My Gazpacho is loaded with fresh vegetables blended with extra virgin olive oil resulting in a silky emulsion with an explosion of flavor. Just chop, blend, chill, and serve.

We have an abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers from our garden. They seem to ripen and be ready for picking all at once. One way to use them is to make this delicious gazpacho. The only requirement of preparing this dish to get its fullest potential is to use fresh ripe tomatoes and in-season vegetables.

It’s been terribly hot lately and this soup was the perfect solution for a refreshing lunch because it requires no cooking. The vegetables are roughly chopped and placed in a blender then puréed until it’s ultra smooth. The soup is then chilled for a few hours until it’s very cold.

Ingredients

Red ripe tomatoes, preferably fresh from your garden or from a farm stand
Cucumber
Red bell pepper - red is sweeter
Red onion or a mild sweet onion
Celery - not in authentic gazpacho, but I like it. Use the green leaf tops, if possible
Red wine vinegar - gives zing and brightens
Extra virgin olive oil - creates a smooth fluffy texture
Garlic - 1 - 2 cloves and no more, otherwise it’s overpowering
1 small jalapeño, optional for some heat
Cumin - just a little for an authentic flavor
Salt and pepper to taste

Note: I don’t add bread to my soup although an authentic gazpacho has day old bread which gives a thicker texture. I don’t find it necessary because I prefer the velvety texture created with the olive oil.

Garnish

Chopped chives
Diced red bell pepper
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Fresh cracked pepper

Color

You may expect the color of this soup to be bright red but when blended, this soup turns orange. The amount of olive oil lightens the color and please don’t skimp on the oil. It’s what makes this soup delicious. It creates an emulsion resulting in a smooth texture that feels wonderful on the tongue. Use good extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.

Texture

Make this soup and you’ll be wonderfully surprised. It’s a great way to enjoy your vegetables! Don’t forget to give a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top.

Try some of my other soups:

Life is too short for mediocre food.

A bowl of gazpacho soup in a white bowl garnished with chopped tomatoes.

Simple Silky Smooth Gazpacho

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My Gazpacho is loaded with fresh vegetables blended with extra virgin olive oil resulting in a silky emulsion with an explosion of flavor. Just chop, blend, chill, and serve. Serves 4 - 6

Prep Time: 10

Refrigeration: 4

Author: Natalie Gregory

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes cored and chopped
1 8 - 9 inch cucumber peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 red bell pepper cored, seeded, and chopped
1 small red onion cut into chunks
1 small jalapeño optional, seeded, ribs removed, and chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 - 2 cloves garlic depending on your taste
2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin optional
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Combine tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, onion, jalapeño, celery, and garlic together in a blender or food processor. Puree until the soup is smooth and emulsified. You may have to do it in batches (See Note). Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. The color will be more orange than red. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Adjust to your taste.
Transfer soup to a large pitcher or sealed container. Refrigerate for 4 - 6 hours, or until completely chilled.
When serving, drizzle with a little olive oil and fresh black pepper. You can dice some red bell pepper and cucumber and sprinkle a little on top for garnish.

Notes

If your blender container gets too full after adding the vegetables, pour out half into a bowl and continue recipe by adding half of the spices and liquids. Repeat with other half. You can then combine it in a large bowl or pitcher.

Did you make this recipe? Tag @thegeneticchef and use #thegeneticchef and tell me all about it!