Andalusian Summer Gazpacho with Toasted Almond
A vibrant, revitalizing chilled soup that captures the essence of a Mediterranean summer. This recipe moves beyond the basics, building a creamy, satisfying texture with a secret ingredient—toasted almonds—while a hint of smoked paprika adds a deep, savory note. It’s a nutritionally balanced, flavor-forward dish perfect as an elegant starter or a light lunch.
Servings 8
Calories 136kcal
Equipment
- High-powered blender
- Large bowl or pitcher
- Knife and cutting board
- Small skillet
Ingredients
- 3 lbs about 1.4 kg very ripe Roma or vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
- 1 large English cucumber divided
- 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
- ½ small red onion roughly chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic peeled
- 1 thick slice 40 g stale whole-wheat bread, crusts removed
- 2 tbsp 14 g slivered almonds, toasted
- ¼ cup 60 mL high-quality extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
- 4 tbsp 60 mL sherry vinegar
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Garnish: Finely dice about a quarter of the English cucumber and a quarter of each bell pepper. Combine these diced vegetables in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Soften and Toast: Roughly chop the remaining cucumber, bell peppers, and red onion. Tear the stale bread into small pieces and place in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of water to soften. In a dry small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the slivered almonds for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove immediately to prevent burning.
- Create the Base: In the carafe of your blender, combine the roughly chopped tomatoes, red onion, and the 3 cloves of garlic. Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds to create a coarse, liquid base.
- Build the Body: Add the remaining chopped cucumber, bell peppers, soaked bread (and any unabsorbed water), and the toasted almonds to the blender. Secure the lid and blend on high for 60 seconds, or until the mixture is very smooth.
- Emulsify the Soup: With the blender running on medium speed, remove the lid's center cap and slowly drizzle in the 41 cup of extra virgin olive oil. This process will create a stable, creamy emulsion, giving the gazpacho a rich texture.
- Season and Finish: Once all the oil is incorporated, add the sherry vinegar, sea salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Blend for another 20 seconds to fully combine.
- Chill and Meld: Transfer the gazpacho to a large glass pitcher or non-reactive bowl. Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or up to 24 hours. This step is critical; it allows the flavors to meld, deepen, and for the soup to become thoroughly chilled.
- Serve: Once chilled, stir the gazpacho well. Ladle into chilled bowls and garnish with a spoonful of the reserved diced vegetables, a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and a final, delicate drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
- Tomato Quality is Key: The flavor of your gazpacho is entirely dependent on your tomatoes. Use the ripest, most flavorful in-season tomatoes you can find for the best results.
- Texture Control: For an ultra-silky texture, you can pass the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve before chilling.
- Vinegar Choice: While sherry vinegar is traditional for its nutty complexity, a good quality red wine vinegar can be substituted in a pinch.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (approximately 1.25 cups)- Calories: 136 kcal
- Total Fat: 7.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Sodium: 176 mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 13.9 g
- Dietary Fiber: 3.5 g
- Total Sugars: 7.3 g (all naturally occurring)
- Added Sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 3.4 g