I enjoy soup year-round, but when summer temperatures soar and humidity rises, a steaming bowl can feel heavy. That’s when a chilled, refreshing bowl of gazpacho is perfect. Full of vegetables, vitamins, and bright flavors, it cools you down and nourishes your body.
If you want a healthy, no-fuss meal without turning on the stove or oven, gazpacho is an ideal choice. It comes together quickly in a blender or food processor and improves if you make it ahead to let the flavors meld.
Below is a straightforward, crowd-pleasing recipe. For best results, prepare it a day in advance and chill thoroughly—it’s worth the wait.
Gazpacho
Serves 6–8
Ingredients
1/3 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup low-sodium tomato juice
1 (28 oz.) can San Marzano tomatoes*
4 slices French or Italian bread, crust removed and cut into 1″ cubes
1 small red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded and diced (or 1 English cucumber)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Whisk the sherry, red wine vinegar, and tomato juice together in a small bowl and set aside.
In a blender or food processor, work in batches to puree the San Marzano tomatoes with the cubed bread until smooth, about 30–40 seconds per batch. Transfer the tomato-and-bread puree to a large mixing bowl.
Next, puree the chopped red onion and minced garlic with a small amount of the sherry mixture until smooth. Add that to the bowl with the tomato puree.
Pulse the diced bell pepper and cucumbers with a little of the sherry mixture until coarsely chopped, then add them to the bowl as well.
Whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil and the remaining sherry-vinegar-tomato juice mixture. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least two hours; for the best flavor, refrigerate 24 hours to allow the ingredients to meld.
Before serving, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Ladle the gazpacho into chilled bowls and garnish with additional diced bell pepper, minced red onion, and croutons if you like.
*Note: During a trip to Italy several summers ago I took a culinary class where they often used San Marzano tomatoes. Even when fresh tomatoes are available, San Marzanos bring a deep, balanced flavor that enhances soups and sauces.
Enjoy!