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Chunky Gazpacho

July 13, 2022 by Michelle | Leave a Comment

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close-up of a bowl of gazpacho with a spoonful being lifted out with text overlays that says now cook this, chunky gazpacho, and get the recipe

This Chunky Gazpacho – cold tomato and vegetable soup – is quick, easy, light, refreshing, and so full of flavor. It’s the perfect summer soup!

close-up of a bowl of chunky gazpacho garnished with croutons and fresh basil with a spoonful being taken out this recipe

When the days are hot and the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and onions are at their finest, this delicious Spanish-inspired chilled soup is exactly what you want to make to beat the heat!

In fact, you don’t even turn on the stove…at all!

Just chop up your fresh tomatoes and veggies, add some garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, vegetable juice, a couple of spices and a pinch or two of sugar, and mix it all up.

Purée some of this mixture in a food processor or blender so that you’ll have a slightly thicker base but still lots of chunks of crunchy veggies.

Then just mix everything together and let it (literally) chill out in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow all those amazing flavors to blend together.

You could even make it the day before – which is usually what I do – because homemade gazpacho is one of those dishes that just gets better as it sits.

Serve it as an appetizer (this is how I like to enjoy it) or as a light lunch or supper. One spoonful, and your taste buds will instantly wake up, say an enthusiastic hello there!, and ask for more.

Plus, you get the bonus of lots of vitamins, minerals and other good-for-you things from all the veggies!

If you think you won’t like cold soup, just give it a try. Up until last summer, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy it either, but making some vichyssoise changed all that (I absolutely loved it!).

And now this gazpacho has become another instant favorite. I’ll be making it many, many more times before the summer ends!

a bowl of chunky gazpacho with another bowl in the background and 2 spoons and a small bowl of croutons on the side

Ingredients you need:

Note: Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.

  • Tomatoes (I like to use plum/Roma tomatoes, but any kind will do)
  • Cucumber
  • Bell peppers (any color; I do a combination of green and yellow)
  • Red onion
  • Garlic
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Celery salt
  • Cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Sugar
  • Vegetable juice (such as V8)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Croutons (optional, for topping; try my easy baked Homemade Croutons to make it extra-special)
  • Fresh basil (optional, for topping)

Special Equipment Needed:

  • Food processor or blender

Here’s a look at how to make Chunky Gazpacho:

Note: This is just a brief overview of the steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe with detailed instructions.

2 images; one of all of the ingredients in a bowl with a spoon with text that says place the tomatoes, veggies, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, spices, and vegetables juice in a bowl; the other of all of the ingredients in the bowl being mixed together with a spoon with text that says stir until well combined
2 images; one of some of the vegetable mixture in a food processor with text that says place 2 cups of the mixture in a food processor or blender, purée until mostly smooth; the other of the puréed vegetables back in the bowl with text that says add the purée back to the bowl, stir to combine, season to taste with salt and pepper
2 images; one a graphic of a refrigerator with text that says cover, chill at least 4 hours, overnight is better; the other of a bowl of the finished soup with a spoon in it and garnished with croutons and basil with text that says top with croutons and fresh basil, optional, enjoy

Tips & Tidbits:

  • The quality of your tomatoes and vegetables will determine the quality of your gazpacho. Make sure you get the best ones you can!
  • There’s no need to waste time peeling the tomatoes. Just be sure to scoop out the seeds and all of the liquid.
  • I like to use green and yellow bell pepper for a variety of colors, but you can you just one or any combination of colors you’d like.
  • Sherry vinegar is often used in gazpacho. If you have some, try it in place of the red wine vinegar. Balsamic vinegar would also be delicious!
  • The small amount of cayenne pepper doesn’t make the soup very hot; it just adds a nice little kick of heat in the background. Adjust the amount (or omit it) depending on how spicy you want it.
    • Instead of cayenne, you could add some finely diced jalapenos.
  • I love the flavor of vegetable juice, but you can use tomato juice instead.
  • If you’d rather a smooth soup, go ahead and purée all of the vegetable mixture (this might need to be done in batches depending on the size of your food processor/blender).
  • I love to chop up a few extra veggies for topping the soup for a prettier presentation, but this is optional.
  • This recipe makes a small batch of gazpacho. If you have a bigger crowd to feed, you can easily scale it up.
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
overhead view of two bowls of chunky gazpacho garnished with croutons and fresh basil with 2 spoons on the side

My suggestion? Don’t skip the croutons (especially if they’re homemade) and fresh basil. Although this soup is very delicious on its own, they really take it to the next level!

I hope you try this Chunky Gazpacho recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!

michelle signature

More Summer Tomato Recipes You Might Like…

  • Tomato Basil Bruschetta
  • Caprese Salad With Balsamic Drizzle
  • Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Tomato Sauté
  • Farfalle Pasta With Zucchini, Spinach and Tomatoes
  • Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad

If you make this recipe, I’d love to know how it went! Please leave a star rating and comment below. Thanks!

close-up of a spoonful of chunky gazpacho being taken out of the bowl

Chunky Gazpacho

This Chunky Gazpacho – cold tomato and vegetable soup – is quick, easy, light, refreshing, and so full of flavor. It's the perfect summer soup!
Print Recipe Rate/Comment Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 4 as an appetizer (about ¾ cup each) or 2 as a main dish (about 1½ cups each)
Calories: 131
Author: Michelle / Now Cook This!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups seeded and diced plum (Roma) tomatoes, or any kind of tomato, about ¼-inch dice
  • ½ cup peeled and seeded diced cucumbers, about ¼-inch dice
  • ¼ cup seeded and diced green bell pepper, about ¼-inch dice
  • ¼ cup seeded and diced yellow bell pepper, about ⅛ to ¼-inch dice
  • ¼ cup peeled and diced red onion, about ⅛ to ¼-inch dice
  • 1 small to medium clove garlic, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional (add more or less to taste depending on the heat level you want)
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable juice, such as V8
  • salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup croutons, optional, for topping (homemade croutons preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, optional, for topping

Special Equipment

  • food processor or blender

Instructions

  • Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, celery salt, cayenne pepper (if using), sugar, and vegetable juice in a large bowl; stir until well-combined.
  • Remove 2 cups of the vegetable mixture and place in a food processor or blender; purée until mostly smooth.
  • Return the puréed vegetable mixture back to the bowl with the other ingredients; stir to combine.
  • Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend (overnight is even better).
  • Top with croutons and chopped fresh basil (optional but highly recommended) and enjoy!

Notes

  • The quality of your tomatoes and vegetables will determine the quality of your gazpacho. Make sure you get the best ones you can!
  • I like to use green and yellow bell pepper for a variety of colors, but you can you just one or any combination of colors you’d like.
  • Sherry vinegar is often used in gazpacho. If you have some, try it in place of the red wine vinegar. Balsamic vinegar would also be delicious!
  • I love the flavor of vegetable juice, but you can use tomato juice instead.
  • If you’d rather a smooth soup, go ahead and purée all of the vegetable mixture (this might need to be done in batches depending on the size of your food processor/blender).
  • I love to chop up a few extra veggies for topping the soup for a prettier presentation, but this is optional.
  • Try my easy Homemade Croutons; they’re an excellent a topper for this soup.
  • This recipe makes a small batch of gazpacho. If you have a bigger crowd to feed, you can easily scale it up.
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it!Mention @nowcookthis or tag #nowcookthisrecipes!
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