Chilled Gazpacho (Spanish cold tomato soup)
A bright, refreshing chilled tomato soup—blended, sieved and served cold with a basil drizzle. Easy summer supper or starter.
Gazpacho is summer in a bowl: cool, bright and utterly forgiving. This version is the classic Andalusian blend of ripe tomatoes and crunchy veg, blitzed with bread and olive oil for body.
Make it the day before a picnic or supper — the flavours deepen as it chills, and it’s wonderful with crusty bread or a salad alongside. It’s quick to prep and perfect for hot days when you don’t want to use the hob.
Ingredients
- 800 g ripe tomatoes
- 1 red pepper
- 1 cucumber — medium, peeled if waxed
- 1 brown onion — small
- 1 garlic clove — small
- 100 g day-old white bread — stale loaf or crusts removed
- 60 ml cold water — for soaking bread
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil — 50 ml for blending, 10 ml to drizzle
- 30 ml sherry vinegar
- 10 ml sea salt
- 5 ml freshly ground black pepper — or to taste
- 6 fresh basil leaves — for garnish
Equipment
- blender or food processor
- fine sieve
- large jug
- ladle
Instructions
Core the tomatoes and roughly chop them. Remove seeds and core from the red pepper and coarsely chop. Peel and roughly chop the cucumber and the brown onion. Smash the garlic clove with the flat of a knife and peel.
Tear the day-old white bread into pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour over the cold water and leave to soak for 10 minutes, until softened, then squeeze out most of the liquid and break the bread into rough pieces.
Put the chopped tomatoes, red pepper, cucumber, brown onion, garlic, the soaked bread pieces and 50 ml of the extra virgin olive oil into a blender or food processor. Add the sherry vinegar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Blend until completely smooth, about 90–120 seconds.
For a refined texture, push the purée through a fine sieve into a large jug using a ladle or wooden spoon. Discard the solids left in the sieve or use as a bruschetta topping.
Stir the sieved soup, taste and adjust seasoning with a little extra sea salt or sherry vinegar if needed. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours so the flavours marry and the soup is properly cold.
To serve, pour the chilled gazpacho into bowls, drizzle the remaining 10 ml extra virgin olive oil over each portion and scatter with torn fresh basil leaves.
Tips
- Choose the ripest tomatoes you can find—they’re the backbone of flavour. If tomatoes are tart, add an extra 5–10 ml sherry vinegar to balance.
- If the blender struggles, work in two batches rather than overheat the motor; pulse and rest rather than run continuously.
- Strain into a jug and chill uncovered for the first 30 minutes so excess steam escapes, then cover to prevent odours.
- Leftovers keep 2–3 days refrigerated in an airtight container; stir well before serving as solids may settle.
- For a punchier finish, add a small splash of extra virgin olive oil to each bowl just before serving rather than mixing it all in.
Substitutions
sherry vinegar → red wine vinegar, same quantity
Stays closeday-old white bread → gluten-free stale bread, same weight
Noticeably differentextra virgin olive oil → mild-flavoured oil (rapeseed), same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 245
- Calories
- 4 g
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 350 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make gazpacho without bread?
Yes — omit the bread and add 50–100 ml cold water or tomato juice while blending for body. Texture will be lighter and more broth-like.
How long can I store gazpacho?
Keeps 2–3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Flavour mellows with time; taste and re-season before serving.
Can I freeze it?
Freezing is possible but not ideal—the texture changes on thawing. If you must, freeze in portions and defrost overnight in the fridge, then blitz briefly before serving.
What if my blender overheats?
Stop, allow the blender to cool for 10–15 minutes, then finish in short bursts. Alternatively pulse in smaller batches.
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