Keep this refreshing gazpacho recipe on hand for those sweltering hot days when the mere thought of turning on the stove feels unbearable. Gazpacho soup is always a welcome break from cooking!
This chilled soup is not only a delightful way to beat the heat but also an easy make-ahead meal with only nine ingredients. Gazpacho is one of the better known cold soups, but there are so many cold soup recipes to enjoy this summer.
How to make Gazpacho Soup
While we prep the vegetables, we place the Mott’s Garden Cocktail in the freezer to get it cold. We especially love Garden Cocktail for this recipe because in taste tests with other tomato juices, this was a clear winner. Of course, that’s personal preference, but if you can get it, give it a try.
Gazpacho Recipe Prep Work
The majority of the prep work is cutting and scooping out seeds from each of the vegetables.
Choosing the Perfect Tomatoes
In this gazpacho recipe, we favour tomatoes with a firm texture instead of being mushy. Typically, we opt for beefsteak tomatoes as they provided the desired firmness in our previous gazpacho soup attempt. However, this time around, the beefsteak tomatoes are mushy. So Hubs went ahead and bought some Roma tomatoes to compare. As you see below on the left, they’re the perfect firm consistency we’re looking for.
Sometimes, you just never know what you’ll get until you cut them open and scoop them out! By the way, if you love fresh local summer tomatoes, you have to try our savoury tomato shallot clafoutis for brunch one day!
Thanks to Hubs’ culinary school training, he excels at cutting the ingredients into consistent pieces. This attention to detail adds to the overall presentation.
Removing Cucumber Seeds
Just like the tomatoes, scoop the seeds out of the cucumber too.
Cut the cucumbers into planks and then into smaller pieces.
Enjoying the Crunch of Red Pepper in Every Spoonful
We love the crunch that red pepper adds to our gazpacho. To incorporate this ingredient, again remove the seeds and cut it into even, bite-sized pieces. This ensures a satisfying texture in each spoonful.
Enhancing Flavor: Sweating Onion and Garlic
While we used to enjoy raw onion, our taste preferences have changed (Hubs even developed the best French Onion Soup Recipe). To temper the pungency and enhance the flavor, we lightly sweat the onion and garlic and let cool before adding them to the gazpacho.
Releasing Vegetable Liquids with Salt
Adding salt to the vegetables initiates the release of their natural liquids after a few minutes. This process enhances the overall flavor and helps create a well-balanced gazpacho.
Then you can add a whole bottle of Garden Cocktail.
To allow the flavors to meld and develop fully, cover the gazpacho soup and let it chill. We recommend using a silicone lid that fits snugly to ensure optimal freshness. Looks like we need a larger silicone lid for this bowl!
Beyond its taste, gazpacho is also a feast for the eyes. The vibrant colours of the fresh ingredients come together beautifully, making this chilled soup a visually appealing dish that delights both the taste buds and the senses.
Perfect for a hot summer day!
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Gazpacho Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ripe medium beef steak or Roma tomatoes about 1 1/2 pounds cored and cut into quarter inch cubes.
- 2 small red bell peppers about 1 pound cord, seeded, and cut into quarter inch cubes.
- 2 small cucumbers about 1 pound, one peeled and the other with skin on, both seeded and cut into quarter inch cubes.
- 1/2 small sweet onion such is the vadalia, or two large shallots, peeled and minced (about half a cup)
- 2 medium garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
- 8 cups tomato juice (one 1.89 L bottle of Garden Cocktail) we use Mott’s Garden Cocktail
- 1 tsp hot pepper sauce optional
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling if desired
Instructions
- Start to get the tomato juice cold by placing in freezer as you prep the ingredients.
- If you prefer to cook the raw onion and garlic, you can sweat the onions over low heat until soft, then add in garlic and mix. Turn heat off and let cool.
- Combine tomato and their juices, bell peppers, cucumbers, onion, garlic, salt, vinegar and pepper to taste in a large glass bowl. Let stand until vegetables begin to release their juices, about five minutes. Stir in tomato juice and hot pepper sauce, if using. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least four hours to meld flavours.