Gazpacho – Cold Raw Soup with a Kick

Cold soup sounds a little odd at first. Raw soup sounds like one of those new-aged health fads. But in reality, there’s nothing new or odd about gazpacho, a classic dish in Spanish cuisine.

While on vacation the other day, my mom served her homemade gazpacho and I enthusiastically sipped up every last drop. And then I asked her for the recipe.

Gazpacho is perfect for a hot summer day – which is perhaps why the clever Andalusians came up with it in the first place. Hot soup under the hot Spanish sun does not sound fun.

Raw vegetables blended into a cool and refreshing concoction, however, makes for culinary perfection on a hot summer evening.

And because all it is is raw vegetables, herbs, and spices blended up, it’s also super healthy. Which is why my mom’s gazpacho makes a perfect addition to my repertoire of recipes.

Gazpacho is really hard to mess up, and it’s incredibly easy to tweak.There are many different versions of gazpacho, but the modern versions typically take on a variation of vegetables.

I happen to love this version – a traditional tomato base filled with fresh, raw vegetables, a healthy dose of flavorful oregano, and a little cayenne for a kick. My mom adds a little red wine which rounds out the flavor, but this is totally optional. Most Andalusian versions contain stale bread, but it’s one hundred percent not necessary in my book.

If you prefer a chunkier soup, just leave some of the chopped vegetables to the side and add them in after blending.

Basil makes a nice addition, and truly I can imagine so many different vegetable and herb combinations that would be equally delicious. I can also imagine adding lemon or celery with delicious results. But we’ll start with this classic tomato gazpacho recipe.

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Gazpacho Soup with a Kick

A traditional, flavorful tomato-based cold gazpacho soup recipe with an optional kick.

Course Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes

Total Time 12 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 2 large cans tomatoes
• 1 large clove garlic
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/3 cup red wine optional
• a few dashes cayenne or hot sauce to taste optional

Instructions

1. Wash and prep all of the produce.

2. In a food processor, process the garlic and onion until finely chopped, then add the oil and vinegar. 

3. Add the remaining ingredients – vegetables*, spices, tomatoes, wine and cayenne/ hot sauce if using and process until blended.

4. Serve cold and enjoy! Makes 8-10 servings, and keeps well covered in the fridge for a couple of days. 

Recipe Notes

* Optional – leave some chopped vegetables to the side and add them at the end for a chunkier variation. 

If you want to try some more refreshing and nutritious raw soup recipes, check out this raw creamy vegan celery soup recipe and this raw vegan green blender soup recipe. Do you have a favorite raw soup? Let me know in the comments!

Bon appetit, or maybe should I say Salud!