During the hottest days of summer, this easy gazpacho recipe is a welcome relief, blending effortlessly without any cooking. This is the time to break out your highest-quality tomatoes—the ones bursting at the seams with juice. Any red-ripe tomato will do for the base, but give the vine end a sniff; it should be fragrant and near intoxicating. Grab some cherry or grape tomatoes too for the final flourish. If you can find heirloom tomatoes for either, opt for them. And after blending, if you find you’ve picked a less-than-stellar bunch, add in a pinch of sugar for balance.
Be sure to lob off the ends of your cucumbers before peeling them. The ends contain bitter compounds that your peeler could drag into the rest of the cucumber if not checked.
Spanish gazpacho is best served ice-cold and needs time for its flavors to meld, so refrigerate for at least an hour after blending. While you wait, prep a few garnishes like a chunky dice of fresh tomatoes, English cucumbers, and red peppers for texture. Add croutons for crunch, pickled red onions for bite, or a minced jalapeño if you crave some chile heat. For a party appetizer, serve the chilled soup in shot glasses with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a fresh basil leaf or a sprig of cilantro. Or for a bolder option, try this watermelon gazpacho with kimchi.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
½
½
2
½
1
2
3
Preparation
Step 1
Cut 2" off of ½ English hothouse cucumber (about 7 oz.), peeled, seeded, and cut into ¼" pieces and set aside for serving; coarsely chop remaining cucumber and place in a large bowl. Cut one quarter of ½ large red bell pepper (about 3 oz.), stemmed, seeded, into ¼" pieces and set aside for serving; coarsely chop remaining bell pepper and add to bowl with chopped cucumber. Add 2 lb. very ripe red tomatoes, preferably heirloom, cut into ½" wedges, to bowl and toss with ½ large shallot (about 2 oz.), peeled and chopped, 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or grated, 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar and a pinch of kosher salt. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature to let flavors meld.
Step 2
Transfer tomato mixture, along with any accumulated juices, to a blender or food processor (in batches if necessary). Add 3 Tbsp. olive oil and purée on medium speed until smooth; season with additional salt and vinegar, if desired. Strain through a coarse-mesh sieve into a large bowl or pitcher. Cover and chill until cool, about 1 hour.
Step 3
Divide gazpacho among bowls. Top with quartered cherry tomatoes, chopped chives, freshly ground black pepper, reserved cucumber, and red pepper pieces; drizzle with olive oil. Serve with toasted country-style bread alongside.
Do Ahead: Gazpacho can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
Editor’s note: This traditional gazpacho recipe was first printed in August 2016, as BA’s Best Gazpacho. Head this way for more cold soup recipes from our friends at Epicurious →