Basic Tomato Gazpacho Recipe

By CHOW Food Team

Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 25 mins | Active Time: 25 | Makes: 8 to 10 servings

Though some gazpacho recipes add bread or almonds to the classic cold soup, this tomato gazpacho keeps it basic with just fresh vegetables and some tomato juice. Make sure to use ripe tomatoes and serve the soup chilled, for a cooling dish on a hot summer day.

To see this recipe with illustrated steps, check out The Basics: How to Make Gazpacho.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and large dice
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and large dice
1 medium English cucumber, large dice
1/2 medium red onion, large dice
1 medium garlic clove, coarsely chopped
3 cups tomato juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more as needed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
Croutons for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, onion, and garlic in a blender and blend into a smooth purée. (If you need to get the mixture moving, add a little of the tomato juice while the blender is running.)
Transfer to a large serving bowl, add the tomato juice, measured oil, vinegar, measured salt, and pepper to taste and stir to combine. Taste and season with additional vinegar, salt, and pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with croutons, if using, and a drizzle of olive oil.

SOURCE: http://www.chow.com/recipes/29595-basic-tomato-gazpacho