Classic Spanish Gazpacho

About This Recipe

Gazpacho is a chilled blended tomato soup with cucumber, pepper, bread, olive oil and sherry vinegar. Ripe vegetables provide the flavour because there is no cooking stage to develop sweetness. The texture should be smooth and refreshing, with a balanced savoury acidity.

Equipment

• ✓ Soup saucepan
• ✓ Knife and board
• ✓ Ladle
• ✓ Immersion blender or blender approved for the liquid temperature
• ✓ Fine sieve
• ✓ Shallow cooling containers
• ✓ Ice bath if starting with cooked soup

Ingredients

• 900 g ripe tomatoes
• 180 g cucumber, peeled
• 120 g green pepper
• 80 g white onion
• 8 g garlic
• 60 g day-old white bread, soaked
• 45 ml sherry vinegar
• 90 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 120 ml cold water
• Salt to taste

Easy Step-by-Step Method

Complete one numbered step before moving to the next. Keep the heat and timing exactly as written.

Chef Notes & Tips

Use genuinely ripe tomatoes; refrigeration cannot repair under-ripe flavour. Allow additional refrigeration time until thoroughly chilled; preparation and cooking times do not include chilling.

Ingredient choices: Wash all produce and use clean blending equipment. Day-old bread means sound bread, not mouldy bread. The bread thickens the soup and contains wheat unless a suitable alternative is deliberately tested.

Cooking control: Blend vegetables and prepared bread thoroughly, incorporating oil as directed for a cohesive texture. Chill promptly, then taste at serving temperature. Add cold water gradually to reach the intended consistency rather than diluting it all at once.

If something goes wrong: A bland soup may simply have weak tomatoes. Harsh raw garlic or vinegar is difficult to remove; increase the unsalted vegetable base. Slight settling can be corrected by stirring before serving.

Ingredient Substitutions

• ↔ Gluten-free bread can replace white bread, or omit it for a thinner gazpacho.

Food Safety & Doneness

Wash produce and use clean utensils. Keep perishable ingredients refrigerated. Refrigerate cooked food in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the surroundings exceed 32°C. For hot soup, use an immersion blender with its head submerged, or cool sufficiently before using a blender approved for warm liquids. Never seal hot soup in a closed cup blender.

Serving & Plating

Serve well chilled in cool bowls. Keep garnish small and cleanly diced so it complements the smooth soup.

Storage

Chill promptly and store covered at 4°C or below for up to 2 days. Keep cold until serving; do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Follow an earlier dairy or packaged-ingredient use-by date if applicable.