Classic Gazpacho with Homemade Croutons

My mom introduced us to Classic Gazpacho back in the 1970s. It became a summer favorite topped with cucumbers, peppers, and buttery homemade croutons!

This traditional Spanish Gazpacho Recipe is a cold summer tomato soup that hails from the region of Andalusia in Spain.

Recipe for Gazpacho with Homemade Croutons

I fell in love with this refreshing, cold soup as a child.  My first taste of a classic gazpacho was in a Swiss restaurant (weird, eh?) in Aspen, Colorado.  My dad studied at the Physics Institute there for a couple of weeks each summer…at least on those days when he wasn’t scaling some mountain…and my family enjoyed the quaint, Victorian ski town before it became so chic.

We’d spend our days hiking or parked outside the music tent listening to the daily practices or, if we were lucky, my mom would treat us to lunch.  My sisters and I would be on our best behavior, and we got tastes of exotic dishes that weren’t so prevalent in our Midwest college hometown.  It may have been at Guido’s where we all oohed and ahhed over our first tastes of this Spanish soup.

What Makes a Classic Gazpacho Recipe?

Gazpacho comes from the Andalusia region of Spain, though different regions have developed their own twists. Though there are zillions of gazpacho recipes out there, the true, classic gazpacho recipe has these traditional elements:

Gazpacho Ingredients

• Tomatoes–Vine ripe or garden tomatoes preferred, but a good quality canned tomato will do in a pinch
• Green Pepper–though I prefer red, green is traditional and offers a stronger flavor
• Onion—the piquant tones are needed
• Cucumber—I like to use an English cucumber so as to eliminate the need to remove the seeds
• Vinegar—red wine or sherry
• Olive oil—it adds a certain richness and mouthfeel
• Bread—I’ve never blended bread into my gazpacho, but it does help to thicken the soup. I like my bread as crunchy croutons.
• Water or Tomato Juice–definitely debatable whether either is traditional, but they work well to thin your gazpacho

You can see why classic gazpacho is often referred to as a liquid salad! Packed full of delicious vegetables, it’s the perfect mid-summer lunch or a refreshing addition to any meal, whether a grilled steak or sandwich. Check out my Wazpacho for a twist on this classic. This Mango Gazpacho offers another terrific fruity twist and this Beet Gazpacho is stunning!

How to Make Gazpacho

This gazpacho recipe is so easy, you’ll want to make it over and over. The ingredients are blended, then the mixture is chilled. Here is the process:

• Make garnishes by dicing cucumbers, bell peppers, onions.
• Saute cubes of bread in salted butter until they’re browned on all sides. Sprinkle with a bit of salt while warm, if desired.
• Make the gazpacho by adding the soup ingredients into a blender and pureeing until smooth.
• Chill to allow the flavors to meld and develop.
• Serve with the garnishes of your choice.
• PRO-Tip: You can make a half batch (or smaller) to serve as shooters for an appetizer course. A shooter is when you pour the soup into small glasses for just a few sips or an amuse bouche, French for “amuse the mouth.” Wonderful on a hot summer’s eve!

Cold Summer Soup

Shortly after, my mom recreated this cold, tomato soup at home.  Back then, my favorite elements were the slightly salty croutons which she made by sautéing cubes of a baguette in butter. But now a combination of the veggie garnish with the slightly spicy tomato puree is what I consider pure bliss.

I’ve updated my mom’s classic gazpacho recipe by adding a wee bit of hot sauce, and switching out the red wine vinegar for champagne vinegar, only because I had a higher quality version of the latter in my pantry. Sherry vinegar is a great option, too. I hope this traditional gazpacho recipe will become a new summer favorite for you, too.

More Recipes You’ll Love:

• Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
• Best Jambalaya Recipe
• Bacon Corn Chowder
• Gazpacho Shooters
• Rustic Farro Soup
• Gazpacho Salad
• More Soup Recipes

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The Recipe:

Classic Gazpacho with Homemade Croutons

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Yield 8 servings

A spectacular cold tomato soup garnished with vegetables and homemade croutons.

Ingredients

• 1 pound can of tomatoes (or fresh peeled and seeded garden tomatoes)
• 20 ounces tomato juice
• 1/2 cucumber, chopped
• 1/4 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Diced cucumbers, bell peppers, homemade croutons

Instructions

1. Diced cucumbers, bell peppers, homemade croûtons to garnish (sauté bread cubes in butter until browned)
2. Add all ingredients, except garnishes, to blender or food processor. Puree. Chill. Serve cold with diced veggies and croutons.

Notes

!Adapted from my mom's recipe
To make homemade croutons, saute bread cubes in a combination of butter and olive oil with a sprinkle of salt.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 104Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 418mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 2g

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 Old photo from early blog days, circa 2011