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Make your summer meals a breeze with this Easy Gazpacho Recipe. You don't even have to turn on your stove, just blend a chock-full of garden veggies with seasonings and chill to marinate the fresh flavors. It's creamy, zesty and SO satisfying!
If you hate turning on the stove during the summer months but want a satisfying meal, you may want to give this Easy Gazpacho Recipe a try. It'll cool you down and give you lots of nourishment, but it won't leave you starving.
You can leave a batch in the fridge and enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Drink it on the go or put it in a bowl with fresh toppings. I love adding a dollop of Zucchini Pesto on top. YUM!
This Gazpacho will take a mere 15 minutes to make - just chop and blend to perfection! The hardest part is waiting for it to chill, but I promise it'll be worth the wait.
WHAT IS GAZPACHO?
Gazpacho is a popular chilled soup that originated in Spain and it's traditionally served in the summer. It's primarily made with fresh veggies such as tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and garlic. The veggies are blended up with olive oil, sherry vinegar, and bread for a creamy, thick, and flavorful soup.
I love a classic gazpacho recipe when I'm dining out, but at home, I enjoy a modified version that my whole family loves. I don't add fresh onion because it can be a little overpowering for my son to enjoy. Also, I added a small handful of soaked cashews to replace the bread and reduce the olive oil. It adds richness and a hint of creaminess. Then I just serve crusty bread on the side.
However, gazpacho is very easy to adjust to your liking, so feel to add or omit certain ingredients. If it's too thick, you can add a small amount of water, and if it's too thin, you can add more fresh veggies. Or you can add bread if you prefer.
IS GAZPACHO GOOD FOR YOU?
Absolutely! It's filled with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from the fresh veggies and it's a great source of fiber. It's super hydrating too!
WHAT'S IN THIS EASY GAZPACHO RECIPE?
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Red Bell Pepper
Basil
Garlic
Red Wine Vinegar
Cashews
Olive Oil
Ground Cumin
Salt
HOW TO MAKE GAZPACHO
STEP 1 - Roughly chop your veggies and add them to a high-speed blender starting with the tomatoes first. Then add the cashews, vinegar, garlic, and seasoning. Blend on high until very creamy and smooth. Now set the blender on medium speed and slowly add the olive oil until it's well incorporated. Taste for flavor and adjust as needed.
STEP 2 - Cover and place in the fridge for 1-2 hours or more to marinate the fresh flavors. Serve chilled with fresh toppings if desired.
TIPS FOR MAKING AN EASY GAZPACHO RECIPE:
- Use ripe, fresh, and juicy tomatoes for the best flavor. Roma and vine-ripened are traditionally used, but I prefer using cocktail tomatoes. They have a subtle sweetness that balances everything out. Plus, you don't have to core them which makes it easier.
- Make sure all your veggies are at optimum freshness for the best-tasting gazpacho.
- Be careful with the raw garlic because it can quickly become too overpowering for the soup. I usually add 2 small cloves or 1 large.
- If you want to thin out the soup, you can add a touch of water, but not too much or you will water down the fresh flavors. You can also use a splash of vegetable juice.
WHAT CAN I SERVE WITH GAZPACHO?
Gazpacho is really a meal on its own. Especially, with all the delicious toppings! However, if you want something more, it goes great with crusty bread, a dollop of vegan sour cream, sliced avocado, croutons, a few slices of vegan mozzarella, or a light sandwich. However, if you want to go all out, it goes perfectly with my Spanish Vegan Paella!
HOW LONG DOES IT KEEP?
Keep it stored in an air-tight container in the fridge and enjoy it within 2-3 days for optimum freshness. I don't recommend freezing it.
WANT MORE FRESH SUMMER RECIPES? CHECK THESE OUT:
I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
If you make this Easy Gazpacho Recipe, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
Recipe
Easy Gazpacho Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tomatoes , well-ripened (I used cocktail tomatoes)
- 1 small cucumber , peeled and rough chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper , deseeded, cored and rough chopped (sub green)
- ⅓ cup raw cashews , soaked in water 1 hour (*see note)
- 1-2 small cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar , more to taste
- 1 small bunch fresh basil (*optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin (*optional)
- ¾ teaspoon Himalayan salt , more to taste (or preferred salt)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , more if preferred (See note)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Add veggies to a high-speed blender starting with the tomatoes first. Then add the cashews, vinegar, garlic, and seasoning. Blend on high until very creamy and smooth.
- Now set the blender on medium speed and slowly add the olive oil until it's well incorporated. Taste for flavor and adjust as needed. If the soup is too thick, you can add a few splashes of water to thin it out, but don't add too much or it will water down the flavors.
- Cover and place in the fridge for 1-2 hours or more to marinate the flavors. Serve chilled with fresh toppings if desired. See note for topping ideas.
Niko
Loved it! So full of flavor and easy to make. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Abigail
Hello Melissa, can I use apple cider vinegar instead of red white vinegar? 🙂
Melissa Huggins
Yes, you can, but I would use less than 2 tablespoons. You can always add more if needed. 🙂
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
I just saw this soup in Instagram. It looks so delicious! I love making soup in my Vitamix.
mhuggs
Thank you, Amy! Me too...It's so quick & easy! Healthy too 🙂