
Classic Spanish Cold Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 6ripe tomatoes
cored and chopped, approximately 800 g
- 1 mediumcucumber
peeled, seeded, and chopped, approximately 200 g
- 1 smallred bell pepper
seeded and chopped
- 1 smallgreen bell pepper
seeded and chopped
- 1 smallred onion
peeled and chopped
- 2garlic cloves
peeled
- 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbspsherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1 tspsea salt
- ¼ tspfreshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tspground cumin
optional
- 2slices day-old country bread
crusts removed, approximately 60 g
- 240 mlcold water
plus more as needed
- diced cucumber
- diced red bell pepper
- diced red onion
- fresh parsley or basil leaves
- extra virgin olive oil
for drizzling
Directions
- 1
Place the bread slices in a bowl and pour over 240 ml of cold water. Let soak for 2 minutes, then squeeze out most of the liquid and tear the bread into pieces.
- 2
In a blender or food processor, combine the soaked bread, chopped tomatoes, cucumber, red and green bell peppers, onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, sea salt, black pepper, and cumin if using. Blend until completely smooth.
- 3
Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more salt, vinegar, or olive oil to your preference. If the soup is too thick, blend in a bit more cold water until desired consistency is reached.
- 4
Transfer the blended soup to a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
- 5
Stir the soup before serving. Ladle into bowls and garnish with diced cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, fresh herbs, and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

Classic Spanish Cold Gazpacho
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About this Recipe
When the summer heat hits, there's nothing quite as satisfying and invigorating as a bowl of Classic Spanish Cold Gazpacho. This vibrant, chilled soup is a celebration of fresh, sun-ripened produce, bringing authentic Mediterranean flavors right to your table.
This recipe stands out by embracing simplicity and quality ingredients. It relies on the natural sweetness of ripe tomatoes, the crispness of cucumber and bell peppers, and the depth of extra virgin olive oil to create a harmonious blend of flavors. The touch of sherry or red wine vinegar brightens everything, making it an incredibly refreshing and easy summer dish.
Prepare for a truly refreshing experience. You'll enjoy a silky-smooth, intensely flavorful soup that bursts with the taste of garden-fresh tomatoes and bell peppers, balanced by the cool crispness of cucumber and a subtle bite from red onion and garlic. The chilled nature makes it wonderfully invigorating on a warm day, while the hint of garlic and optional cumin add a subtle warmth and complexity that rounds out the profile. This naturally vegan dish is remarkably light yet satisfying, delivering a taste of Spanish sunshine in every spoonful.
While delicious as is, this gazpacho is very adaptable. You can easily adjust the amount of garlic to your preference, or omit the optional ground cumin if you prefer a purer vegetable profile. If you don't have sherry vinegar on hand, red wine vinegar makes an excellent, readily available substitute. For a slightly different twist, you could experiment with adding another color of bell pepper, like yellow, to add even more vibrant visual appeal to your bowl.
Serve this stunning Classic Spanish Cold Gazpacho well-chilled, perhaps as an elegant appetizer for a dinner party or as a light and healthy main course on a hot afternoon. Don't forget the beautiful garnishes—diced cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and fresh parsley or basil, all finished with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil—to enhance both its flavor and visual appeal.