Easy Gazpacho

This easy gazpacho recipe is one I make a lot over the warm months of summer. I love tomatoes and buy boxes of heritage tomatoes to enjoy them at their best. Gazpacho soup contains tomatoes, along with other fruits, vegetables and herbs to make a refreshing chilled soup.

I love chilled soups, they are a great way of cooling down on a hot summers day. They also make the very best of summer ingredients, using them at their freshest and not softening their flavour with any cooking.

This is my best gazpacho recipe, made just how I like it with added sourdough bread to give the soup some texture. However, you can leave it out if you prefer a lower carb or gluten free gazpacho soup.

This traditional gazpacho recipe uses tomatoes as a base, however you can use other fruits and vegetables to make gazpacho. Use watermelon as your hero ingredient, or swap the tomatoes for cucumber and spinach to make a green gazpacho.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Full of fresh fruit and vegetables, this recipe is super healthy and a great way towards your 5-a-day.
• Perfect balance of flavours with sweet tomatoes, fresh tasting cucumber and herbs, sourness from the vinegar and finished with a little spice and seasoning.
• Make ahead earlier in the day then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours until you are ready to serve.
• Dairy free and vegan, can be gluten free too if you swap regular bread for a gluten free bread.

Gazpacho ingredients

• Tomatoes – I used fresh large, vine tomatoes, along with some green and yellow varieties, which I had in a box of heritage tomatoes. However, you can use any variety of tomato.
• Cucumber – I add 1/2 English cucumber to the mix, I find it’s best as the skin is thin which blends down nicely.
• Celery – a stalk of celery is added which adds a great savoury flavor.
• Sweet pepper – use any variety of pepper, I opted for red Italian peppers, but bell peppers would be ideal.
• Onion – I use red onion in gazpacho as it has a milder flavour.
• Garlic – for the best flavour I use fresh garlic, but you can use frozen garlic if you don’t have fresh.
• Fresh herbs – I added fresh basil and coriander leaves to the gazpacho as that’s what I had to hand. You could also use parsley, tarragon or savoury.
• Bread – I used a slice of wholemeal sourdough, you can use any variety of bread.
• Oil – using a good quality oil will make a difference in this recipe, for the best nutty flavour I opted for extra virgin olive oil.
• Vinegar – I used sherry vinegar for acidity.
• Seasoning – I seasoned the gazpacho with fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a touch of cayenne pepper.
• Optional garnishes – I garnished the gazpacho with some finely diced tomato and cucumber, finely shredded fresh basil and coriander leaf, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and finished with some roasted seeds for added crunch and texture.

How to make gazpacho

• Prepare and place all the fruits and vegetables into food processor bowl.
• Soften the bread by placing it into a bowl of water to soak through. Then remove and gently squeeze to remove as much of the water as possible. Add to the food processor bowl.
• Blend the ingredients to the desired consistency.

• Add the olive oil, sherry vinegar and seasoning, then blitz again to combine.
• Place the gazpacho into the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight, to chill.
• When ready to serve, place the soup into bowls, garnish and serve.

Recipe variations

• Tomato – I had a large box of fresh heritage tomatoes and made this gazpacho soup to make the most of the sweet and flavourful vine tomatoes. However, use any variety of tomato in this soup, but do opt for ripe, sweet tomatoes as they have the best flavour.
• Onion – swap mild red onion for a shallot which also has a mild flavour.
• Bread – most recipes use white bread with the crusts removed. I opted for a whole wheat sourdough as I really like the flavour and texture of the bread. I also kept the crusts on as I prefer my soup with a little texture.
• Fresh herbs – add any fresh herbs that you enjoy the flavour of and that you have readily available. I like adding them to the soup and also as a garnish for an extra punch of flavour when serving.
• Vinegar – swap sherry vinegar for red or white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.

Serving suggestions

This gazpacho can serve 4 for lunch with a side of crusty bread. Alternatively you can serve 8 as a fresh tasting starter. You could even serve this easy gazpacho in shot glasses as an appetizer or part of a buffet style dinner option.

