How to make gazpacho – a Spaniard’s guide
Learn how to make this refreshing tomato soup easily.
After reading these tips, you’ll know everything you need to make the best gazpacho ever (and the best part: you’ll be able to suit it to your own taste while staying authentic).
Gazpacho is an uncooked, drinkable soup that’s perfect for hot summer days.
This popular Spanish dish can be made in minutes and requires only a handful of ingredients.
On this post you’ll learn some of the best ways to make easy gazpacho recipes, from the most traditional ones to the latest trends.
Table of Contents
What is gazpacho?
Gazpacho is a cold soup made with fresh veggies, vinegar, garlic and olive oil; a true Mediterranean diet treat!
This is a traditional dish from Andalusia, the southern region of Spain, the same place where Sherry comes from (which also happens to be where I was born and raised).
This refreshing dish chills out your summer meal in no time while helping you take fresh vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers.
How do Spanish people have their gazpacho?
Gazpacho recipes varies from region to region (as well from home to home) but the main ingredient is usually tomatoes, followed by cucumbers.
When it contains bread, it can be eaten with a spoon as opposed to when made without bread where you drink it out of a glass.
On top of that, Gazpacho is an all-around favorite: it’s a perfect entree for any meal, it tastes equally well during or after meals, and you can drink it at any time of the day.
Related: the complete guide to alcohol-free beverages in Spain
Ingredients to make gazpacho andaluz
The most traditional gazpacho (commonly known as gazpacho andaluz – Andalusian gazpacho) has:
- fresh tomatoes
- cucumbers
- green peppers
- white wine vinegar
- olive oil
Use high quality vinegar and olive oil, like sherry vinegar and extra virgin olive oil; it’s worth it!
Adding bread is optional.
Some people also add a little bit of raw onion, but it’s not the norm.
Some newer variations of gazpacho’s recipe include ingredients that provide a more intense color (like red pepper or red bell pepper) or fruits that add some sweetness and depth, like cherries or watermelon.
Which are the best tomatoes to make gazpacho?
The best way to get an outstanding gazpacho is by using ripe, fresh tomatoes.
The pear tomato is one of the favorites to make gazpacho soup because it’s tender and juicy with an amazing flavor that’s not too acidic or bitter.
In addition, these tomatoes have a very thin skin and little to no seeds.
Roma and heirloom tomatoes are also good choices for this chilled soup.
RELATED: What to do if you want gazpacho but you don’t have tomatoes
Other common questions about gazpacho
Gazpacho is considered a cold soup, but since it’s usually served in a glass, you can drink it.
In Spain, the thicker ”gazpacho” that’s eaten with a spoon is called salmorejo.
Since gazpacho is made by blending veggies, some categorize gazpacho as savory smoothie or also as a drinkable salad.
Gazpacho and salmorejo are both cold soups from Spain that are made of fresh vegetables.
Since both use basically the same ingredients, they share a pretty reddish-orange color that beams summer vibes.
But while gazpacho is quite runny and you can drink it like a savory beverage, samolrejo is thicker, so it’s eaten with a spoon.
That’s why salmorejo is served as a dish, with toppings like boiled egg, Spanish ham and some Mediterranean veggies.
This depends on your preferences.
There is no need to peel the vegetables (except for the garlic), but feel free to do it if you prefer your gazpacho extra smooth.
I like to use the tomatoes and pepper as they are (it’s muuuch easier and it usually doesn’t make the resulting gazpacho any rougher), but I recommend peeling the cucumbers if using a variety with thick skin, like Persian ones.
Also, you should seed the cucumber before blending if they have hard seeds.
Originally, gazpacho was made by hand with a mortar, so you don’t need a fancy blender.
That said, the stronger your blender, the smoother you’ll gazpacho will be (note that some people prefer it’s gazpacho chunky: smoother isn’t necessarily better when it comes to gazpacho).
Since I love smooth, drinkable gazpacho, I love the results we get with our Thermomix (also because a bigger blender allows me to make more at once).
