July 29, 2021 | By Ernesto M. Becerra

Summer calls for sitting by the pool and enjoying refreshing drinks. Just picture the warm breeze blowing as you bite into a juicy, sugary watermelon to quench your thirst.

Well, did you know you can have the same revitalizing feeling with soup? I know, soup during summer?! The only soup I would come close to in this scorching heat is Gazpacho!

Best Gazpacho Recipes

Fresh, cold gazpacho is the soup of the summer! Gazpacho originates from the Andalusia region in southern Spain. With a combination of mixed puréed tomatoes for the base consistency and a large variety of seasonings, gazpacho takes its most traditional form by assimilating a cold tomato paste.

However, it is much more than that! As with any culinary plate, authentic cuisine always takes a turn as chefs experiment with flavors and ideas to reach new levels of flavor and add their own signatures to their dishes.

Today, we’ll cover three gazpacho recipes: authentic Andalusian gazpacho, a strawberry gazpacho, and a watermelon gazpacho. View the recipes below!

Traditional Spanish Gazpacho

Following the traditional Spanish recipe, this silky gazpacho texture and flavor will definitely give you something to talk about!

While the recipes are a little time consuming, they are definitely worth it. If you’re looking for something authentic and ready to be consumed, TerraMar Imports offers three imported gazpachos from across the sea: traditional gazpacho, gazpacho with zucchini and basil, and organic gazpacho.

Spanish Gazpacho Ingredients

• 2 pounds ripe Roma tomatoes, halved

• 1 small cucumber, peeled

• 1 medium green bell pepper, cored

• 1/2 small red onion, peeled

• 2 small garlic cloves, peeled

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 thick slice of white bread

• You may also replace this for galician bread to dip into the soup

• *Optional garnishes: croutons, chopped fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, feta cheese, or any leftover chopped gazpacho ingredients

Spanish Gazpacho Recipe

1.) Combine all ingredients, except the bread and optional garnishes, into a blender and puree them altogether.
2.) Taste the mixture! If it needs more flavor, add salt, pepper, and/or cumin as needed. Be careful with cumin as it is a VERY strong seasoning! A little goes a long way.
3.) Refrigerate in a sealed container for 3 to 4 hours. Don’t try to cut corners by adding ice cubes to the mix or putting it in the freezer!
4.) Serve cold and add your desired garnishes! We recommend adding feta cheese and dip your bread into it!

Strawberry Gazpacho

While traditional gazpacho calls for no cooking, this strawberry gazpacho infusion requires very little stove top time. This super easy soup has a savory and sweet combination ready to cool you down as summer heat continues to skyrocket!

Strawberry Gazpacho Ingredients

1 tablespoon and an additional 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed but kept whole
1 1/2 cups whole grain bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
You may also replace this for galician bread to dip into the soup
2 sprigs thyme
6 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
6 tablespoons tomato juice
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Tabasco sauce

Strawberry Gazpacho Directions

1.) Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat the bottom with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add 1 clove of garlic.

2.) When the garlic begins to sizzle, add the bread cubes to make your croutons. Toss occasionally until the bread begins to color, being careful not to burn.

3.) Add the thyme and continue to toss until the bread is golden brown. Transfer the bread to a large bowl. Discard the garlic and thyme.

4.) Add the strawberries, cucumber, peppers, remaining garlic clove, remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil, tomato juice, vinegar, and salt to the bowl. Toss to combine and cover tightly with plastic wrap.

5.) Let it cool down at room temperature for 3 to 6 hours. Puree the ingredients and their juices in small batches in a blender at high speed until very smooth. Strain through a chinois and chill in the refrigerator until very cold for about 4 hours.

6.) Taste and season, if necessary, with Tabasco sauce and additional salt and red wine vinegar.

7.) Serve chilled and garnish with croutons. You can also add tiny basil leaves, a swirl of olive oil, or feta cheese as additional garnish! Enjoy!

Watermelon Gazpacho

Whether you’re looking to prep your palette for the main course or trying to stay cool on a hot summer day, the sweet watermelon gazpacho with hints of cucumber will definitely do the trick!

This recipe has hints of everything that is healthy — from cucumbers to bell peppers, it’s a must-have as a healthy soup alternative that is filled with all-natural ingredients.

Watermelon Gazpacho Ingredients

1.5 pounds cubed fresh watermelon

3 large Roma tomatoes, halved

1 small cucumber, peeled and diced

1  medium red bell pepper, cored and diced

1/2 small red onion, peeled

2 small garlic cloves, peeled

1/3 cup packed fresh mint leaves

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2  teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 thick slice of white bread
You may also replace this for galician bread to dip into the soup

*Optional garnishes: croutons, chopped fresh mint, a drizzle of olive oil, feta cheese, or any leftover chopped gazpacho ingredients

Watermelon Gazpacho Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients, except for the bread and optional garnishes, into a food processor or blender. Puree for one minute or until the mixture reaches a soup-like consistency.
2. Add additional salt, pepper, and/or cumin if needed.
3. Refrigerate in a sealed container for 4 hours or until it is completely chilled.
4. Serve cold with your desired garnishes, and you’re done!

Let us know if you enjoyed this recipe in the comments below and show us your cuisine by tagging @terramarimports on Instagram!