When it comes to summer meals, nothing beats the refreshing coolness of a chilled soup, and this is truly the best gazpacho recipe you’ll ever try. Bursting with ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and sweet bell peppers, this best gazpacho recipe is a simple, no-cook dish that tastes like pure sunshine in a bowl.
Why You’ll Love This
This best gazpacho recipe is packed with vibrant, fresh produce and balanced perfectly with a touch of vinegar, olive oil, and just the right amount of sweetness. It’s naturally gluten-free if you skip the bread, and vegan-friendly too. Best of all, it’s make-ahead friendly, making it the ultimate dish for easy entertaining or a quick lunch on a hot day.
Around early September it gets almost too hot to eat — which, for this girl, is saying a lot. Not even a salad suffices because the whole thing would just turn into a sad pile of wilted bits before we can get it to the table.
Days like that are when I make gazpacho. It’s not rocket science. I didn’t invent it. But it’s the only thing I can bare to make when I’m in this slothy state.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to bring the best gazpacho recipe to life:
- 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes – The juicy, flavorful star of the show.
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil – Adds richness and smooth texture.
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon cane sugar – Essential to season and balance the flavors.
- 2 Persian cucumbers – For a refreshing crunch.
- 1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper – Adds sweetness and color.
- 4 garlic cloves – Lends a sharp, savory note.
- 1 small French baguette (crust removed) – Helps to thicken the soup.
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar – Gives a bright, tangy edge.
- Fresh basil leaves – For a gorgeous garnish and a pop of herbal freshness.
How to Make This Recipe
First, macerate the tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and sugar to draw out their juices and concentrate the flavor—an essential step in the best gazpacho recipe. Blend the tomato mixture with the cucumbers, bell pepper, garlic, bread, and vinegar until silky smooth. Strain it through a fine mesh sieve for an ultra-luxurious texture, then chill thoroughly before serving.
Top Tip To Make The Best Tomato Gazpacho Recipe
The one thing I insist you do if you’re going to make gazpacho in my presence (or anywhere near this site) is to macerate the tomatoes before blending them. I know, it requires patience and no one has patience anymore when it comes to cooking but it’s pretty much the only thing you have to do to make this gazpacho, so make it happen.
Enough writing from me: I need to go stick my head in the freezer in attempts to cool down and you, go make some gazpacho!
What to Serve With This
This best gazpacho recipe is fantastic on its own but even better alongside a crusty baguette, a vibrant summer salad, or some grilled seafood. It’s also the perfect starter for a Spanish-inspired meal. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a few fresh basil leaves, and you’ve got an effortless yet impressive dish that screams summer.
Classic Spanish Recipes
Not heading to Spain anytime soon? Get a taste of the country (and some San Sebastian tapas) by making these recipes at home!
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The Best Tomato Gazpacho Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes coarsely chopped (reserving juices) (about 8 cups)
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for garnish
- 1 1/2 tesapoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon unrefined cane sugar
- 2 Persian cucumbers (about 8 ounces), roughly chopped
- 1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper (about 8 ounces), stems, ribs and seeds removed, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 (6-inch) French (aka sweet) baguette crust removed, torn into small pieces
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- Handful fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Macerate The Tomatoes: Combine tomatoes and reserved juices, oil, sugar, and salt in a large nonreactive bowl, toss to combine, cover, and set aside at room temperature to macerate for as long as you can, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
- Blend The Gazpacho: Place tomato mixture, cucumbers, bell pepper, garlic, bread, and vinegar in a food processor fitted with an S blade and process until well mixed and blended, about 3 minutes. Taste and add more salt, sugar, or vinegar as needed.
- Finish The Gazpacho: Pass gazpacho through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the back of the mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Place in the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish each bowl with a few basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.
