
Best Gazpacho
More of a drink than a traditional soup, gazpacho is best enjoyed in frosted glasses or chilled tumblers, especially on sweltering days when you crave something cold, savory, and substantial for lunch. Originating from Seville, Spain, where this recipe comes from, but it's not the watered-down salsa or grainy vegetable purée often served in the United States.This particular version skips the bread, resulting in a creamy orange-pink hue instead of the typical bright red. This richer color comes from the generous amount of olive oil used, elevating the gazpacho from ordinary to exceptional. The blend of vibrant red tomato juice, delicate green cucumber juice, and golden olive oil creates a balanced right color and a smooth, almost fluffy texture.
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Servings 8
Ingredients
- About 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes cored and roughly cut into chunks
- 1 Italian frying cubanelle pepper or another long, light green pepper, such as Anaheim, cored, seeded and roughly cut into chunks
- 1 cucumber about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks
- 1 small mild onion white or red, peeled and roughly cut into chunks
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar more to taste
- Salt
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil more to taste, plus more for drizzling
Instructions
- In a blender or a deep bowl using a hand blender (working in batches if necessary), combine tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, onion, and garlic. Blend on high speed for at least 2 minutes, pausing to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed, until very smooth.
- With the blender running, add vinegar and 2 teaspoons of salt. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until the mixture turns bright orange or dark pink, achieving a smooth, emulsified consistency similar to salad dressing. If the texture seems watery, continue drizzling in olive oil until creamy.
- Strain the mixture through a strainer or food mill, pressing all liquid through with a spatula or back of a ladle. Discard the solids. Transfer the strained gazpacho to a large pitcher, preferably glass, and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, adjust the seasoning with salt and vinegar to taste. If the soup is overly thick, stir in a few tablespoons of ice water. Serve in glasses, optionally over ice, or in bowls. A few drops of olive oil drizzled on top add a nice finishing touch.