Gazpacho

This traditional gazpacho recipe is a refreshing no-cook cold soup, featuring a mix of fresh veggies and tomato-based vegetable juice for a perfect blend of smooth and chunky textures.

This easy gazpacho recipe is a classic, no-cook Spanish soup and the iteration we’re familiar with today is a bit different from the original. Some food historians say gazpacho dates back somewhere between the 8th and 13th centuries. Back then, it was made with garlic, salt, bread, olive oil, and vinegar (no tomatoes!). It wasn’t until peppers and tomatoes arrived in Europe in the 16th century, that the soup evolved, and those ingredients were added.

I have recipes for Bloody Mary Gazpacho and a Mango Gazpacho, but there’s something in the simplicity of plain old tomato that always works for me. What makes this soup extra simple to make is using a mix of fresh tomatoes and vegetable juice like V-8. I’ve tried making this with spicy V-8, but prefer the regular so I can adjust the heat to my liking. I’ve seen many variations on gazpacho, running the gamut from silky smooth to chunky, just like a salsa. I prefer mine well blended but with a bite, with just enough chunkiness to make me feel like I’m eating something instead of sipping.

What’s Gazpacho Made Of?

Here’s what’s in this traditional gazpacho:

• Tomatoes (cocktail or Campari tomatoes)
• Tomato juice, plain or spicy like V-8 vegetable juice (or both, in this case!)
• Celery
• Cucumber — You can use run-of-the-mill cucumbers but I prefer the Armenian or hot house seedless cucumbers. If you do use regular cucumbers, be sure to cut them in half first and use a spoon to remove all of the seeds before chopping.
• Red onion
• Garlic is usually an ingredient I apply the old “the more, the merrier” treatment to, but guess what? Less is more here. Stick to the 2 cloves and you’ll be much happier, trust me.
• Olive oil — a good quality extra virgin olive oil is important here
• Vinegar (I love using red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar)

Tip: If you want a little heat, consider adding some jalapeño or a couple of dashes of hot sauce.

What is the Health Benefit of Gazpacho

Chock-full of healthy fruit and veggies (that maintain all of their nutrients since this soup is raw), gazpacho is teeming with fiber, minerals, and vitamins A, C, and E, as well as plenty of carotenoids (antioxidants that can help prevent cancer), like beta-carotene and lycopene.

There’s no question this summery soup is an excellent (and delicious) way to get those veggies in. Not to mention it’s a stellar way to put peak summer produce to good use!

What’s the Difference Between Salsa and Gazpacho

While salsa and gazpacho may share some ingredients, they’re quite different. Salsas typically aren’t puréed like gazpacho is, and they also don’t contain celery.

How to Make Gazpacho From Scratch

The best thing about this traditional gazpacho recipe is it’s super easy to make at home. You can whip it up in your blender or food processor in a matter of minutes, and it’s no-cook! Let me tell you, I live for a summery recipe that doesn’t require me to turn my stove or oven on when it’s sweltering hot.

Blend some of it up. Using a blender or food processor, simply blend half of your veggies with the tomato juice, olive oil, and seasonings until smooth.

Pulse once or twice. Add the other half of your veggies, only pulsing once or twice, that way you’ll have the perfect amount of chunk to your gazpacho, for an extra satisfying texture.

Chill. Put your gazpacho in the fridge for at least an hour (while your gazpacho chills, you should chill too). Letting your soup hang out in the fridge for a while allows time for the flavors to get happier, and your soup will be ultra-satisfying and refreshing once cool.

Garnish and serve. Mix a bit of water with some sour cream to thin it out and drizzle over your gazpacho for the perfect amount of creaminess (tomatoes and sour cream are a match made in heaven, after all). Top with freshly chopped chives.

What to Serve with Gazpacho

Eat this gazpacho cold or at room temperature, or chill it in the fridge for at least an hour, for super refreshing results. A chilled bowl (or glass) of gazpacho on a hot summer day always hits the spot. Here are some ideas for what to serve with: 

• Garnish with a bit of sour cream thinned down with a little water for a bit of tang.
• Top it with grilled shrimp and chunks of avocado and fresh snipped chives
• Mediterranean Orzo Salad
• Grilled Flatbread with Peaches and Arugula Pesto
• Top with croutons for a crunchy bite.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a  star rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

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4.98 from 35 votes

Traditional Gazpacho Recipe

This traditional no-cook gazpacho is a mix of fresh vegetables and store-bought tomato based vegetable juice for a perfect blend of smooth and chunky vegetable textures.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword traditional gazpacho

Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 139kcal

Ingredients

• 3 stalks celery , diced
• 1 seedless hot-house cucumber with skin on , diced
• 1 zucchini , diced
• ¾ whole medium red onion , diced
• 4 cups tomato juice such as V-8
• 2 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons Chohula hot sauce or other hot sauce to taste
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 6 cocktail or campari tomatoes , diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup sour cream
• Fresh chives for garnish

Instructions

• In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, combine half of the celery, cucumber, zucchini, red onion and 2 cups of the tomato juice with the pressed or minced garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, celery salt, and garlic salt.
• Pulse all of ingredients until well blended. Add the rest of the tomato juice and pulse to mix.
• Add the celery, cucumber, zucchini, and the diced tomatoes and pulse once or twice. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and adjust the hot sauce to taste.
• Chill the soup for at least 1 hour before serving.
• Serve the soup with a drizzle of the sour cream that has been thinned with a bit of water. Top with fresh chopped chives.

Nutrition

Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 1858mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1461IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg

More No-Cook Summer Eats

• Cucumber Salad with Dill
• How to Make THE BEST Chimichurri Sauce
• Greek Chickpea Salad
• THE BEST Caprese Sandwich
• Dreamy Creamy Mango Pops
• How to Make THE BEST Creamy Coleslaw

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