This Easy Recipe for Gazpacho is the ultimate chilled soup for hot summer days – bright, refreshing, and bursting with garden-fresh flavor. Made with ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, bell peppers, and a tangy splash of vinegar, this no-cook Spanish classic is perfect for lazy lunches or a starter for an alfresco summer dinner!
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe for Gazpacho
This Gazpacho recipe comes from my dear friend Jeanne Saunders, who got it from her mom, so it’s one of those well-loved, passed-down favorites that has stood the test of time. It’s been made and enjoyed by countless friends and family over the years, which is exactly what makes it so special.
Here’s why I love this Gazpacho recipe, and I think you will, too:
- Cool, refreshing & summer-perfect. When the heat hits, this chilled soup is the ultimate refresher. It’s light, bright, and packed with garden-fresh flavors.
- Authentically Andalusian. This recipe stays true to tradition with ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, garlic, vinegar, and bread for that classic texture.
- Easy to tweak. I’ve made this version with canned tomatoes for reliable flavor year-round, but feel free to toss in fresh herbs, spicy peppers, or even a splash of citrus to make it your own.
- Nutritious and delicious. Loaded with fresh vegetables that even veggie-skeptics will devour. It’s a guilt-free bowl of goodness that doesn’t skimp on flavor.
A Brief History of Gazpacho, The Chilled Spanish Classic
Gazpacho’s roots stretch all the way back to the Roman Empire, but it really took off in Spain’s sunny Andalusia region by the 1600s. Over the centuries, this chilled soup has evolved into countless delicious variations – some smooth, some chunky, and even some that skip the classic ingredients entirely! But no matter how you make it, gazpacho always delivers fresh, vibrant flavor.
Easy Gazpacho Ingredients
Here’s all you need to make this recipe, all of which should be available at your local grocery store:
- Bread – Adds body and classic texture. Use gluten-free bread or omit it for a lighter version.
- Red wine vinegar – For bright tanginess. Sherry vinegar or fresh lemon juice will also work.
- Canned Italian-style tomatoes – These tomatoes are pre-seasoned with herbs for extra flavor. You can substitute plain canned diced tomatoes and add a pinch of dried oregano or basil. Or, during fresh tomato season, substitute peeled fresh tomatoes, such as Roma tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. Blanch the ripe tomatoes first for easy peeling.
- Green bell pepper – For a fresh, crisp bite. Red or yellow bell pepper would be great for a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Onion – White or yellow onion will work; I prefer the latter. Shallots are great for a milder taste.
- Large cucumber – Peeled and seeded for smooth texture. English cucumbers, Persian cucumbers, or Kirby cucumbers are often used in gazpacho recipes; I use the more common form found in major grocery stores in the U.S. Keep more aside for garnish.
- Water – Adjust for the desired consistency.
- Extra virgin olive oil – For silky richness. Avocado oil is a good substitute for a neutral taste.
- Garlic – For added depth of flavor. Fresh garlic is always best!
- Tabasco sauce – Provides gentle heat to this dish. Use cayenne pepper or smoked paprika instead, if you prefer.
- Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper – To taste.
- Paprika – To taste.
Quick Tip
To save time, start to prepare the vegetables while the bread slices are soaking in the red wine vinegar.
How to Make This Easy Recipe for Gazpacho
(Scroll down for the full recipe in the card below.)
Step 1: Soak the bread.
Place the two bread slices in a single layer in a shallow pan. Drizzle with the vinegar and soak for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Blend the ingredients.
Place all the soup ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until you achieve the desired consistency.
Step 3: Chill & season.
Refrigerate the blended soup for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld together. Once chilled, season the soup with additional salt and/or Tabasco as needed. Serve the Gazpacho cold, garnished with fresh chopped cucumber.
Tips for Success
- Don’t skip the chilling. It’s important to chill this homemade gazpacho soup for at least 1 hour, preferably longer (or even overnight) to let flavors deepen.
- Preferred texture. Blend this delicious cold soup until smooth or pulse for a chunkier style. (Personally, I prefer a smoother texture.)
- Adjust consistency. While I think the thickness of this cold tomato soup is perfect, you can thin it with water or extra tomato juice. Likewise, you can thicken the soup with extra bread or oil, as needed.
- Additional herbaceous flavor. Add in fresh herbs, such as fresh basil or oregano, for a stronger herb-forward flavor.
- Stale bread. To stay true to the soup’s traditional roots as a dish designed in part to use up leftover bread, use stale bread!
How to Serve
Here are two options for how to serve Gazpacho soup:
- Chilled small bowls: Serve this soup in chilled bowls as a light and refreshing meal, garnished with fresh herbs, chopped cucumber, or even homemade croutons for added crunch. Enjoy this soup as a starter to Grilled Rosemary-Dijon Chicken Breasts, pair it with a Baby Spinach Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing for a light lunch, or pair it with Curried Chicken Pasta Salad to keep it a chilled meal.
- Shot glasses: Pour this gazpacho soup into shot glasses or small cups and pass for a crowd-pleasing starter at parties. It pairs beautifully with mini skewers, bruschetta, or crostini for dipping.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover gazpacho soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. Give your soup a good stir before serving again.
Store this soup in the freezer for up to 3 months and thaw it overnight in the fridge. Keep in mind that the freezing and thawing process may alter the texture of the soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
A traditional gazpacho recipe calls for juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, green bell peppers, garlic, vinegar and bread. Some gazpacho variations add oregano and/or basil for additional flavor. The ingredients are puréed to a smooth texture, then chilled before serving.
Authentic Spanish gazpacho is deliberately served chilled to cool you down on a hot summer day.
This easy gazpacho recipe is loaded with nutritious summer vegetables, drizzle of olive oil, cold water, vinegar, bread, and simple seasoning. It’s both delicious and nutritious and the use of bread can be omitted from the recipe lighter version.
More Veggie-Inspired Soups
Easy Recipe for Gazpacho
This easy recipe for Gazpacho is fresh, vibrant and tastes like summer. A tomato-based, chilled soup traditionally accented with a blend of cucumbers, peppers, onion, garlic and vinegar, Gazpacho is a refreshing starter for a summer dinner. And, this Gazpacho recipe is tried and true, having been passed down to our friend Jeanne from her mother.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Chill Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 slices white bread
- 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 can (14 ounce) Italian-style tomatoes (diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano), undrained
- 1/2 medium to large green pepper, seeded, cored and chopped
- 1/2 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped – plus more for garnish
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 4 drops Tabasco sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- Fresh ground pepper, to taste
- Paprika, to taste
Instructions
- Place bread slices in a single layer in a shallow pan. Drizzle with the vinegar; soak for 15 minutes. (While the bread is soaking, prep the vegetables.)
- Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until desired consistency. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.
- Remove from refrigerator and season with additional salt and/or Tabasco as needed. Serve cold, garnished with chopped cucumber.
Notes
Make ahead: Gazpacho can be made up to 24 hours in advance, covered and refrigerated.
- Category: First course, Chilled soups
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 2.8 g
- Sodium: 251.2 mg
- Fat: 11.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.5 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 1.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Where can I find the glasses that you use for your gazpacho?
They’re actually martini glasses. I can’t recall where I found them – but I think if you google stemless martini glasses you’ll find something similar. I hope this helps!