Gazpacho Soup with Fresh Salsa and Crunchy Croutons -

Gazpacho Soup with Fresh Salsa and Crunchy Croutons

Course: Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine: European, Spanish

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: Cold Soup, gazpacho, vegetable medley

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 5

Chill Time: 2

Servings:

Calories: 547kcal

Indulge in a delicious and refreshing gazpacho soup recipe - a chilled, tomato-based delight bursting with fresh flavours. Beat the summer heat and nourish your taste buds with this easy-to-make dish using readily available ingredients.

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Ingredients

For the Soup

1 cup seasoned (or unseasoned) croutons or 1 slice of day-old white bread
2 pounds ripe Tomatoes on the vine (approx. 12 tomatoes) rinsed, seeds removed & roughly chopped
½ large English cucumber peeled, seeds removed & roughly chopped
1 cup red bell pepper (approx. 1 pepper) rinsed, seeds/stem removed & roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic peeled, hard stem trimmed off
1 large red or white shallot or 1/4 large onion (red or white), peeled & roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 teaspoon Table salt
2 teaspoons white sugar
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Salsa

1 large ripe tomato on the vine rinsed, seeds removed & finely diced
½ large English cucumber rinsed & finely diced
½ cup red bell pepper (approx. 1/2 a pepper) rinsed, seeds/stem removed & finely diced
2 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley rinsed & finely chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh mint rinsed, leafs finely chopped
½ large lemon juiced
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon Table salt

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Instructions

For the soup

Add croutons to food processor (or blender), then give them a few quick pulsates to break them down (approx. 15 pulses). This step can be skipped if you're using a blender or stale bread.
Next, add the remaining prepared ingredients to the processor or blender—tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, shallot (or onion), sherry vinegar, salt, sugar, and ground black pepper. Blend everything for a few minutes until you achieve a smooth, blended mixture.
With the machine running at medium-high speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to create a creamy and emulsified soup.
Transfer the soup to an airtight container or bowl, cover it up, and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours to allow the flavours to meld together.

For the vegetable salsa

Combine finely diced ingredients in a large mixing bowl (tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, flat-leaf parsley & mint).
Add lemon juice, salt and extra virgin olive oil to the vegetables. Use a spoon to mix all the ingredients together, then cover and refrigerate the salsa
When serving, accompany the soup with the chilled salsa and a few additional croutons. You can also drizzle some extra olive oil on the soup if desired. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Why add bread/croutons to the blended soup?

For almost any hot soup I make, I like to thicken it with some starch to give it a hearty texture. Since there is no cooking involved for this soup, the bread or croutons act as the starch to thicken it while it rests in the fridge. You can substitute gluten-free bread or croutons if you are gluten sensitive.

Is this a make-ahead friendly recipe?

Yes, it is! It can be prepared ahead of time in just two simple steps using a blender or food processor. Whether you want to save time or plan for an upcoming gathering, you can make this soup 2 hours to 24 hours in advance. You'll only need to wait for the chilling part, but it's well worth the wait! Not to mention the soup will develop more flavour while you let it rest.

Suggestion:

Instead of hot tomato soup, try this cold gazpacho paired with grilled cheese sandwich!
Using fresh, ripe tomatoes ensures you get ultimate flavour. I like using tomatoes on the vine but you can also use sweet cherry tomatoes or heirloom/plum tomatoes.

Nutrition