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A super easy, refreshing and tasty cold cucumber gazpacho for the hot and humid summer. It has the perfect balance of savory and zing. The recipe requires no cooking.
The humid hot summer makes me think of all the cold refreshing food! I have some cucumbers in the fridge and some stale bread I want to use up and hence, this chilled cucumber garlic gazpacho is born.
What is gazpacho?
Gazpacho is a cold soup from Spain. Traditional gazpacho is made primarily from raw vegetables and is typically enjoyed during the hot summer. The main ingredients include tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and bread. These ingredients are blended to create a refreshing, smooth soup. Sometimes, it’s garnished with chopped vegetables, croutons, or herbs before serving. Gazpacho is known for its vibrant flavor and is a staple in Spanish cuisine. Cucumber gazpacho is a variation of the traditional tomato-based gazpacho. It highlights the refreshing qualities of cucumbers. It emphasizes the flavor of garlic and the zing from rice wine vinegar.
Chilled Cucumber Garlic Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 230 g stale bread
- 200 g cucumber
- 4 cloves garlic
- 80 g extra virgin olive oil
- 30 g rice wine vinegar
- 240 g water or more as needed
- ½ tsp Freshly ground black pepper adjust to your taste preference
- Salt to taste
Serve with: (optional but encouraged)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- A few thinly sliced cucumber
- toasted pine nuts or other crunchy topping like croutons, crusty bread
Instructions
- I use day-old crusty sourdough bread and I didn't remove the crust. Cut into small chunks
- Wash the cucumbers clean. I didn't peel off the skin, but you are welcome to if you prefer to peel them. Cut some thin slices of cucumbers for garnish later and cut the rest into large chunks
- Put the bread, cucumbers and the rest of the ingredients into a blender. Blend on high speed until the texture is smooth. Have a taste and adjust by adding more salt if needed. It should taste savory and with some zing from the vinegar. Feel free to add more vinegar if you prefer more
- The texture should be medium thick. Not too thick or too thin. You can adjust by adding more water if you prefer thinner or cut back on the liquid if you prefer it thicker consistency
- Chill the soup in the fridge for 2-3 hours or longer if you have the time. It tastes so refreshing when it's chilled.
To serve:
- Portion into a soup bowl. Garnish with thin slices of cucumbers, drizzle of EVOO, freshly ground black pepper. Add some toasted pine nuts or croutons for some crunch factor!
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
Ingredients and substitutions
1. Cucumber
When making cucumber gazpacho, it’s best to use cucumbers that are mild, crisp, with thin skins and minimal seeds such as English and Persian cucumbers. If you use regular cucumbers, remove the seeds to avoid bitterness
2. Rice wine vinegar
I like rice wine vinegar because it has a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a hint of umami. It also has a lower acidity compared to most regular vinegar, making it less harsh and more subtle in taste. You are welcome to use regular vinegar, but you may want to start with half of the amount and adjust to your preference
3. Extra-virgin olive oil
Use your favorite extra-virgin olive oil. This flavor shines through the soup, so you want to make sure you use good-quality EVOO
4. Garlic
Use fresh garlic cloves. I do not recommend using pre-minced garlic in the jar because it gives a weird taste IMHO
5. Stale bread
The bread thickens the soup. So if you have stale bread you want to get rid of, this is a good place to use it. Any crusty artisan-type bread, sourdough bread, or plain white bread works here
6. Freshly ground black pepper
It needs to be freshly ground black pepper for the flavor to shine here.
7. Salt
I use fine sea salt. You can use any kind that suits your taste preference
How to store leftovers
1. Transfer gazpacho to a clean air-tight container
2. Keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days
3. When ready to serve, give gazpacho a good stir again as some ingredients may have separated during storage
Can I freeze gazpacho ?
It is not recommended to freeze gazpacho. It changes the texture and turns it watery upon thawing and the flavor suffers.
