Gazpacho Andaluz
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Beat the heat with a refreshing bowl of gazpacho Andaluz—a silky-smooth blend of tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers that’s bursting with vibrant flavor and color.
How do I love gazpacho? Let me count the ways—roasted pepper gazpacho, spicy watermelon gazpacho, and golden gazpacho, to name just a few—but there’s nothing more classic than gazpacho Andaluz. This refreshing summer soup hails from the Andalusian region of southern Spain and is known for its vibrant flavor and silky smooth texture. The beautiful red-orange color comes from ripe tomatoes and bell peppers, blended with cucumber, garlic, and red onion. Sherry vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil enhance the flavor, and while not traditional, I add a splash of tomato juice to give the soup extra depth and richness.
The soup takes just 20 minutes to whip up but needs at least 4 hours to chill in the fridge and develop its full flavor. Serve it in bowls or glasses, topped with your favorite garnishes like croutons, finely diced vegetables, chopped hard-boiled egg, or diced ham. And don’t forget a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil for that final touch.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Gazpacho Andaluz
- Red Onion: Adds a subtle, pungent flavor and a hint of spice. Soaking the onion in cold water for 10 minutes takes the edge off the onion’s sharpness.
- Red Tomatoes: The base, providing a rich, tangy flavor and vibrant color. Don’t worry about seeding the tomatoes; they will get strained out with a sieve after blending.
- Bell Pepper: Contributes sweetness and a slight crunch. Any color pepper will work.
- English Cucumber: Adds freshness and a cooling effect; also known as hothouse cucumbers.
- Garlic: Infuses the soup with a robust, aromatic depth.
- Sherry Vinegar: Introduces acidity and brightness.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Adds richness and a smooth texture to the soup.
- Tomato Juice: Deepens the tomato flavor and smooth consistency.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Place the red onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water.
Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain.
Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, and garlic. If the blender becomes too full, briefly blend the vegetables to make room. Next, add the drained onions, salt, and vinegar to the blender.
Blend until smooth, which should take about 2 minutes. While continuing to blend, remove the center knob and slowly pour in the olive oil.
Once blended, set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain the soup, using a ladle and circular motions to help it pass through, then discard the solids.
Finally, mix in the tomato juice and stir well.
Chill the soup in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until very cold.
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Gazpacho Andaluz
Beat the heat with a refreshing bowl of gazpacho Andaluz—a silky-smooth blend of tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers that’s bursting with vibrant flavor and color.
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
- 1½ lbs ripe red tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 bell pepper (any color), seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 English or hothouse cucumber, cut into 1-inch chunks (see note)
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1½ cups tomato juice, such as Campbell's
Optional Toppings For Serving
- Croutons, finely diced vegetables (cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, etc.), chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced ham
Instructions
- Place the red onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain.
- Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, and garlic. If the blender becomes too full, briefly blend the vegetables to make room. Next, add the drained onions, salt, and vinegar to the blender and blend until smooth, which should take about 2 minutes. While continuing to blend, remove the center knob and slowly pour in the olive oil. Once blended, set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain the soup, using a ladle and circular motions to help it pass through, then discard the solids. Finally, mix in the tomato juice and stir well. Chill the soup in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until very cold.
- Before serving, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and vinegar. If desired, add about ½ teaspoon of sugar to enhance the tomatoes' natural sweetness. Ladle the chilled soup into bowls or glasses. Garnish with optional toppings (or offer them on the side) and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for added flavor.
- Note: English or hothouse cucumbers have a thinner, more tender skin and do not require peeling. If substituting with a regular cucumber, which has a thicker and often waxed skin, it's best to peel it first. For this particular recipe, there is no need to seed the cucumber.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: Gazpacho can be made up to 1 day ahead of time.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 166
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 624 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I’m obsessed with gazpacho and this recipe is so delicious and easy! Soaking the onion is a great tip and that, combined with using sherry vinegar instead of red wine vinegar, makes for a lovely blanaced flavor. I skipped the straining because I like to eat all the veggies and don’t mind the texture. Thank you for another winner!
Why the photo with all of the chunky vegetables on top? Gazpacho is at it’s very best when thin and simple, and your photo doesn’t do justice to the nice recipe you’ve shared.
Hello: Should I roast the tomatoes that are used for the garnish? What type of tomatoes do I use for the body of the soup, vine ripe, roma, heirloom etc?
Hi Mary, No, you don’t need to roast the tomatoes for the garnish. And for the soup, you can use any tomatoes of your choosing. Hope you enjoy!
I looked at all your gazpacho recipes and decided to keep the red onions AND add the roasted garlic you used in another recipe as well as some chopped basil and went for a smooth consistency. I stayed with the sherry you used in this recipe, but why not the red wine vinegar used in the roasted garlic gazpacho recipe?
Hi Henry, I use sherry as it’s more traditional for gazpacho Andaluz. The roasted garlic gazpacho is less traditional and that’s why I went with The red wine vinegar. BTW, you can use either this version.
Looks simple and delicious! Have you tried omitting the straining to get a chunkier texture?
Hi Jeri, I don’t recommend fully blending it and then skipping the straining as the straining removes the skins and seeds. If you want a chunkier texture, I’d use a food processor instead of a blender, process it to the point where you’ve achieved the texture you’d like, and skip the straining. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Can I use a Cuisinart
I don’t recommend it; After pureeing, I think the liquid will come up too high. Sorry!