Gazpacho is the quintessential cold summer soup when all the fresh ingredients are “deliciously” at their peak of the season in flavor and ripeness.  Simply prep your raw ingredients, puree in a blender or food processor, and enjoy this smooth and refreshing cold soup!

Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each

Ingredients:

• 1/1/2 pounds ripe Roma tomatoes (about 5), quartered
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut into chunks
• 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into chunks
• 1 medium sweet onion, peeled, cut into chunks
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
•  1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup tomato juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Garnish options: chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, chopped green onion, croutons

Directions:

1. Add all the raw ingredients together in a blender or food processor.   Pulse 1 minute to coarsely chop. 
2. Combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, oregano and cumin in a measuring cup.  Pour mixture over the chopped vegetables. Add the tomato juice.  Blend for about 1 minute until vegetables and liquid are pureed or until the soup reaches your desired consistency. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste.
3. Pour the soup into a sealed container and refrigerate for an hour until completely chilled.
4. Serve cold with garnishes and tortilla chips.

Tips:

• Gazpacho will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
• This recipe is a fresh vegetable cold soup variation of the traditional gazpacho which uses day(s) old bread to thicken the soup.

Recipe developed, tested, and photographed by Diane Sokolofski.