Tap here to get 5 Secrets to Stress Free Dinners

Garden Fresh Gazpacho

5 from 4 votes
|

posted: 07/03/19

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy
|
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

This easy Gazpacho recipe is perfect! It is the exact right balance of flavors. If you are growing vegetables in your garden, this is exactly what you should make with them!

white bowl full of easy gazpacho recipe topped with chopped tomatoes cucumbers and parsley, cucumber slices next to the bowl and whole tomatoes behind it

This Gazpacho recipe is one of my favorite summer recipes! Growing up, my parents had the BIGGEST vegetable garden. It was truly a labor of love, especially for my dad to grow all these fresh fruits and vegetables for us. We had strawberries, zucchini, raspberries, lettuce, cucumbers, the best tomatoes and so much more. Just about every ingredient for this amazing gazpacho soup could be found in that garden, and this was a delicious recipe that my mom made.

The original recipe comes from a vegetarian cookbook, Moosewood, that I highly recommend. The recipe has been tweaked a little. First it was tweaked by my mom and now it has been tweaked a little more by me. It is absolutely delicious, such a keeper.

HOW TO MAKE GAZPACHO

As I mentioned, this recipe is so simple. This gazpacho recipe is made of tomato juice, fresh vegetables, herbs, and seasonings.

I prefer my gazpacho completely pureed, so you can actually just combined all of the ingredients into a blender and blend to combine.

If you like some chunk to your gazpacho, make the soup in a large container and after combining, remove two cups of soup at a time to puree until you reach the desired consistency.

Either way, after pureeing, you want to put your gazpacho soup in the refrigerator and chill for at least four hours. Gazpacho is served cold, and so not only does refrigerating it chill the recipe, it allows the flavors to fully combine.

overhead view of a white bowl filled with gazpacho recipe and garnished with chopped fresh vegetables

THE BASE OF THIS GAZPACHO RECIPE

The base of gazpacho soup is tomato juice. This is a great and inexpensive way to start this soup. However, over the years, my mom decided that she wanted to kick up the base of this soup a notch. So she started using Spicy V8. Guys, she was not wrong. It is a simple way to add a lot more flavor and kick to this soup.

If you don’t have access to Spicy V8 or don’t want to buy it, then taste your soup at the end and make sure it has enough flavor for you. You can add more tobacco sauce, salt, and pepper a little at a time to liven it up.

WHY ADD HONEY

The honey in this recipe may seem a little out of place, but it is a key to this recipe. When cooking with tomatoes, it can be easy for the recipe to become too acidic. This is especially true in this case because we are also adding lemon juice, lime juice, and vinegar.

Just as sugar is the answer to the acidic tomatoes in my Easy Spaghetti Sauce, honey is the answer to the acid in this gazpacho recipe. I encourage you to taste this recipe before adding the honey and again after. You will be able to see how the honey changes the recipe without making it overtly sweet. If you find that the recipe is still too acidic, you can add a little more, about a 1/2 teaspoon at a time.

landscape view of gazpacho soup recipe in a white bowl garnished with fresh vegetables

FRESH vs DRIED HERBS

Though this recipe does call for fresh parsley, it also calls for a few dried herbs. Normally in a soup recipe we use dried herbs. If you are simmering a soup, the dried herbs have time to really infuse into the soup.

Given that we aren’t cooking this soup, the choice of using fresh or dried herbs is yours. I tend to use dried herbs in this soup because they are more convenient. Additionally, because we are letting this soup chill in the refrigerator, the basil and tarragon do add their flavor.

That said, if you decide to use fresh herbs, you will want to double the amount listed here as dry herbs add a stronger flavor than fresh.

CAN YOU FREEZE THIS GAZPACHO RECIPE

This is a great recipe to freeze! Pour it into an airtight container and then freeze for up to three months. You can have a little taste of summer into the fall months.

white bowl full of easy gazpacho recipe topped with chopped tomatoes cucumbers and parsley, cucumber slices next to the bowl and whole tomatoes behind it

OTHER GREAT RECIPES TO MAKE WITH GARDEN VEGETABLES

If you are like my dad, pouring your heart and soul into your vegetable garden, here are some other great recipes to use those goodies.

