Spicy Gazpacho
Published Sept. 8, 2025

- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped
- ½medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2Kirby cucumbers (about 10 ounces), one-quarter of a cucumber reserved for garnish and the remaining cucumbers chopped
- ¼small red onion (about 2 ounces), chopped
- 1red Fresno chile, chopped
- 1garlic clove
- 6tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish (optional)
- 1tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2tablespoons chopped chives, for garnish
Preparation
- Step 1
In a blender, combine tomatoes, bell pepper, chopped cucumbers, onion, chile and garlic, and purée until smooth. Strain the mixture through a chinois strainer or a cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on the solids; discard solids.
- Step 2
While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil and vinegar. Stir in the salt and season to taste with more salt, if desired. If there is time, chill until very cold, at least a few hours or overnight.
- Step 3
When ready to serve, finely dice the reserved cucumber.
- Step 4
Stir the gazpacho well, then divide the soup among 4 bowls or tall glasses. Top each with some of the cucumber and chives and drizzle with more oil, if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
Don't discard the pulp after you strain. Add a little hot sauce and it makes a great salsa!
Removing the seeds in chilis does nothing to reduce the heat. The capsaicin is in the pith
Don't discard the pulp after you strain. Add a little hot sauce and it makes a great salsa!
This is very close to Diana Kennedy's gazpacho recipe in her "Nothing Fancy" cookbook. We have used that recipe for years and give it a Texas touch by adding a small Serrano pepper. Kennedy's recipe does not add cucumber to the initial blending and opts for a green bell pepper, plus red wine vinegar. She also uses a food processor and adds the olive oil via the drip pusher very slowly as the last step which helps keep the oil blended.
Removing the seeds in chilis does nothing to reduce the heat. The capsaicin is in the pith