Quick Gazpacho - Test Recipes (2024)

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by Michael Chu

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Last week, Tina and I visited Nate and Annie of House of Annie for an heirloom tomato tasting. They provided twenty different tomato varieties that they grew in their backyard (as well as providing a wonderful dinner) to try. After the tasting, they packed me a care package of tomatoes and suggested I make gazpacho.For a full account of the taste testing, take a look at what Nate wrote: Herloom Tomato Tasting at House of Annie. For the record, I liked Brandy Boy (my favorite), Little Lucky, Goose Creek, and JD Special CTex the best.

Gazpacho is a Spanish soup traditionally made with bread and vegetables (usually tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, and onion) and seasoned with olive oil, garlic, and vinegar. It's usually served chilled but some regions serve it warm or hot.

I decided to do the fastest and simplest recipe possible for a chilled, raw, tomato gazpacho. I based the recipe on one of House of Annie's gazpacho recipes.I started off (as always) assembling the ingredients 1/2 large (150 g) cucumber, 1 slice white bread (roughly chopped), 1 clove (6 g) garlic, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. paprika, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, and 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar. The tomatoes (about 800 g of chopped up and whole tomatoes) were in a large Ziploc bag in my refrigerator.
After chopping up the cucumber, I stuffed all the ingredients into a large blender and pulsed for one second at a time about ten times. (The number and duration of pulses will depend on the power and efficiency of your particular blender).
After the pulsing, the mixture was fairly hom*ogeneous with only a few small bits (smaller than the size of tomato seeds) suspended in the mixture. I'll remove those bits later buy pouring through a sieve.
The mixture was poured into a large bowl and refrigerated for an hour to chill and allow the flavors to meld.
Before serving, I ladled the gazpacho into a sieve (strainer) and stirred it (in the sieve) to filter out any pulp and seeds.}?>

This method really did yield a tasty gazpacho with a minimum of time and effort in the kitchen - just a couple minutes to assemble the ingredients, run the blender, and stick the soup into the fridge. I did find that the texture of the soup was more "fluffy" probably due to the incorporation of air into the soup during the violent blending stage. Nate had the same results when using his blender and prefers some of his other recipes. I'm no a gazpacho aficionado, and besides the texture (which I didn't mind) I found the gazpacho to be very flavorful (although I suspect that the high quality of the tomatoes really took this dish to the next level) and had a nice lingering spiciness from the garlic. Overall a refreshing dish on a warm evening.
}?>

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Written by Michael Chu

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5 comments on Quick Gazpacho:(Post a comment)

On October 05, 2008 at 10:48 PM, Aussie Altissima (guest) said...

Subject: Spanish smoked Paprika

Lucky you! those tomatoes look delicious. We in the southern hemisphere are just planting our tomatoes now.
You didn't specify what type of paprika you used. I notice House of Annie's recipe specified Smoked Spanish Paprika, and I would heartily endorse this for gazpacho- it adds delicious depth and complexity. I prefer the sweet/mild variety , but it also available in hot.

On October 06, 2008 at 08:29 AM, surfzone said...

Subject: About ingredients

At home we eat quite a lot of gazpacho, maybe 2-3 times per week, specially during hot summer months. It is excellent for its mix of vegetables, vitamins and everything else :-D
We never used paprika, maybe next time we'll try it.
BTW, that smoked paprika has a proper name: Piment�n de la Vera :-)

On October 06, 2008 at 08:13 PM, an anonymous reader said...

Subject: Stick Blender is slower but better

Hi Michael,

thanks again for coming over. It was a very pleasant evening, meeting and eating with you and Tina.

I've done this gazpacho in my old el cheapo Hamilton Beach blender, and I don't recall the gazpacho coming out as "fluffy" as it did using the Vita-Mix. I guess the more powerful blender is able to pull more air into the soup. I think I'll just sick with the hand blender from now on.

Aloha,

Nate
http://chezanies.blogspot.com

On November 04, 2008 at 10:41 PM, Brandy (guest) said...

Subject: Close to what I had in Spain

While I was studying in Spain a few years ago, I learned how to make gazpacho from a guy I met in Seville. This is extremely close to what he taught me. Only difference is that we didn't use paprika and added some cold water while straining the puree. The water might fix your fluffy texture. We drank it instead of eating it as a soup and I've never tasted anything so refreshing on a hot summer day!

On July 07, 2012 at 03:34 PM, Antilope (guest) said...

Subject: When using supermarket tomatoes that don't have much flavor.

If I am making Gazpacho from supermarket tomatoes that don't have a lot of flavor, I add some V8 juice to the recipe. It really perks up the final result.

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Quick Gazpacho - Test Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients for gazpacho soup? ›

Gazpacho is a classic cold Spanish soup, perfect for sweltering summer days. It's traditionally made with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and garlic. For this version, we are including even more fresh garden vegetables and spicing up the soup with some Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce.

