[Gazpacho Andaluz] Cold Soup or Cold Drink from Andalusia - A Perfect Summer Appetizer

Tomato is one of the most versatile ingredients in the whole world. You can make so many different things with tomatoes, including but not limited to salad, pizza, pasta sauce, soup, and gazpacho! That is why I've planted a dozen tomato plants in my vegetable garden. 

Here are some of tomato recipes:
Tomato basil bruschetta
Tomato Salsa
Summer spaghetti
Rataouille - Magically Delicious Vegetable dish to please everybody

I like everything made with tomato, including gazpacho, my favorite refreshing summer soup!

Oh, by the way, I also planted bell peppers this year. So I use tomatoes and bell peppers from my very own vegetable garden! Hooray~~ 

And here's my confession: I'm addicted to gazpacho, but only for about 4 + months a year, from May/ June to September. You might say that I just like it very much. Yeah, true. I like it very much. But, it's more than that. I really crave, like crazy, when I don't have gazpacho for more than a week. I'm not even kidding! I really need to have, at least, one big bowl of the Spanish cold soup, once a week.

 I posted a gazpacho recipe last year. You can see my no-carb-vegan gazpacho recipe here. 

This year, I've been making gazpacho in Andalusia style, to make it slightly thicker and more smooth. I really like it very much. Don't get me wrong. I really like the last year's recipe, but this authentic Andalusian Gazpacho recipe is oh-so-delicious and creamy. :)You can use up any kind of leftover stale bread.

Here goes the delicious Andalusian gazpacho recipe!

(adapted from Receta de Gazpacho Andaluz Auténtico)

Ingredients

1 kg ripe tomatoes

1/2 English cucumber

1/2 green bell pepper

1/2 onion

1/2 red bell pepper (optional)

1 clove garlic

2 slices stale bread

2 - 4 tablespoon red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

14/ cup extra virgin olive oil

salt

* More diced cucumber and bell pepper are needed.

Directions

1. Torn bread into pieces, and in a bowl. Add water to soak. Set aside.

2. Roughly chop tomatoes and run food processor to blend tomatoes.

3. Meanwhile, peel cucumber. Dice cucumber, bell pepper and onion.

4. Add cucumber, bell pepper and onion into the food processor.

5. Add soaked bread, vinegar upto 4 tablespoons, and olive oil. Run the food processor until smooth.

6. I like chunky soup, so I usually don't strain. But, if you want to make it authentic, do strain soup through fine mesh strainer into large bowl.

7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour, before serving.

8. Add finely dice green bell pepper, onion, and cucumber before serving. 

You can also drizzle olive oil.

A nice quick sandwich will be a nice companion for a bowl of very cold gazpacho. Enjoy!

Gazpacho Andaluz