Made with ripe tomatoes, crisp vegetables, extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar, this easy gazpacho recipe comes together in minutes with just a blender or food processor. It’s refreshing, make-ahead friendly and one of the best ways to enjoy peak summer produce.
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Step away from the stove. I repeat: step away from the stove. If it’s hotter than a jalapeño in your kitchen, then allow me to introduce you to summer’s biggest dinner winner: gazpacho.
Ripe tomatoes, crisp veggies, garlic, good olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar get blended together for the most refreshing chilled soup.
I first fell in love with Spanish gazpacho while living in Sevilla, Spain, during my junior year abroad. My host family made it regularly during the scorching summer months, always serving it ice cold with chopped hard-boiled eggs and crispy bacon. Years later, it’s still one of the first recipes I make whenever my kitchen feels too hot to turn on the oven.
My version stays true to the fresh, vibrant flavors of traditional Andalusian gazpacho but keeps things blissfully simple. No soaking stale bread. No fine-mesh strainer. Just a blender (or food processor), peak-season produce and 15 minutes is all you need to make one of my favorite no-cook meals.
Because this soup isn’t cooked, the quality of your ingredients shows up in every spoonful. Choose the freshest, ripest produce you can find. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Tomatoes: Since they’re the star of the show, use the best ones you can find. Roma tomatoes (also called plum tomatoes) are my go-to because they’re meaty, naturally sweet and less watery than slicing tomatoes.
- Red bell pepper: Adds natural sweetness and balances the acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar. Yellow or orange bell peppers work just as well, though they’ll be slightly sweeter. I don’t recommend green bell peppers, which can taste a bit too grassy and bitter in a raw soup.
- Anaheim or cubanelle pepper: These long, pale green peppers add fresh, slightly tangy flavor without making the soup spicy.
- Cucumber: I rarely peel mine, but if your cucumber has a particularly thick or waxy skin, feel free to peel it first.
- Red onion: Just enough adds a little bite without overpowering the other vegetables. If you have leftovers, they’re perfect for making my pickled red onions.
- Garlic: A little goes a long way here since it’s not being cooked down. Start with two cloves, then taste and add more if you like a bolder garlic flavor.
- Olive oil: Since there are so few ingredients in this recipe, every one counts. Reach for a flavorful, robust extra-virgin olive oil. Just like in a great bread dipping oil, you’ll really taste the difference. My favorite is Kosterina, but any good-quality olive oil you enjoy will work well.
- Vinegar: I’ve chosen red wine vinegar for this recipe for its mellow tartness, but sherry vinegar is what’s traditionally used in Spanish gazpacho. White wine vinegar also works well if that’s what you have on hand.
Once all your veggies are chopped, simply add them to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. While the machine is running, drizzle in the olive oil and vinegar until the soup is silky and emulsified, then season generously with salt and pepper.
That’s it!
4 Tips for the Best Gazpacho
- Use peak-season tomatoes. Since they make up the bulk of this soup, I recommend using the best ones you can find. Farmers market tomatoes, garden tomatoes or perfectly ripe grocery store tomatoes will all work here. Roma tomatoes are my go-to, but don’t be afraid to use ripe heirloom, beefsteak or even cherry tomatoes. The better the tomatoes, the better the gazpacho.
- Serve ice-cold. Technically, you can serve gazpacho as soon as it’s blended, but I highly recommend letting it chill for at least 2 hours, or even overnight if you have the time. As it rests, the garlic mellows, the vinegar softens and all of the flavors come together into a soup that’s brighter, more balanced and even more refreshing.
- Taste it again after it’s chilled. Cold foods naturally taste less seasoned than warm ones, so always give your gazpacho one final taste after it’s chilled. A little extra kosher salt, another splash of vinegar or a drizzle of olive oil can make all the difference.
- Make it as smooth or as chunky as you like. One of the best things about making gazpacho at home is that you’re in charge of the texture. I blend mine for the full two minutes for a velvety, drinkable consistency, but if you prefer more bite, pulse the vegetables in shorter bursts and stop while there’s still some visible texture to the tomatoes and cucumber. There’s no right or wrong texture. Traditional Spanish gazpacho is often blended until silky smooth (and sometimes even strained), while many American versions leave a little more texture. Make it the way you like it.
Gazpacho Toppings
I’ve garnished my bowl with a handful of microgreens, chopped hard-boiled egg and sliced cucumber for color and textural contrast, but a few slices of creamy avocado are always a welcome addition.
Here are a few more of my favorite toppings:
- Crispy bacon (my oven-baked bacon is perfect for this!)
- Homemade croutons
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Chopped fresh chives or parsley
- A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Crumbled Cotija or feta cheese
- A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
I love serving this quick gazpacho in little shooter glasses for a party-worthy appetizer, but more often than not, I’m ladling it into bowls for an easy summer lunch or light dinner. Add plenty of crusty bread on the side for dipping, or pair it with my Spanish tortilla for a simple Spanish-inspired meal.
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs Roma tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
- 1 medium red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 medium Anaheim or cubanelle pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 medium cucumber, roughly chopped
- 1 small red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Chopped hardboiled egg, avocado or bacon, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Add the chopped tomatoes, red pepper, Anaheim pepper, cucumber, red onion and garlic to a large food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed with a spatula.
- While the food processor is running, drizzle in the red wine vinegar and olive oil and continue blending until smooth.
- Taste and season the gazpacho with salt and pepper. Serve immediately at room temp or transfer it to a container and refrigerate it, covered, until ready to serve topped with chopped hard-boiled egg, avocado or bacon (optional).
Kelly’s Notes
- Use the best tomatoes you can find. Since tomatoes are the star of the show, ripe, flavorful tomatoes make all the difference. Roma tomatoes are my favorite, but ripe heirloom, beefsteak or cherry tomatoes all work well.
- While you can serve gazpacho immediately after blending, it tastes noticeably better after chilling for at least 2 hours (or overnight) so the flavors have time to meld. Give the soup one final taste after it’s chilled and add more kosher salt or a splash of red wine vinegar if needed before serving.
- Make ahead: Gazpacho keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, making it an ideal meal prep lunch or easy summer dinner. Wait to add any toppings until just before serving so everything stays fresh and crisp.
- Freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe container, leaving a little room for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then stir or blend briefly before serving if it has separated.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
This recipe is delicious and easy to prepare! So nice on a hot day!
Yessss! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Joyce!
I love gazpacho & this is so easy to make in a Vitamix! Perfect for a hot summer day! I used to make gazpacho with canned tomato juice. It’s so much better with fresh tomatoes!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Debbie!
Quick and easy, with fresh and authentic flavor!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Just made this and it is delicious!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it, Anne!
Approximately how much gazpacho does this recipe make?
Hi Beth! I don’t have a cup measurement for this recipe, but it’s a good 4 servings.
I’ve made this twice now. Just starting on round 3! My favourite Gazpacho yet!
Thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Leslie! And thanks so much for rating it!
This was so refreshing and perfect for our summer dinner party!