How do you get the bitterness out of gazpacho? ›

Too bitter? Add some fresh fruit, more tomatoes, or even a pinch of sugar.

Is it necessary to peel tomatoes for gazpacho? ›

Although it's often okay to leave on tomato skins when cooking them, they are too fibrous to slurp in soup form. To remove the skins, mark a small "X" on the bottom, gently lower them into boiling water for 30 seconds, then shock in ice water. The skins will slip right off, and you can proceed with the gazpacho recipe.

Is gazpacho really healthy for you? ›

But the benefits of gazpacho go beyond the temperature. Made from tomatoes and vegetables, it carries numerous health benefits, too. It's a source of Vitamin vitamin A, Vitamin vitamin C, and Vitamin vitamin E, along with several other minerals and nutrients.

What is used as a thickening agent in gazpacho? ›

The quick answer is raw tomatoes — along with uncooked peppers, onions, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and stale bread used as thickener — although the relatively newfangled addition didn't come about until the 19th century, after the discovery of the Americas.

Why is my gazpacho pink? ›

While a gustatorily stultifying purée of tomatoes and tomato juice is lipstick-red, real gazpacho falls somewhere between pink and orange, thanks to the olive oil, bread, and nuts. But you can trick the eye by adding a nice green garnish. (Fresh herbs are fine, but avocado is better.)

Does gazpacho taste better the next day? ›

Yes, it does! Gazpacho should be chilled for at least 30 minutes before serving, but letting it chill overnight is best, to allow all of the flavors to meld together.

How do you know when gazpacho has gone bad? ›

One can determine the freshness of gazpacho by looking for changes in color and smell. A dimming of the vibrant hues of the vegetables or an off-putting odor can signal that the gazpacho may no longer be fresh and should be discarded. Signs of spoilage: Color change from bright to dull.

Why is my gazpacho bitter? ›

Removing the skins from your tomatoes and cucumbers will remove any chance of tiny fibrous bits floating in your gazpacho. Additionally, the skins contain naturally occurring flavonoid compounds, which can impart a bitter flavor.

What is a substitute for tomato juice in gazpacho? ›

If you're making gazpacho and don't have tomato juice, you can use a combination of blended fresh tomatoes, red bell peppers, cucumber, and a splash of vinegar as a substitute. This mixture will still give your gazpacho the desired tomato-like base and refreshing flavor.

What to serve with gazpacho? ›

Roasted chickpeas, croutons, chopped hard boiled eggs, and avocado would be delicious toppings too. Round out the meal with good crusty bread, socca, or avocado toast. For a heartier meal, serve this easy gazpacho with grilled vegetables and romesco sauce, your favorite protein, or a summer veggie frittata.

What is gazpacho in english? ›

Gazpacho (Spanish: [ɡaθˈpatʃo]) or gaspacho ( Portuguese: [ɡɐʃˈpaʃu]), also called Andalusian gazpacho, is a cold soup and drink made of raw, blended vegetables. It originated in the southern regions of the Iberian peninsula and spread into other areas.

Is gazpacho good for losing weight? ›

A bowl of Gazpacho at the start of a meal is one of the best ways of losing weight sensibly when you have a "Protein-Vegetable" day.

Is gazpacho good for blood pressure? ›

Regular consumption of cold gazpacho soup can help to battle high blood pressure and cut heart disease risk, say researchers.

Is gazpacho high in sugar? ›

As can be observed in Figure 4, gazpacho shows the highest amount of free sugar, alcohol and most micronutrients. This cold tomato soup is the second tested food in iron, phosphorus and zinc content.

What does gazpacho mean in English? ›

noun. gaz·​pa·​cho gə-ˈspä-(ˌ)chō gəz-ˈpä- plural gazpachos. : a spicy soup that is usually made from chopped raw vegetables (such as tomato, onion, pepper, and cucumber) and that is served cold.

What is green gazpacho made of? ›

Purée cucumbers, garlic, and ½ cup water in a blender until smooth. Add arugula, herbs, vinegar, and a large pinch of salt and purée, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed, until very smooth. With the motor running, slowly stream in oil; blend until emulsified.

What does gazpacho soup taste like? ›

At its best, gazpacho is super refreshing and bursting with fresh-from-the-garden summer flavors. At its worst, gazpacho tastes like chunky cold salsa or thin tomato juice, neither of which do I particularly enjoy. I wanted a texture somewhere in between the two, and far superior flavor.

Does gazpacho contain bread? ›

The bread gives gazpacho, which has its origins in Andalusia long before the tomato arrived in Europe (it was made simply with stale bread, water, vinegar, garlic and olive oil), its wonderful texture. Keep a pitcher on hand in the refrigerator for refreshing snacks and quick, healthy lunches.

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