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How To Make Easy Gazpacho

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(Image credit: Emma Christensen )

Gazpacho was invented for days like these. The hot, humid days of summer when the very idea of setting a pot over a burner has us reaching for another glass of lemonade. There are a million and one versions of gazpacho out there, all equally easy to whip up in a blender and all equally perfect for a hazy summer night. Here’s our most basic, simple recipe to get you started.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy )

Here’s how this works: a basic gazpacho is made of ripe summer tomatoes blended with cucumber, shallots, and garlic, and seasoned with sherry vinegar and good olive oil. In many traditional versions of gazpacho , a few slices of day-old bread are blended with the vegetables for a thicker and more substantial soup. I really like this addition, but feel free to leave the bread out if you’d prefer a thinner soup. That’s your gazpacho base.

Do You Need to Peel the Tomatoes?

Nope! Simply quarter the tomatoes and remove the stem, then pop ’em right into the food processor.

What Add-Ins Make This Gazpacho Great?

The fun really starts when you bring other vegetables and seasonings into the mix. Let yourself get creative with whatever your farmers market or CSA brings you each week. With vegetables coming in so fresh and flavorful this time of year, it’s impossible to go wrong. Here are some of my favorites:

• Red bell pepper adds sweet notes
• Fennel gives gazpacho a really nice licorice-y flavor, especially when paired with some fresh basil on top.
• Chopped avocado is always welcome scattered across my bowl
• Raw corn kernels are great when they’re very fresh

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy )

What If I Like My Gazpacho Chunky?

For a little more texture in your soup, use a food processor instead of a blender.

What Should You Serve with Gazpacho?

Gazpacho is very good on its own, though perhaps a little plain and simple. A fine start to a meal or as a light dinner on a hot night when your appetite has fled.

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Comments 1 Rating

Easy Gazpacho

Yield Serves 4 to 6

• dairy-free
• fish-free
• vegetarian
• shellfish-free
• vegan
• pescatarian
• egg-free
• pork-free
• soy-free
• red-meat-free

Per serving, based on 6 servings. (% daily value)

• Calories 148
• Fat 9.7 g (14.9%)
• Saturated 1.4 g (7.0%)
• Carbs 14.0 g (4.7%)
• Fiber 2.8 g (11.3%)
• Sugars 5.5 g
• Protein 2.9 g (5.7%)
• Sodium 494.9 mg (20.6%)

Ingredients

Basic Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds

  ripe tomatoes

• 2

  thick slices day-old bread

• 1

  medium cucumber

• 1

  shallot

• 1-to 2 cloves

  garlic

• 2 tablespoons

  sherry vinegar

• 1/4 cup

  extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper

Optional ingredients:

• Whiz these into the soup or chop them up for garnishing the top: 1 red or green bell pepper, 1 fennel bulb, 3 to 4 tomatillos, 1 avocado, 1 cup corn kernels

• Instead of Bread: handful of almonds or other nut

• Instead of Vinegar: 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, juice from 1 orange, juice from 1 to 2 lemons, juice from 2 to 3 limes

• Spices & Herbs (2 to 3 teaspoons): cumin, smoked paprika, basil, marjoram, tarragon, chile powder

• Other Flavoring Extras: splash red wine, splash white wine, splash hot sauce

Equipment

• Knife and cutting board

• Blender, food processor, or immersion blender

Instructions

1. Prepare the ingredients. Quarter the tomatoes and remove the stem. Tear the bread into large chunks. Peel and roughly chop the cucumber, shallots, and garlic. Roughly chop or measure any extra ingredients being added. Set aside some of these vegetables for garnishing the finished gazpacho.

2. Combine the tomatoes and bread. Put all the bread into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Squeeze the tomato quarters over the bread then add them to the bowl. Let this sit for about 20 minutes to give the bread time to absorb the tomato juices and soften. If you prefer a thinner gazpacho, omit the bread and continue to the next step.

3. Make the gazpacho. Pulse the tomatoes and bread until they form a rough porridge. Add the cucumber, shallots, garlic, vinegar, and a half teaspoon of salt. If you are using any other extra ingredients, add them in this step. Process continuously until the ingredients are liquified. A food processor will make gazpacho with more texture; a blender or immersion blender will make the gazpacho smoother.

4. Blend in the olive oil. With the blender running, stream in the olive oil. This helps it emulsify more evenly into the soup.

5. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Taste the soup. Add salt or vinegar to taste. If you'd like it thinner, blend in a little water.

6. Chill the soup. Transfer the soup to a storage container and refrigerate until chilled. This soup often tastes better the second day after the flavors have had time to settle with each other. Serve the soup garnished with reserved vegetables.

Emma Christensen

Contributor

Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer . Check out her website for more cooking stories.

Source : food