Spanish Gazpacho recipe

About This Recipe

You’ll find various gazpacho recipes served all over Spain and each region has its own individual twist on the traditional gazpacho recipe, but perhaps the best-known gazpacho recipe is gazpacho Andaluz. 

Gazpacho Andaluz is made with 8-9 ingredients, and many will opt for the addition of onion, while others shy away from adding onion due to its strong flavor that can at times overwhelm the subtle flavors of the tomato-based soup.

For this gazpacho recipe, we’ll shy away from onion as we want to bring out the best of the other ingredients. 

What is gazpacho?

Gazpacho is a cold tomato-based soup recipe that is said to have hailed from the Iberian southern regions of the peninsula. Gazpacho is said to have arrived with the Romans and spread through Spain and Portugal, mainly due to its refreshing taste and appeal during the warm dry summer months. 

Traditional gazpacho recipes were originally made as a soup of bread, olive oil, water, vinegar, and garlic. It wasn’t until the early 19th century that the ‘modern gazpacho recipe’ we know and love today was formed and included tomatoes. In northern regions of Spain such as the Basque Country, and Asturias, gazpacho recipes can also include cumin and/or pimentón (smoked sweet paprika).

Nowadays, there are many modern variations of gazpacho that include avocado, mango, watermelon, and strawberries, as well as garnishes such as flaked or ground almonds, microgreens, coriander, and mint.

Best tomatoes to use in gazpacho 

For the best gazpacho soup flavor, always use vine-ripened tomatoes that are as fresh as possible. Roma tomatoes work great and can easily be found in most supermarkets. Avoid using green tomatoes or salad tomatoes as they lack the flavor of vine tomatoes. Tinned tomatoes should also be avoided for this recipe as they lack the flavor of fresh tomatoes. 

Can cherry tomatoes be used to make gazpacho?

Yes. Cherry tomatoes are often very sweet and have a strong flavor that works great in gazpacho. Take note of the tomato flavor, and if your tomatoes are very sweet, you may need to add a little more salt to balance the flavors when making gazpacho soup.

Experiment with using buffalo tomatoes, black tomatoes, bull egg tomatoes, or even yellow or green-colored cherry tomatoes. 

Red or green pepper?

One of the distinguishing ingredients that define ‘gazpacho andaluz’ versus other gazpacho recipes is the use of green pepper. Green Italian peppers are long and slender and offer a slight bitterness or tang to them when compared to the taste of sweet red bell peppers. 

Is gazpacho vegan?

Yep, sure is!

Gazpacho is traditionally made using 9 vegan-friendly ingredients including, tomato, green pepper, cucumber, garlic, stale bread, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, sherry vinegar, and water. Some recipes also call for using some white onion, but for us, this recipe is perfect without onion. 

Can you freeze gazpacho?

Traditional gazpacho recipes take as little as 15 minutes to make so there’s no real need to make this recipe ahead of time. Personally, I prefer to make it as fresh as possible and chill it in the fridge for an hour before serving. This way, it’s perfectly chilled and super refreshing when served on a warm summer day. 

For those that like to make big batches, our gazpacho recipe can be easily frozen and thawed overnight when required. Always served chilled and not frozen.

How to make classic Spanish Gazpacho

Equipment

• A food processor or blender
• Sieve
• Large bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Sharp knife
• Chopping board

Method (step-by-step)

Method (step-by-step)

• Add all ingredients into the blender and blend well on a high setting for at least 3 minutes.
• Next, use a fine sieve and pass the blended soup through the sieve into a large bowl. Use a wooden spoon to gently push through the soup mixture, and discard the seeds and pulp.
• For best results, allow the soup to chill for at least one hour before serving.
• Garnish with a little salad and some cherry tomatoes and splash of olive oil.