Gazpacho {Chilled Soup Recipe}

Gazpacho is a healthy, flavorful chilled soup, full of vine ripened tomatoes, cucumber, onion, fresh herbs, and a dash of jalapeno heat. It’s the perfect summer time soup!

Chilled Gazpacho

These are the dog days of summer. But I feel more like a house cat, lazy, lounging in a chaise by the pool too hot to even read. It takes all my energy to drag myself to the edge of the pool and slink down the steps. I am definitely not built for heat. If I were a feline, I would be a panther, fast, zipping through the shade of a misty rainforest, ready to pounce. But I am not. So what do I “cook” when I’d rather just loaf? Nothing.

Gazpacho is one of those soups you can make in the blender.

It feels light when I don’t want anything heavy. It feels healthy when I’ve been too lazy to exercise. So gazpacho it is! Meow! For an adult version, you could add a shot of vodka for a Gazpacho Martini. With or without the vodka, I like to serve chilled soups in a variety of mis-matched martini or wine glasses with iced teaspoons.

Gazpacho

Cynthia

Adapted from Alton Brown

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 20 mins

Course Soup

Cuisine Spanish

Servings 6 -8

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped, about 5-6 medium
• 1 cup cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red and/or yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 small jalapeno seeded and minced
• 1 medium garlic clove minced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lime juiced
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoons toasted ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves cut chiffonade
• Additional minced vegetables for garnish

Instructions

 

• Fill a 6 quart pot halfway with water and bring to a boil.
• Make an x with a paring knife on the bottom of each tomato. Drop tomatoes into boiling water for 15 seconds, remove and transfer to a bowl of ice water.
• Remove, pat dry and peel. Seed tomatoes into a sieve, catching juices, discarding seeds.
• Reserve juice, adding additional water to make 1 cup.
• Place all remaining ingredients (except for basil) in a large bowl and mix.
• Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to a blender or food processor and puree (or pulse) for 15 to 20 seconds on high speed. Return the pureed mixture to the bowl and stir.Adjust seasonings. Cover and chill for 2 hours or overnight. Serve with chiffonade of basil and additional mince vegetables.

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How to Chiffonade basil (One Minute Food Byte how to chiffonade basil)  To peel and seed tomatoes easily, core and cut a cross in the bottom of each one.

Core and cut a cross in the bottom of each tomato.

Drop into boiling water for 15-20 seconds. Plunge into a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooling. The skins will slip off easily.

…the skins will just slip off.

Cut each tomato in half and gently squeeze out the seeds over a colander, reserving juice.

Reserve the juice to make one cup.

Chopped cucumbers, bell peppers, jalapeño, purple onion, lime and garlic, round out the tomato flavor.

A splash of vodka turns this Gazpacho into a Gazpacho Martini!

A shot of vodka turns this soup into a Gazpacho Martini.

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