Gazpacho is one of those soups that are one of a kind. A cold soup. A delicious and extremely easy-to-make soup. It is a soup that is traditionally drunk as a beverage.
As the sun starts making its way and we start having sunny days, our craving for soups spin towards this staple Spanish dish, more precisely Andalusian.
How does soup sound?
We started having this soup about 3 years ago, when we were on holiday back in my Hometown, Panama, which is very hot.
We met with our Colombian friend Sergio (a one-of-a-kind Photographer), and I was cooking as our Spanish friend Loreto arrived with a bag of vegetables and said: Oh my God! It is so hot out there that I started carving for Gazpacho. So, she stopped by a store, grabbed some easy veggies, and arrived to make this perfect soup in 5 minutes so we could have it as an appetizer as I finished cooking the main supper.
Once we fell hit, we couldn’t stop making this fabulous soup over and over again.
Ingredients
You need ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, bread, red wine vinegar (preferably Jerez), garlic, extra virgin olive oil, water, and salt.
Note: omit oil if adhering to a Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet.
Instructions
Soak bread in water for 5 minutes.
Roughly chop all the veggies.
Add all the ingredients to a blender.
Gazpacho is better when served cold. Therefore, we recommend reserving it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour before consuming it.
History of Gazpacho Andaluz
Gazpacho is an ancient dish mentioned in Greek and Roman literature. However, two of the main ingredients of the modern version, tomatoes and green peppers, were brought to Spain from the New World only in the 16th century.
The most frequent Gazpacho is an uncooked mixture of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, water, Jerez vinegar, cucumbers, and green peppers, thickened with breadcrumbs. Sometimes adding onions depending on the household. The word Gazpacho is derived from the Arabic for “soaked bread.”
There are several theories as to the origin of this cold soup. The most popular one states that it is a soup made of bread, olive oil, water, vinegar, and garlic and that it arrived in Spain during the time of the Roman Empire ruling.
In Spain, it was adopted and became a part of Andalusian cuisine.
During the 19th century, red Gazpacho was created when Spaniards added tomatoes to the ingredients, and this is the version that spread internationally.
Many modern variations of this staple dish, including melon and watermelon, amongst other produce instead of tomatoes and bread.
This recipe is made in just 10 minutes and requires simple ingredients! Isn’t that the best kind of recipe?
This soup is ideal for warm Spring and hot Summer days when you want something simple and healthy. Make a batch ahead of time and store in closed bottles ready to serve or portioned in small mason jars.
We made Gazpacho part of our Healthy Savory Snacks; although it is by no means considered a Snack, it fulfills that role perfectly. It is nutritious and full of flavor.
Storing
So, how long does Gazpacho last? When well stored in your refrigerator lasts 2-3 days.
Garnishing
Gazpacho is great on its own. Sometimes we put some finely chopped cucumber and tomato, breadcrumbs, and a splash of extra-virgin olive oil on top.
Suppose you are into Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine and simple ways of consuming Veggies. In that case, we recommend trying the Catalonian Escalivada, a Tortilla Española (Spanish Omelette), or this delicious Eggplant Baba Ganoush.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!
Recipe: Gazpacho
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs tomatoes ripe plumb or Roma
- 1 green pepper medium, or Italian pepper
- 1 cucumber roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 oz red wine vinegar
- 1 bread loaf small (it can be hard bread)
- 8.5 oz water
- 1.5 oz extra-virgin olive oil optional, avoid id adhering to a WFPB diet
- 1 teaspoon sea salt optional, avoid id adhering to a WFPB diet
Optional (to garnish):
- Breadcrumbs
- Cucumber finely chopped
- Green Pepper finely chopped
- pinch black pepper
- splash extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Soak bread in water for 5 minutes.
- Roughly chop all the veggies.
- Add all the ingredients to a blender, blend for 2 minutes (let the blender rest for a minute if it tends to overheat). In case your blender does not grind produce until it is creamy and chunk-less. We recommend passing the gazpacho through a colander.
- Gazpacho is better when served cold. We recommend reserving it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour before consuming it.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
We sometimes take for granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.
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La receta está muy bien y deliciosa. Soy española y el sabor se siente muy auténtico. Muy bien logrado.