Authentic Gazpacho

When I visited Seville, Spain pre-pandemic, I was actually OBSESSED with the gazpacho I had there. Gazpacho is one of the simplest, most perfect dishes – capitalizing on the ripest, freshest tomatoes, a little zing from Sherry wine vinegar, and the best quality extra virgin olive oil which creates a velvety texture.

Although adding bread to thicken the soup is something I thought was mandatory, my favorite gazpacho in Spain did not include bread, and instead, focused on the intensity of the tomato, thickened by olive oil alone.

Here is my best take on the authentic gazpacho I craved in Spain, without bread!

Makes: 4 appetizer portions

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour (refrigeration time)

Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

The Ingredients

2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored & cut in chunks

1 Cubanelle (or Anaheim) green pepper, seeded & cut in chunks

1 medium cucumber, peeled & cut in chunks

1 small red onion, cut in chunks

1 clove garlic, peeled

2 1/2 teaspoons sherry wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)

Topping suggestions: large rustic croutons, chives, scallions, hard boiled eggs, crispy prosciutto/serrano ham, sliced avocado, basil, crème fraiche, shrimp, white fish like cod/halibut*

*In Spain, I found gazpacho served with crumbled hard-boiled egg, crispy serrano ham (the “prosciutto” of Spain), and chive!

The Steps

In a blender or food processor, add heirloom tomatoes, cubanelle pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic. Blend for 1 minute until almost smooth.

Add salt, cayenne, sherry wine vinegar and olive oil. Blend for another minute until completely smooth. Gazpacho should be smooth and creamy from the olive oil. Add 2-3 tablespoons more olive oil if gazpacho seems watery.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

For hard boiled eggs: see recipe linked for hard boiled eggs.

For crispy serrano ham or prosciutto: add thin slices to a skillet over medium heat. Heat until slightly crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and let cool.

To serve: Ladle chilled gazpacho into shallow bowls or shot glasses for gazpacho shooters. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with chives, crumbled hard-boiled egg, and/or crispy prosciutto/ham!