Gazpacho | Cold Soup Recipe
Gazpacho is a raw, chilled Spanish soup made by blending ripe tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic and good olive oil into one smooth, refreshing bowl. Nothing gets cooked, so it comes together in minutes and tastes like Summer in a glass. Make it when the heat kills your appetite for anything warm and you want something cooling, nourishing and packed with fresh vegetables.
I start my series of Spanish recipes with this world-popular gazpacho, a cold soup that’s so refreshing, flavorful and nourishing. I was inspired by the authentic Spanish version but decided to add some avocado and a little chili powder, which give it a silkier texture and a subtle spicy kick. If you have so many awesome flavors of Spain on your list to try, this is the easiest place to begin. 🙂
What goes into this gazpacho
The base is built on 6 ripe tomatoes plus a splash of tomato juice, so the quality of your tomatoes decides the whole bowl. Use the reddest, ripest ones you can find, ideally in-season Summer tomatoes, because pale winter tomatoes make a thin, sour soup. The cucumber keeps everything cool and light, the red bell pepper adds sweetness and body, and half a ripe avocado is my little twist that turns the texture creamy without any dairy.
For seasoning you have garlic, red onion, lemon juice and red wine vinegar for that classic tangy Spanish edge, plus olive oil to round it all out. A pinch of chili powder and freshly ground black pepper bring gentle warmth. Salt to taste, and remember chilled food always needs a touch more seasoning than food served warm.
How to get it perfectly smooth
Everything goes into the blender together and gets blitzed until completely smooth. If you have a high-power blender, that single step does most of the work. If not, pass the blended mixture through a fine strainer afterwards. That pushes out the tomato skins and any little bits of pepper, and it’s the difference between a rustic puree and a silky, restaurant-style gazpacho.
The other secret is patience. Gazpacho needs to be properly cold, so chill it in a covered glass jar for a few hours or, even better, overnight. Resting also lets the garlic, vinegar and vegetables mellow into each other, so the soup tastes far more balanced the next day than it does the moment you blend it.
Why the avocado and chili work
A traditional gazpacho leans on olive oil and sometimes bread for body. Swapping in half an avocado adds natural creaminess and healthy fat that emulsifies right into the soup as it blends, giving you that velvety mouthfeel without a drop of cream. The pinch of chili powder doesn’t make it hot, it just lifts the sweetness of the tomatoes and keeps each spoonful interesting. Both stay completely plant-based, so the soup is naturally vegan.
Toppings and what to serve alongside
Before serving, give the jar a good shake, pour into bowls and pile on the garnishes: chopped cucumber, diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, crunchy croutons and a scatter of fresh herbs. The contrast between the cold, smooth soup and the crisp toppings is what makes gazpacho so satisfying to eat. Veggie sticks on the side turn it into a light, dippable meal.
As a starter or a light lunch, gazpacho pairs beautifully with the rest of a Summer table. Serve it before a bowl of Summer salad, or make it part of a cold spread with a quick hummus and warm bread for dipping. If you’re leaning into the fresh, veggie-forward theme, my other savory avocado recipes fit right in.
Make-ahead and storage
Gazpacho is a dream make-ahead dish because it actually improves after resting. Keep it in a covered glass jar in the fridge and it stays fresh for about 2 to 3 days. Give it a shake before each serving, since the vegetables naturally settle. I don’t recommend freezing it, because the raw vegetables lose their crisp texture and the soup turns watery once thawed. If you love cold, blended dishes like this, you might also enjoy my collection of green smoothie recipes and other fresh, veggie-forward recipes for warmer days. And if you want the warm-soup version of comfort instead, my creamy carrot ginger soup is waiting for cooler evenings.
If you make this gazpacho, I’d love to know how the avocado twist worked for you, so please rate the recipe below and leave a comment with any tweaks you tried. Feedback like yours is what makes this Spanish series so much fun to keep going. 🙂
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Gazpacho | Cold Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber chopped
- ½ cup tomato juice
- 6 tomatoes ripe
- ½ avocado ripe
- ½ red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ red onion
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- black pepper ground, to taste
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- chili powder ground, to taste
- fresh herbs croutons and veggie sticks for serving
Instructions
- Add the tomato juice, tomatoes, red bell pepper, avocado, cucumber, onion, garlic and lemon juice, in a blender and blend until perfectly smooth.
- Add the rest of the seasonings: olive oil, salt, chili, pepper, and vinegar and blend again.
- Press the mixture through a strainer especially if you don’t have a high-power blender. We want this to be extra-smooth.
- Pour into a glass jar and cover. Chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
- Before serving, shake the jar. Pour into bowls, and garnish with toppings such as chopped cucumbers, avocado, cherry tomatoes, croutons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gazpacho is always served cold. It is a raw, uncooked soup that is blended and then chilled in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. The cold temperature is what makes it so refreshing on hot Summer days.
Yes, this gazpacho is naturally vegan. It is made entirely from vegetables, tomato juice, avocado, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and olive oil, with no dairy, egg or any animal products. The avocado gives it a creamy texture without needing any cream.
You do not have to peel them if you strain the soup. This recipe blends everything with the skins on, then passes the mixture through a fine strainer to remove the skins and leave a silky texture. If you have a high-power blender you can often skip the straining step entirely.
Stored in a covered glass jar, gazpacho keeps in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days. It actually tastes better after resting, since the garlic, vinegar and vegetables mellow together. Give the jar a shake before each serving, as the vegetables naturally settle.
Freezing is not recommended. Because gazpacho is made from raw vegetables, freezing breaks down their texture and the soup turns watery and separated once thawed. It is best made fresh and enjoyed within a few days from the fridge.
Gazpacho works as a light starter or a cooling lunch. Top it with chopped cucumber, diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, croutons and fresh herbs, and serve veggie sticks on the side. It pairs well with a Summer salad, hummus and bread, or other fresh, veggie-forward dishes.
Was never really fond of gazpacho, don’t know why but it sounded icky to me. But when I saw your photos I decided to give it a try. So glad I did! It is truly a wonderful soup recipe! Loved it! Thank you!
Ha, me too! But now I love it, especially on hot days like this.