But when I just want one serving, I use a regular hand blender.
Adding olive oil at the end keeps a vibrant pink hue.
This way, there won’t be much emulsifying going on, so that gazpachos color remains on the reddish side.
On the other hand, if you prefer a more orange tone, add the oil from the start when blending.
Apart from the optional bread, all ingredients in this tomato soup are low-carb, so as long as you don’t use bread, you can enjoy chilled gazpacho as a keto-friendly refreshment.
You can find already made gazpacho in the refrigerated display cases of many stores.
Look for names like ”gazpacho original” or ”gazpacho andaluz” if you are looking for the authentic thing.
Another way to make sure it’s real gazpacho is by checking at the ingredients list: there shouldn’t be anything apart from tomato, pepper, cucumber, olive oil (better if extra virgin), white wine vinegar, salt and garlic. Onion and lemon juice are also ok.
Most Spanish people prefer non-pasteurized versions because they are clearly tastier.
How to make authentic gazpacho
Let’s take a look at the steps to make gazpacho. It’s as easy as it gets!
Easy recipe for homemade gazpacho
- Prepare the veggies
1- Wash the tomatoes and peppers very well as we are going to grind them with skin.
2- You can either remove the skin from the cucumber or leave it depending on your taste.
3- Peel the garlic, remove the sprout and chop it in small pieces.
- Blend
Puree the ingredients together until you get the consistency you like: some people like the texture of little bits of vegetables, but I prefer my gazpacho smooth.
- Cool
Serve chilled, but don’t add ice, since it would make the gazpacho watery and dilute its taste.
Tips to make your homemade gazpacho (even more) amazing
Gazpacho is a very simple dish, but there are some tricks that will take its goodness to the next level:
- If you let the chopped vegetables marinate with salt, vinegar and a small amount of oil for 2-24 hours before blending it, you’ll get a more intense flavor.
- Have you a sensitive stomach? Marinate all vegetables together for 12-24 hours and then remove the garlic and pepper before blending the soup.
- To prevent the garlic from repeating, remove the clove germ by cutting the garlic lengthwise and removing the sprout.
- Gazpacho tastes better if you let it cool for 2-4 hours before serving
Homemade gazpacho recipe
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 2 pound tomatoes (aprox. 1 kg)
- 1 small cucumber (Around half pound/250 gr.)
- 1 small green pepper (3,5 oz/100 gr.)
- 1-2 small garlic cloves (peeled)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon white wine (or sherry) vinegar
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin oil ice oil
- 1 slice bread (Optional) around 50 gr.
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes and peppers. Peel the cucumber or wash it. Remove garlic germ. Chop the vegetables.
- Blend the ingredients together until smooth. If you want a thicker soup, you can add some bread (I like drinking my gazpacho from a glass, so I don’t add any bread)
- You can add a little water if you wish your gazpacho thinner, specially if you added bread. Just be careful not to put too much! (I don’t add any water).
- Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. Shake before serving and don’t add any ice cubes!
Notes
- Gazpacho is a flexible recipe, so you can twist how much of the ingredients you use in order to make it just right for your preferences.
- Gazpacho can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Nutrition
More gazpacho recipes
Gazpacho is usually made in big batches because it can be stored for 2-3 days in the fridge.
But you can also make smaller servings, like just one for yourself.
Besides traditional tomato gazpacho, there are some variations that include fruits like apples or melon to add some sweeter hints.
Here are some popular fruity gazpacho versions as well as tricks to make just one glass of gazpacho:
So you’ve read everything we have to say about gazpacho.
Now it’s time for the fun part, making it!
I encourage you to use these recipes as guidelines and experiment based on your tastes, because the most important thing is that you enjoy your gazpacho.
How do you make yours?
So refreshing with lots of vitamins.
I love gazpacho.
Oh, very glad to hear it.
I also love gazpacho!
Very thoroughful post; I was able to finally make a PERFECT gazpacho. I didn’t know it was so easy. Thank you for sharing this wonderful information!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it! Thank you for your lovely review!