If you make this gazpacho, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

overhead view of gazpacho soup in a white bowl, cut up cucumber and whole tomatoes next to the soup

overhead view of a white bowl filled with gazpacho recipe and garnished with chopped fresh vegetables
5 from 4 votes

Gazpacho Recipe

Serves: 6 servings
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 4 hours 15 minutes
This easy Gazpacho recipe is perfect!  It is the exact right balance of flavors. If you are growing vegetables in your garden, this is exactly what you should make with them!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups tomato juice
  • 1 small white onion diced
  • 2 cups vine ripened tomatoes (about three large tomatoes)
  • 1 medium cucumber seeded and diced
  • 1 bell pepper diced (you can use either red or green - I use green)
  • 2 scallions diced into one inch of the green
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or the juice of one lemon)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (or the juice of one lime)
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon tabasco sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Combine all of the ingredients.
  • For a soup with some chunks left in it: Remove two cups at a time and blend until you get the consistency you want.
  • For a completely pureed soup: Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender until smooth.
  • Chill soup for at least four hours.

Notes

The nutritional information is based on a 1 1/3 cup serving. This recipe makes 8 cups or 6 servings.
Calories: 137kcal (7%) Carbohydrates: 23g (8%) Protein: 3g (6%) Fat: 5g (8%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Sodium: 847mg (37%) Potassium: 972mg (28%) Fiber: 4g (17%) Sugar: 13g (14%) Vitamin A: 3500IU (70%) Vitamin C: 175.7mg (213%) Calcium: 140mg (14%) Iron: 1.6mg (9%)
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Spanish
overhead view of a white bowl filled with gazpacho recipe and garnished with chopped fresh vegetables

did you make this

Gazpacho Recipe

I'd love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

Reader Interactions

    LEAVE A COMMENT

    Have a question? Use the form below to submit your question or comment. I love hearing from you & seeing what you made!

    Rate This Recipe:




  1. gillian leschasin says

    5 stars
    Thanks for the great recipe! I pinned it, made it for dinner tonight and am pleased to have some leftover so I can enjoy again!

  2. Carol says

    5 stars
    I have been to Spain (was in the Navy) and had this DELICIOUS soup, and was delighted to learn how Easy it is to make.
    I enjoy this chilled in the warm weather, but it’s every bit as delicious served warm .

  3. Meledy says

    5 stars
    Loved it! Have made it twice now and it’s the best recipe ever!! I had tried other recipes and was always disappointed. I’ve shared with my sister and friends. Thanks for this!!????

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so happy you like this!

  4. Kristen says

    5 stars
    This as so ways to make – and tastes so good! I love Gazpacho, but most recipes have you steam the skin off the tomatoes. Too much work! Question – it shows cucumber in the pictures, but its not listed in the ingredients. Just want to be sure I didn’t miss it. Love the recipe -and tastes great!

    • Lisa Longley says

      You are totally right, Kristen! How did I miss that? Thanks for catching that.

SUPER-SIMPLEFAMILY FAVORITES
Broccoli Pasta"Omg! I didn’t think anything so simple could be so good!"
overhead of skillet of Cajun Shrimp Pasta ingredients on a cooling rack with toasted bread sitting beside
Cajun Shrimp Pasta"My family absolutely loved this recipe. Even my finicky eaters."
overhead photo of a gray skillet filled with beef and broccoli recipe, garnished with sliced green onions
Beef and Broccoli Recipe"I have made this a couple or more times. It’s easy & quick to prepare. I like this for a quick meal. It will be my go to recipe."

SUBSCRIBE & RECEIVE

5 Secrets to Stress Free Dinners

SUBSCRIBE & RECEIVE

MY TOP 10 EASY DINNER EBOOK!

5 Secrets to Stress Free Dinners

SUBSCRIBE & RECEIVE

MY TOP 10 EASY DINNER EBOOK!