Gazpacho Soup

5 from 5 votes

Our gazpacho soup recipe is made with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, red and green bell peppers, and a hint of jalapeño. Refreshing, easy, and delicious, it's a perfect choice for a light summer meal.

Prep Time30

Cook Time5

Chill time2

Total Time2 35

Course: Soups

Cuisine: Spanish

Servings: servings

Author: Lynne Webb

Ingredients

2 lbs (4 to 5 medium) ripe tomatoes peeled, cored, and seeded
3/4 English cucumber peeled and roughly chopped (plus more for garnish)
1/2 red bell pepper cored, seeded and roughly chopped (plus more for garnish)
1/2 green bell pepper seeded and roughly chopped (plus more for garnish)
1/2 jalapeño pepper seeded and roughly chopped (or more to taste)
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 clove garlic quartered (or more to taste)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar (see notes for substitutions)
1 to 2 cups 1/2-inch bread cubes (see notes)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

After peeling and seeding the tomatoes, cut them into quarters and add them to a blender or work bowl of a food processor.
Add the cucumber, red and green bell peppers, jalapeño, onion, garlic, olive oil and sherry vinegar. Season with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Purée the mixture until smooth, then, with the machine running, begin adding bread cubes and continue to purée until the soup is thickened to your liking (see notes for tips).
Once you get the consistency the way you like it, taste the soup and adjust the heat by adding more jalapeño, garlic and seasonings, if desired.
Transfer the soup to individual serving bowls, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (a minimum of 2 hours).
Dice some of the remaining cucumber and bell peppers to make about 6 tablespoons of garnish. Combine with the chopped parsley and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

How to Peel Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 500°F and line a broiler pan or baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Cut a small, thin slice from the bottom of each tomato, then cut them in half lengthwise, remove the core, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
Arrange the tomatoes cut side down on the foil.
Using the tip of a sharp knife, score the skin of each tomato lengthwise.
Place the tomatoes in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on their size. You’ll know they’re ready to be peeled when you see the gap where you scored the skin widen slightly.
Remove the tomatoes from the oven and slide the foil off the hot broiler pan to prevent further cooking.
As soon as the tomatoes are cool enough to touch, peel the skin off from the center out.

Tips for Success

Thickening the soup: The thickness of gazpacho soup is largely a matter of personal preference but generally should be pourable, but have enough substance to it that the garnish will sit on the top without sinking.

About the bread: The quantity of bread cubes you add will depend on the density of the bread you've chosen and how thick you like your soup. Italian bread, Cuban bread and French baguettes are all good choices to use for thickening. Leave the crust on for added flavor.

Allow plenty of time to chill: If you divide your gazpacho into serving bowls before refrigerating it, it should be thoroughly chilled in about 2 hours. If you decide not to divide it up, allow 4 to 6 hours for chilling.

Make Ahead Tips

Gazpacho soup can be made a day in advance. Store in a tightly covered container, separate from the garnish. The soup may separate slightly so just give it a stir and ladle into serving dishes.

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