Best Gazpacho

By Julia Moskin

Updated Nov. 13, 2023

Best Gazpacho
Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Total Time
20 minutes plus chilling time
Rating
5(15,291)
Comments
Read comments

More of a drink than a soup, served in frosted glasses or chilled tumblers, gazpacho is perfect when it is too hot to eat but you need cold, salt and lunch all at the same time. Gazpacho is everywhere in Seville, Spain, where this recipe comes from, but it's not the watered-down salsa or grainy vegetable purée often served in the United States. This version has no bread and is a creamy orange-pink rather than a lipstick red. That is because a large quantity of olive oil is required for making delicious gazpacho, rather than take-it-or-leave it gazpacho. The emulsion of red tomato juice, palest green cucumber juice and golden olive oil produces the right color and a smooth, almost fluffy texture.

Featured in: Gazpacho, Seville-Style, to Sip in Summer

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:8 to 12 servings, about 1 quart
  • About 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, cored and roughly cut into chunks
  • 1Italian frying (cubanelle) pepper or another long, light green pepper, such as Anaheim, cored, seeded and roughly cut into chunks
  • 1cucumber, about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks
  • 1small mild onion (white or red), peeled and roughly cut into chunks
  • 1clove garlic
  • 2teaspoons sherry vinegar, more to taste
  • Salt
  • ½cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste, plus more for drizzling
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

122 calories; 11 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 365 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand blender, in a deep bowl. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.

    Image of raw chopped vegetables in a blender for making gazpacho.
  2. Step 2

    With the motor running, add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.

  3. Step 3

    Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the solids. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.

    Image of gazpacho being strained into a bowl after blending.
  4. Step 4

    Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few drops of olive oil on top are a nice touch.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
15,291 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Lori

I've made this twice. The first time I strained it, per recipe. It was good, seemed more like juice than gazpacho. Would probably be good with a little vodka and Tabasco. But I missed the fiber, so the next time I puréed the heck out of it, but did not strain. I liked it better. Drank the vodka straight. :)

Alicia

I am from Madrid but spent almost all the summers before I was 28 yr-old in Andalucía, where I own a place. Your recipe is pretty accurate but I want to give you some feedback. First of all, I definitely use less oil. We also add a pinch of cumin and we leave half the peel of the cucumber on for better digestion. Last, we add the white center of days-old bread (a third or half of a French baguette-like) soaked in vinager, to the blender. The bread makes it really creamy, great use of old bread!

Tom

In short: Strain the soup. I learned by experience.

The first time, it seemed so nicely liquified, using the Vitamix, that I served it as was, seemingly delicious.

The second time I strained it and the soup was transformed. The flavors so precise, unusual in purity, they required no garnish, no drizzle, no crouton. The guests were in unanimous agreement on this point.

Other notes: go a bit shy with the sherry vinegar and salt, you can add more later if needed. A little goes a long way.

KBS

We always peal the tomatoes first (parboil until the skin comes off easily). We also add a skice if day old bread (We prefer sourdough, but it was french bread when we learned to make it in Madrid as college students) -- this gives gazpacho a more body so it is soup not a drink. Finally, gazpacho always has condiments to add when eaten: bread cubes toasted in the oven - not croutons, cut up tomato, cucumber, peppers and sometime egg. It is even better the next day when flavors have fused.

Kirsten in Md.

This must be a great recipe (actually, I already know it is) because the comments are all over the place. Strain! Don't strain! Needs more spice! Needs less! Every year I re-read the comments to try to remember if I strain or not. The straining is really a pain. And clearly, noone here agrees whether it's worth it either!

Paige

Loved it! Strained first time but I think next I'm going to try it without.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.