It was hot and I had a hankering for a chilled gazpacho, one of my favorite summer lunches. I usually make a half gallon of it at a time, and we enjoy it throughout the heat wave. However, the beautiful field tomatoes are not ripe here yet in any abundance, so I decided to give cherry tomatoes a try, and they worked beautifully. So sweet and a delightful orange color, paired with a sweet orange pepper, I even had a new color selection. Who doesn’t like a change?
A chilled Spanish soup
Gazpacho is a chilled Spanish soup that features raw, fresh tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions and garlic, usually breadcrumbs, and lots of tasty spices along with a bit of fruity olive oil and vinegar. You can make this mild or super spicy, we like it on the warm side.
Many texture possibilities
Process to very smooth, or leave it a bit chunky, it’s your call. I prefer it without the breadcrumbs for a cleaner flavor, but if you like, add a cup of breadcrumbs, croutons, or even a slice of stale bread, to thicken the soup, extend it, or to simply use up that stale bread. Win, win, win.
Make it yours of course
You also don’t really need an exact recipe, just toss in what you have and what you like the most. Don’t worry if you only have a half a cucumber, or add more if you have a bounty from the garden. Unless you are writing a blog post about an orange gazpacho, the color of cherry tomatoes doesn’t matter at all. Of course, if the yummy field tomatoes are ready, toss those in, or a big heirloom tomato even if it was grown in the local greenhouse at a high price. This soup goes a long ways.
No cooking, just a little wait
If you have little time and not much appetite this time of year, this is the dish for you. All one needs to do is toss everything in the blender and chill. No cooking, little work, and a big payoff. Almost instant lunch, snack, or dinner if you dress it up a bit. I’ve made this as a starter at a fancy wedding, as well as just supper on the porch.
Chill those bowls
If you make this on a hot day, be sure to also chill your bowls; this will help keep the soup cold. To fancy it up, finely dice some additional cucumbers and tomatoes or a garnish, or add some fresh crabmeat, a grilled shrimp or tofu.
You deserve it all
Make it for lunch, enjoy with your family, then settle in for a little siesta. You deserve it. Next time, you might try yellow tomatoes and peppers…
Chilled Sunshine Gazpacho
- 2 pints Sun Gold or other sweet orange cherry tomatoes
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 2 lemon cukes or 1 regular cuke, peeled
- ½ to 1 yellow or orange Serrano pepper, optional
- 1 stalk celery
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup fruity extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup aged sherry vinegar
- ½ tsp. cumin
- 1/8 to ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 cup vegetable broth
Mince the garlic, but chop everything up in smallish chunks for the blender or food processor. I use the blender. Toss everything in the blender, and process until it is your desired consistency, stopping once or twice to make sure everything is joining the party.
Tuck in the refrigerator along with your bowls and chill for a few hours. Top with more diced veggies or a protein if you like, and drizzle with a bit more olive oil.
Copyright 2025– or current year, The New Vintage Kitchen. Dorothy Grover-Read. Unattributed use of this material and photographs is strictly prohibited. Reposting and links may be used, provided that credit is given to The New Vintage Kitchen, with active link and direction to this original post.
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Thank you, Dorothy, for the lovely summer soup!
Joanna
It will always be one of my favorites.
I think I would be tempted to eat it with tortilla chips, like a dip. Either way, it looks delightful!
That would be delicious Suz! Thanks for the suggestion.
Looks utterly delicious! The only change I would make would be to dry roast the garlic as I have a dratted intolerance to raw alliums.
Sorry to respond twice! Somehow my first comment was pegged as anonymous, and I didn’t think it had come through. Long live garlic, as long as it is cooked. 😉
I’ll take it any way!
That soup looks delicious! Perfect for this kind of weather. Because I have a dratted intolerance to raw garlic and raw allium in general, I would dry roast the garlic first. Works like a charm.
What you could also do is gently simmer the garlic in the olive oil until it is just a little brown, then toss it all in. I’ve done this before, and it adds a lovely little nutty flavor.
Love Gaspacho, hate snakes
Ditto! But they do eat a lot of garden pests!
A small point in their favour
Soup and flowers are lovely, however, the visitor would cause me to move quickly away. 🙂
Yes, he was unexpected, but very tiny. The photo is deceptive.
I’m going to make your recipe, Dorothy. My cherry tomatoes are coming in fast and furiously! Thank you.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. So easy, and lunch took about 30 seconds to dish out today.
Gazpacho is great for summer, you’ve got the summer in a bowl down!
Thank you Jan!
After years of loving tomato anything my stomach is starting to tell me differently! The recipe looks wonderful. I will just enjoy it with my eyes.
Oh, so sorry! There are so many other wonderful veggies. Can you eat the low-acid varieties?
Oh, I am boringly similar 🙂 ! Seem to have loved the soup forever but step back in a hurry as far as any kind of snakes are concerned 🙂 ! Love the romance of your flower dressed bowl . . .
Thank you Eha! Who can resist garnishing with beautiful edible flowers when they are in abundance!
This sounds delightful
Thank you Amanda! One of my summer favorites, no matter the color.
One bowl of sunshine, please; hold the snake!
Snake at a distance, soup in the way!
Oh for summer days! Meanwhile….here I am making pea soup for dinner.
Well, the world turns and runs around the sun, soon you will be in spring and it all begins again.
It certainly is a bowl of sunshine , Dorothy lovely image of the snake 🙂 xx
Thanks Carol! The snake is on slug duty in my garden.
Snakes – no thanks!!
Love Gazpacho! Yours looks lovely with a golden hue, very tasty.
Mary :))
It was fun to make, once I found the golden cherry tomatoes my mind went to work!
Like it, love it, gotta have it. 😋🍃🧡
Well then, it’s yours!
Fabulous recipe. And I love that plate!!!
Thanks Mimi! It’s hard to tell if the flowers are real or on the plate!
Almost too pretty to eat!!
Jenna
Almost, but not quite!
Indeed, this soup is a summer escape in a wonderful bowl!
Thank you! It was delicious, down to the last drop!
Your soup sounds delicious and what a beautiful snake. It amazes me how beautiful snakes are.
Yes, they are beautiful, from a distance!
Hi, Dorothy – i’ve been looking for a simple recipe that I could eat straight from the fridge. This is perfect. Thank you for sharing it!
There’s a fresh jar in my refrigerator right now! So refreshing.
….Yummy! And a compliment to many chilled summer drinks. ❤️
In chilled glasses of course!
So cold currently here in Australia, Dorothy. However, before we know it the seasons will be reversed and it will be me enjoying this summer soup. Salivating already!
Well, hot soup is my go-to during most of winter, so enjoy that time of rest!
I will pass on all snakes now but your soup looks yummy.
Thank you Eunice! What a lovely name!
Awe thanks
Looks like Chinese meal, must be nice and yes I care Dorothy 😊
Thank you Gregory. Sunshine coming right up!
I hope your day is going well?
What part of the world are you from?
We are in Vermont. You?
Okay. I am from NewYork but currently in broome Australia, how is Vermont and the weather over their today ?
Chilled soups are great for summer–this sounds really good!
With the heat we’ve had, it’s certainly a treat.