Gazpacho Andaluz — soupe froide de tomate andalouse
Andalusia's answer to summer heat: ripe raw tomatoes blended with cucumber, pepper, garlic, day-old bread, good olive oil and a splash of sherry vinegar, then chilled until ice-cold. Silky, bright and refreshing — drunk from a glass or served in a bowl with crunchy diced toppings. No cooking required.
Blend very ripe tomatoes with cucumber, green pepper, a little garlic, a piece of soaked day-old bread, salt, sherry vinegar and a generous stream of extra virgin olive oil until completely smooth and emulsified. Pass through a sieve for silkiness, then chill at least two hours until ice-cold. Serve with a drizzle of oil and diced toppings.
- The tomatoes must be ripe and full-flavoured — gazpacho is only as good as them.
- Emulsify with a steady stream of good olive oil for a silky, slightly creamy (yet dairy-free) body.
- Season with sherry vinegar and salt, then chill thoroughly — it's meant to be served very cold.
Equipment
- Blender
- Sieve (optional)
- Bowl for chilling
Ingrédients
Soup
- 1 kg very ripe tomatoes, quartered
- 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 green (Italian) pepper, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove
- 50 g day-old rustic bread, crust removed, soaked
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
- 20 ml sherry vinegar, to taste
- 1 tsp salt, to taste
To serve (optional)
- Finely diced cucumber, pepper and tomato
- Croutons
- A thread of extra virgin olive oil
Préparation
- ÉTAPE01
Tear the crustless day-old bread into a bowl and moisten with a little water; leave to soften while you prep the vegetables.
- ÉTAPE02
Put the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, garlic, soaked bread, salt and sherry vinegar in a blender and blitz until completely smooth.
- ÉTAPE03
With the blender running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream so the soup emulsifies and turns silky and slightly creamy in colour.
- ÉTAPE04
For the smoothest texture, pass the gazpacho through a sieve. Taste and balance salt and vinegar — it should be bright and well seasoned (cold dulls flavour, so be generous).
- ÉTAPE05
Refrigerate at least 2 hours until ice-cold. Serve in bowls or glasses with a drizzle of olive oil and a little diced cucumber, pepper and tomato, or croutons, on top.
Make ahead
Ideal to make ahead — it needs chilling time anyway, and tastes better after a few hours for the flavours to meld. Make it in the morning (or the day before) for lunch or dinner.
Storage
Keeps 3 days refrigerated in a sealed jug — the flavour even improves on day two. Stir or re-blend before serving as it can separate. Not suitable for freezing (the texture breaks).
Variations
Salmorejo
The thicker Córdoba cousin: more bread, more tomato, no cucumber or pepper, topped with chopped egg and jamón.
Watermelon gazpacho
Blend in a wedge of watermelon for a sweeter summer version.
Bread-free / gluten-free
Omit the bread for a lighter, gluten-free soup — it'll be a touch thinner but still excellent.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Questions fréquentes
Is gazpacho served cold?
Yes — gazpacho is always served cold, ideally ice-cold straight from the fridge. It's a summer dish from hot southern Spain, designed to refresh. Chill it thoroughly (at least 2 hours) before serving.
Why add bread to gazpacho?
Soaked day-old bread is traditional — it gives the soup body and helps it emulsify with the olive oil into a silky, slightly creamy texture. You can leave it out for a lighter, gluten-free version, which will be thinner.
What tomatoes are best for gazpacho?
Very ripe, flavourful summer tomatoes — the soup is raw and uncooked, so it tastes only as good as the tomatoes. Pale, under-ripe supermarket tomatoes make flat gazpacho; use the ripest you can find.
What's the difference between gazpacho and salmorejo?
Both are cold Andalusian tomato soups. Gazpacho is thinner and includes cucumber and pepper. Salmorejo, from Córdoba, is thicker and creamier — just tomato, bread, garlic and oil — and is topped with chopped egg and jamón.
Why is my gazpacho not smooth?
Blend longer and emulsify the oil in slowly, then pass it through a fine sieve to remove skins and seeds for a velvety texture. A high-speed blender makes a big difference.
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