Easy Gazpacho

Made with ripe Roma tomatoes, crisp cucumbers and a hint of garlic, this chilled Spanish soup is the ultimate refreshing dish. Perfect for hot days and easy to customize, discover how to make this easy gazpacho recipe in just 15 minutes, no stove or oven required! Ideal for a light lunch or a zesty appetizer.

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: fast, fresh Easy Gazpacho!

Crisp veggies, chopped garlic, and a drizzle of oil and vinegar whiz together in a food processor or blender, and the result is a creamy, cool, no-cook meal perfect for dishing into big bowls or serving as appetizer-sized shooters.

My love affair with gazpacho began long ago in Sevilla, Spain, where I lived with a host family during my junior year abroad. Gazpacho was on the weekly meal plan and it was always topped with a hearty portion of chopped hardboiled eggs and crispy bacon.

I’ve created this fast and fresh gazpacho recipe that incorporates an Anaheim (or Cubanelle) pepper, which lends a sweet flavor without any heat. I’ve also omitted the traditional addition of stale bread and kept this a super clean and low-carb dish. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes (also called plum tomatoes) are the best for soups and sauces since they’re meaty and not very watery.
• Red pepper: To easily cut the pepper, set it upright on a cutting board and use your knife to slice each side of the pepper, beginning next to the stem, like you are cutting away the four sides of a box. You’ll be left with just the stem and all the seeds, plus four or five neat planks of pepper.
• Anaheim or cubanelle pepper: These long, skinny, pale-green peppers give a tangy bite to a recipe without the heat. 
• Cucumber: I like to peel my cucumber but it’s not necessary.
• Red onion: Spicier than yellow onions, red onions are a good choice to add lots of bold flavor to the soup. If you have leftover red onion, save it to make pickled red onions.
• Garlic: For the best garlic, choose a head that has a firm texture and is heavy for its size, with no green shoots.
• Olive oil: Break out your good-quality extra-virgin olive oil for this dish, the grassy, sharp flavor will add complexity.
• Vinegar: I’ve chosen red wine vinegar for this recipe for its mellow tartness. You can also substitute white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar or rice wine vinegar.
• Toppings: Classic Spanish garnishes for gazpacho are chopped hard-boiled egg, diced avocado or crumbled bacon. Use my instructions for perfect hard-boiled eggs from my deviled eggs recipe.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Three quick steps is all it takes to make this delicious chilled soup.

1. Put the vegetables in the blender. Fill the blender jar or food processor with all the veggies, including the tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, onion and garlic. Blend it for about 2 minutes, giving a chance for everything to liquefy and combine into a velvety-smooth texture.

2. Add the vinegar and oil. Leave the blender or food processor running while you drizzle in the vinegar and oil and continue to blend and emulsify the mixture.
3. Season to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste, and if the tomatoes aren’t very acidic, you can add a little more vinegar. Serve at room temperature or chilled, topped with your choice of garnishes.

Pro Tip: The gazpacho tastes best if it’s given a few hours (or even overnight) to chill out in the fridge so all of the flavors join forces and really intensify over time.

Toppings

I’ve garnished my bowl with a handful of micro-greens and sliced cucumbers for a bit of textural contrast, and a few slices of creamy avocado would also be a welcome addition to this chilled soup.

Other toppings that would complement this quick gazpacho include:

• A handful of cooked corn kernels
• Croutons or crushed tortilla chips
• A drizzle of good olive oil
• A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Minced fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil or chives

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