Quick gazpacho

Gazpacho recipe

Gazpacho! It’s fun to say and equally fun to eat. This classic Spanish tomato soup is made from raw vegetables and served cold for a refreshing dinner on hot summer evenings. Gazpacho is often served as a starter at fancy dinner parties due to the ability to prepare it in advance and have it ready to serve without fear of it ‘going cold’ before serving. What is the gazpacho meaning? The history of the chilled soup goes back to the Andalusia region of Spain, where it was created as an antidote to the heat and could be enjoyed as a refreshing, cold meal. This gazpacho soup is a quick and easy version made with canned tomatoes for easy blending and freshened up with a simple basil pesto.  

What is gazpacho?

Gazpacho is a refreshing tomato-based dish that you can serve as a starter, for lunch or as a full meal depending on the serving size and what you serve it with. Traditional gazpacho ingredients include tomatoes, capsicum and cucumbers, with a touch of vinegar, spices and day-old bread to thicken it. 

How to make tomato gazpacho

This easy gazpacho recipe uses tinned tomatoes instead of fresh, which means all you need to do is put all of the ingredients into a blender and whizz until smooth. While hot soups can add an extra layer of difficulty with blending hot liquids and transferring them to a blender, the advantage of this gazpacho soup recipe is that you don’t need to worry about potentially spilling the hot soup. You can use a stick blender if you prefer, but it isn't required since you can easily add all the cold ingredients straight into a blender. Now the ultimate question – is gazpacho served hot or cold? This chilled soup is super versatile, so if you’re not one to eat cold soup, you can warm it up and eat it that way. However, be careful not to cook it as this will change the whole flavour of the dish. Serve it up in bowls topped with basil pesto.

Love this recipe?

Once you’ve mastered this canned tomato gazpacho, you can move on to Curtis Stone’s gazpacho cocktail prawns or tomato and watermelon gazpacho shots. If you’re looking for more classic soup recipes, try Yiayia’s fasolada (bean soup) or Curtis Stone’s tomato soup with pesto cream and cheese soldiers. Maybe you’re after a Spanish feast with gazpacho as your starter? Try a gorgeous Spanish-style roast chicken and potatoes or any of these delicious Spanish recipes.