This traditional gazpacho recipe is a refreshing no-cook cold soup, featuring a mix of fresh veggies and tomato-based vegetable juice for a perfect blend of smooth and chunky textures.
Traditional Gazpacho
This easy gazpacho recipe is a classic, no-cook Spanish soup and the iteration we’re familiar with today is a bit different from the original. Some food historians say gazpacho dates back somewhere between the 8th and 13th centuries. Back then, it was made with garlic, salt, bread, olive oil, and vinegar (no tomatoes!). It wasn’t until peppers and tomatoes arrived in Europe in the 16th century, that the soup evolved, and those ingredients were added.
I have recipes for Bloody Mary Gazpacho and a Mango Gazpacho, but there’s something in the simplicity of plain old tomato that always works for me. What makes this soup extra simple to make is using a mix of fresh tomatoes and vegetable juice like V-8. I’ve tried making this with spicy V-8, but prefer the regular so I can adjust the heat to my liking. Gazpacho can run the gamut from silky smooth to chunky, just like a salsa. I prefer mine well blended but with a bite, with just enough chunk to make me feel like I’m eating something instead of sipping.
Eat this gazpacho cold or at room temperature, or chill it in the fridge for at least an hour, for super refreshing results. I spoon a swirl of thinned sour cream into the soup for a little tang. A chilled bowl (or glass) of gazpacho on a hot summer day always hits the spot.
What Is Gazpacho Usually Made Of?
Here’s what’s in this traditional gazpacho:
Tomatoes Tomato juice, plain or spicy like V-8 vegetable juice (or both, in this case!) Celery Cucumber — you can use run of the mill cucumbers but I prefer the Armenian or hot house seedless cucumbers. If you do use regular cucumbers, be sure to cut in half first and use a spoon to remove all of the seeds before chopping. Red onion Garlic is usually an ingredient I apply the old “the more, the merrier” treatment to, but guess what? Less is more here. Stick to the 2 cloves and you’ll be much happier, trust me. Olive oil — a good quality extra virgin olive oil is important here Vinegar or sherry (I love using red wine vinegar)
Is Gazpacho Really Healthy?
Chock-full of healthy fruit and veggies (that maintain all of their nutrients since this soup is raw), gazpacho is teeming with fiber, minerals and vitamins A, C and E, as well as plenty of carotenoids (antioxidants that can help prevent cancer), like beta-carotene and lycopene.
There’s no question this summery soup is an excellent (and delicious) way to get those veggies in. Not to mention it’s a stellar way to put peak summer produce to good use!
How to Make Gazpacho From Scratch
The best thing about this traditional gazpacho recipe is it’s super easy to make from scratch. You can whip it up in your blender or food processor in a matter of minutes, and it’s no-cook! Let me tell you, I live for a summery recipe that doesn’t require me to turn my stove or oven on when it’s sweltering hot.
Blend some of it up. Using a blender or food processor, simply blend half of your veggies with the tomato juice, olive oil and seasonings until smooth.
Pulse once or twice. Add the other half of your veggies, only pulsing once or twice, that way you’ll have the perfect amount of chunk to your gazpacho, for an extra satisfying texture.
Chill. Put your gazpacho in the fridge for at least an hour (while your gazpacho chills, you should chill too). Letting your soup hang out in the fridge for a while allows time for the flavors to get happier, and your soup will be ultra satisfying and refreshing once cool.
Garnish and serve. Mix a bit of water with some sour cream to thin it out and drizzle over your gazpacho for the perfect amount of creaminess (tomatoes and sour cream are a match made in heaven, after all). Top with freshly chopped chives.
What to Serve with Gazpacho Garnish with a bit of sour cream thinned down with a little water. Top it with grilled shrimp and chunks of avocado and fresh snipped chives Mediterranean Orzo Salad Grilled Flatbread with Peaches and Arugula Pesto
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a star rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Traditional Gazpacho Recipe This traditional no-cook gazpacho is a mix of fresh vegetables and store-bought tomato based vegetable juice for a perfect blend of smooth and chunky vegetable textures. Course Appetizer, Main CourseCuisine SpanishKeyword traditional gazpacho Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutesTotal Time 1 hour 10 minutes Servings 8 Calories 139kcal Ingredients3 stalks celery , diced1 seedless hot-house cucumber with skin on , diced1 zucchini , diced¾ whole medium red onion , diced4 cups tomato juice such as V-82 cloves garlic , pressed or minced¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil¼ cup red wine vinegar2 tablespoons sugar2 tablespoons Chohula hot sauce or other hot sauce to taste1 tablespoon celery salt1 tablespoon garlic salt6 cocktail or campari tomatoes , dicedKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper¼ cup sour creamFresh chives for garnish InstructionsIn the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, combine half of the celery, cucumber, zucchini, red onion and 2 cups of the tomato juice with the pressed or minced garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, celery salt, and garlic salt.Pulse all of ingredients until well blended. Add the rest of the tomato juice and pulse to mix. Add the celery, cucumber, zucchini, and the diced tomatoes and pulse once or twice. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and adjust the hot sauce to taste.Chill the soup for at least 1 hour before serving.Serve the soup with a drizzle of the sour cream that has been thinned with a bit of water. Top with fresh chopped chives. NutritionCalories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 1858mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1461IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
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