Best Gazpacho Recipe
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This delicious gazpacho is truly the best gazpacho recipe around, or so we’ve been told by our Spanish friends with strong opinions on Spanish food. The process for making this recipe is a little different than most, and the payoff is in how great it tastes. It’s fresh, bright, refreshing, and creamy tasting. You’ll LOVE it!
I was given a version of this gazpacho recipe many years ago, and I haven’t made another one since. Some Spanish friends (with strong opinions on Spanish food) have even told me it’s the best gazpacho they’ve ever eaten, which still feels like the highest compliment. The key is the technique: salting and freezing the vegetables before blending breaks them down and draws out every bit of their flavor, making the soup incredibly vibrant and smooth.
The recipe is based on J. Kenji López-Alt’s version, with a few small tweaks. Instead of soaking bread in the vegetable juices, I skip it altogether. White bread isn’t something I usually have on hand, so I use extra-virgin olive oil to create that rich, creamy texture instead. I’ve taste-tested both versions side by side—the bread version is slightly creamier, but the bread-free version tastes fresher and brighter. In the end, this one won.
I’ll often eat the gazpacho as it is, with a drizzle of extra olive oil on top. But if I’m serving this to guests or treating myself, the fried halloumi in the recipe card is the way to go.
Two more summer soups you might also enjoy are my watermelon gazpacho and my sweet corn gazpacho.
What to serve with gazpacho
Gazpacho is best served with other recipes that require little cooking or are cooked on the grill. Here are a few of our favorite summertime recipes that go excellent with this soup:
Make ahead and freeze
Can I make gazpacho ahead of time? Yes! Gazpacho is a great make-ahead recipe. It keeps well for up to 3 days in your fridge. We store ours in mason jars and give the jars a good shake to remix the soup before pouring a bowl.
Can you freeze gazpacho? Yes! Gazpacho freezes very well. Store it in your freezer for up to 6 months. I find that the best way to freeze soup is in these reusable Stasher freezer bags.
BEST Gazpacho Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs ripe tomatoes (cored and cut into chunks)
- 8 ounces English cucumber (about 1, cut into chunks)
- 5 ounces red bell pepper (about 1, cut into chunks)
- 5 ounces red onion (about ½, cut into chunks)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed)
- 1 jalapeño pepper (cored, seeded, and cut into chunks)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for serving)
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (plus more for serving)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely minced chives
Fried Halloumi
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces halloumi cheese (cut into large cubes)
Instructions
- Put the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, garlic, and jalapeño into a large bowl. Toss the veggies with the salt then let them sit on your counter for 45 minutes. This step releases the liquid from the vegetables.3 lbs ripe tomatoes, 8 ounces English cucumber, 5 ounces red bell pepper, 5 ounces red onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 jalapeño pepper, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Separate the vegetables from the liquid, reserving the liquid. Place the vegetables on a parchment paper-lined tray and place them into your freezer for at least 30 minutes, or until they are partially frozen. This step may take longer depending on your freezer.
- Remove the tray from the freezer and let the vegetables thaw completely.
- Combine the thawed veggies and any juice that accumulated on the tray, the reserved juice, olive oil, sherry vinegar, and black pepper into your blender. (If you have a smaller blender, combine everything into a large bowl then work in batches to blend the soup. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately or chill for up to 3 days.1 ¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Serve with extra olive oil and a sprinkle of chives, black pepper, and fried halloumi (see below) over top.2 tablespoons finely minced chives
Fried Halloumi
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the halloumi and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Once it's golden on the bottom, turn the pieces over and cook for 2 minutes more.1 tablespoon olive oil, 8 ounces halloumi cheese
- Top the gazpacho with the fried halloumi and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Wonderful recipe. Easy to prepare and perfect to serve on hot days.
Thank you! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. I agree—easy, refreshing recipes are a lifesaver when the weather’s hot!
would this keep if made ahead and kept in the fridge?
Yes it keeps well! In the summer, I’ll often keep some in a jar in my fridge for up to 5 days. Just pour and serve.
This sound heavenly. One question – what is the purpose of freezing the mix if you then defrost it?
Good question! It helps to draw out more of the sweet liquid in the veggies. While you can make it without freezing it and it will be good, the step of freezing and thawing really does make a difference.
Can you make this in a food processor instead of a blender? It sounds delicious, but my blender does not strong enough.
I think you probably can, but you won’t be able to get it smooth and you’ll have to work in batches. But I actually enjoy it when it’s a little chunky and often make it like that.
Lovely colours! Fried halloumi looks awesome.
This is BY FAR the best gazpacho recipe I have ever had! Every time I make it, everyone asks for the recipe. I have not tried the fried Halloumi (dairy allergy in the family), but we typically provide some of the chopped fresh veggies used in the soup — not frozen — with a little cilantro and a drizzle of olive oil. Soooo good!
Got this recipe in my email a couple of weeks ago, and I think I’ve already made it four times. My mother-in-law is also making special requests for it. Now is the time with tomato season in full swing and the farmers’ market just down the road.
One question…why in the ingredient list do you call for the 2 tsp of salt to be divided? I don’t see mention of it in the instructions.
I’m so happy that you love the recipe! Thanks for pointing out the salt thing. Years ago I wrote the recipe to divide the salt and use half to macerate the veggies and add half later if needed. But I think the soup tastes best with 2 teaspoons so now I just use it all to macerate the veggies. It’s fixed in the recipe now. 🙂
My husband loves gazpacho and we made this recipe the other night and it was a hit!! Perfect for our heat wave here this week, too.
This is so perfect for this incredibly hot weather we’re having. Cold soup in the summer is just the best!
The flavor of the gazpacho was amazing! We couldn’t get enough!
All I can say is WOW!!!!!! This is amazing. By far the best recipe I’ve tried yet for gazpacho! Most definitely worth the few extra steps! I’m going to make another batch tomorrow to freeze for easy lunches. Thank you.
Ps i thought I’d miss the bread not being added and I don’t it’s amazing without the extra calories.
What’s another vinegar that could work in this recipe? I can’t do sherry.
I’ve used champagne vinegar before and that works well, too!
Marvelous ! I’m not a soup lover and especially not Gaspachio. I’m a convert after making and eating this!
That’s such a great compliment! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Had this soup at Kristen’s last night and can’t wait to make it. It is DELICIOUS.
Thank you Kristen for my third fabulous Endless Meal experience.
Definitely 5 stars but I can’t get the system to accept more than 3????