazpacho time. A bowl or glass of icy cold gazpacho will cool you right down and you’ll feel healthy and sophisticated to boot. Goals met right there. Happily, it’s also peak produce time—ripe tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers are everywhere.
If ever a recipe encouraged winging it, this is it—more guidelines than recipe. Use what you’ve got in the quantities you’ve got and don’t sweat it if each batch is different. Gazpacho is always good.
It goes like this—
Ingredients
2 lbs ripest tomatoes
½ red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed
1 cucumber—English so you don’t have to peel it or remove the seeds!
1 small white onion, or half of a large onion, peeled, trimmed
1 jalapeno, halved, seeds ribs removed
1 garlic clove, grated
6 cups water
3 Tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup best olive oil plus more for garnish
½ avocado, peeled and seeded for serving
Preparation
Coarsely chop all the vegetables and put them in a blender with the grated garlic. Add the water and olive oil. Depending on the size of your blender you may need to do this in a couple of batches. Blend on high until very well pureed.
Strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer, pushing as much liquid as possible through the strainer, into a serving bowl or pitcher. Or don’t strain it and just pour the soup from the blender into the serving bowl or pitcher. I like it both ways.
Now stir in the salt, pepper, sherry—taste and adjust as you like. Chill soup for a couple of hours or until ready to serve. It keeps for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. If it separates just stir it back together.
Serve garnished with avocado and a drizzle of olive oil. Serves 4–6, or 1 hot person who lives on it for days.
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This looks so delicious. First time I tried gazpacho was at a summer party and I fell in love with this cold soup. Thank you for sharing your recipe and I shall try it this weekend
My Spanish brother in law prepares gazpacho every summer for me. Vinegar in the recipe is a must according to Miguel. I’ll try yours too!
What a coincidence! Our tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cukes are all ripening at the same time, so this definitely goes into the recipe queue for the weekend.
Just made this and suggest that you add water ONLY if needed. 6 cups is way too much and you lose the sweet tomato taste since they are mostly water
I love gazpacho and other cold soups. I use the processor and leave chunks.usually oil and vinegar but occasionally Kraft Italian dressing. Now I’ve got to try the dry sherry for a great touch. Between this and Ann’s cold corn soup I’m set for August.
Es verdad que el gazpacho se puede hacer con distintos elementos. No soy intransigente con elementos foráneos como el aguacate, jalapeño, etc. Pero me permito llamar la atención sobre el Jerez. Si gusta hacerlo así, muy bien, pero lo que se usa para el gazpacho es el Vinagre de Jerez.
No quiero hacer una crítica, solo es una llamada de atención por si en realidad quiso decir Vinagre de Jerez.
Un saludo.
Y a mi me estrana anadir agua porque prefiero que este espeso.
I used to make this back in the day when there were no processors. We chopped up everything and used V-8 juice for the fluid. It was thick and didn’t make things too watery. All about these tomatoes had to be chopped, pretty fine. Personally, I liked it a lot better than the smooth, smooth gazpacho! It ain’t something you could really bite your teeth into❣️
Ignore my iPad’s recording errors! I have two degrees and my Mother would rollover in her grave if she thought I ever used “ain’t.”
Thanks for the post Maria. I recall using sherry vinegar also when I made this years ago and it’s something that is on hand for me more than actual sherry. I am sure that sherry is also very tasty.
A summertime favorite – thanks for the reminder! For instant gratification, sub all or part of the water with ice cubes – then you can skip the hours in the fridge and enjoy immediately.
An excellent hack Caarin, thank you.
Sounds and looks delicious, thanks Sarah!
Mmm, Gazpacho! Have always included Sherry Vinegar and agree with Maria about its being key – the mellow acid kick enriches the other flavors – but have never tried Sherry wine so can’t compare. Another cold Spanish soup, Salmorejo, is a cousin of Gazpacho and also great in the summer when tomatoes are at their most flavorful. If you google “Antonia’s Salmorejo” you’ll find a great recipe to riff on.
Salmorejo is the best!
Mmm, gazpacho! I’ve always used top quality balsamic vinegar, looks like it’s time to experiment!
I made your gazpacho yesterday and it’s the perfect meal for our Texas heat! Yum!