I always like to serve the soup super cold, straight from the fridge, with a garnish of finely diced vegetables, a drizzle of olive oil, and some roasted seeds for crunch and texture.

Useful hints and tips

1. Stale bread: this recipe is a great use of bread that’s a little stale. You soak it in water to soften it anyway before adding to the gazpacho.
2. Crusts on or off: some recipes suggest removing the crusts from the bread, however I used a slice of sourdough and there’s so much flavour in the crust that I prefer to leave them on. This will result in a slightly thicker texture, but that’s how I like it. If you prefer a smoother soup, remove the crusts.
3. Consistency: you can blend the gazpacho to the consistency of your choice. Some prefer it super smooth, I like mine with a little texture to it. It’s entirely down to choice.
4. Taste the gazpacho: this is a cold soup that really benefits from proper seasoning, so take your time to taste and season the soup just how you like it. Adding more olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to suit.
5. Dairy free and vegan: containing no dairy this soup is suitable for dairy free and vegan diners.
6. Gluten free: to make a gluten free gazpacho use gluten free bread, or leave the bread out altogether.
7. Low carb: for a low carb gazpacho leave out the bread.
8. Allergy advice: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

FAQs

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Additional recipe suggestions

If you like this recipe then try some of my other favourite recipes using tomatoes:

• Tomato & Basil Soup
• Tomato & Vegetable Soup with Harissa
• Simple Tomato Soup
• Tomato & Basil Bruschetta with Whipped Creme Fraiche
• Tomato Bruschetta with Tarragon
• Easy Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce
• Tomato Risotto

For some great hints and tips on how to make a great bowl of soup, have a read of my 20 Simple Soup Recipes post. This features some delicious soup recipes for you to try!

Easy Gazpacho

This easy gazpacho recipe contains tomatoes, and other fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs to make a refreshing chilled soup, perfect for cooling you down on a hot summers day.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Chill Time: 2 hours hrs

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 250kcal

Author: Lesley Garden

Equipment

• food processor or high speed blender
• chopping board
• Sharp kitchen knife
• measuring spoons

Ingredients

• ▢ 650 g vine tomatoes (approx 6 large tomatoes, chopped)
• ▢ 300 g cucumber (approx 1/2 English cucumber, chopped)
• ▢ 1 stalk celery (chopped)
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper (deseeded, chopped)
• ▢ ½ red onion (chopped)
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic
• ▢ 50 g bread
• ▢ 10 g basil leaves
• ▢ 10 g coriander leaves
• ▢ 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• ▢ 1 tsp fine sea salt
• ▢ ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ tsp cayenne pepper

Optional garnishes (not included in nutrition)

• ▢ finely diced tomato
• ▢ finely diced cucumber
• ▢ finely shredded basil and coriander leaf
• ▢ drizzle extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ crunchy roasted seeds

Instructions

• Prepare and place all the fruits and vegetables into food processor bowl.
• Soften the bread by placing it into a bowl of water to soak through. Then remove and gently squeeze to remove as much of the water as possible. Add to the food processor bowl.
• Blend the ingredients to the desired consistency.
• Add the olive oil, sherry vinegar and seasoning, then blitz again to combine.
• Place the gazpacho into the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight, to chill.
• When ready to serve, place the soup into bowls, garnish and serve.

Notes

Some recipes suggest removing the crusts of the bread, however I used a slice of sourdough and there’s so much flavour in the crust that I prefer to leave them on. This will result in a slightly thicker texture, but that’s how I like it. If you prefer a smoother soup, remove the crusts.

You can blend the gazpacho to the consistency of your choice. Some prefer it super smooth, I like mine with a little texture to it. It’s entirely down to choice.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Gazpacho

Amount Per Serving

Calories 250 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.003g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 13g

Sodium 671mg29%

Potassium 652mg19%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 2792IU56%

Vitamin C 66mg80%

Calcium 63mg6%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •

Course : Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine : Spanish

Keyword : best gazpacho recipe, easy gazpacho recipe, gazpacho recipe, gazpacho soup, tomato gazpacho, traditional gazpacho recipe

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