Easy Gazpacho Recipe (Vegan)

Aug 17, 2020 (Last updated Dec 7, 2023) by Hannah Sunderani

Easy Gazpacho Recipe (Vegan)

If your summer garden is abundant with plump, luscious red tomatoes, transport yourself to Southern Spain with this easy gazpacho recipe! It’s easily one of my favourite, refreshing, chilled summer soups because it’s simple to make, smooth, and bursting with flavour. All you need is a few simple ingredients and a blender!

Now let me tell you all about this go-to gazpacho recipe so that you can enjoy it with your family at home pronto! 

What is Gazpacho?

In case you didn’t know, gazpacho is a cold Spanish soup that originated in the Southernmost region of Spain known as Andalusia. It’s well loved for its refreshing and vibrant flavours and is most commonly served as a light appetizer or side dish during the hot summer months when tomatoes are in peak season and many are avoiding using their stovetops, due to the heat! 

(If you prefer hot tomato soup – don’t worry, I’ve got you covered for that too. Check out my Vegan Tomato Basil Soup for a warming bowl, using canned tomatoes for the winter months when fresh tomatoes are past their prime).

Authentic gazpacho is traditionally made from a combination of fresh vegetables and other flavour-rich spices and herbs, all of which are blended together to create a chilled and flavourful soup!

This Gazpacho recipe is….

• Light and refreshing
• Seasonal 
• Naturally vegan
• Packed with fresh veggies
• Delicious
• Easy to make
• Newbie cook approved
• Served chilled

Ingredient Notes

The ingredients needed for this easy gazpacho recipe are fresh, simple, and seasonal. During the peak summer months, you’ll be able to easily find them at your local grocery store or farmer’s market. Or, if you have an abundant summer garden in your backyard, it’s a great recipe to use up that summer produce!

• Tomatoes: In a classic gazpacho, tomatoes are the base. It’s best to use ripe and flavourful tomatoes that contribute to the soup’s vibrancy and rich flavour. I typically like to use vine-ripened tomatoes, but other popular choices include Roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, or Campari tomatoes. 
• Cucumber: Adds a refreshing crispness and hydrating element to this cold soup. If you love the flavour of cucumber, I highly recommend giving my Cucumber Gazpacho a try and topping with extra diced cucumber! 
• Bell pepper: In order to keep the soup vibrantly red, I recommend using a red bell pepper. It’s sweet, tangy, and adds another layer of refreshing crispness. 
• Garlic + shallot: Infuse the soup with depth and aromatics that enrich the flavour as a whole. 
• Olive oil: In addition to adding healthy fats, a high-quality, rich olive oil adds a smooth, luxurious texture to the gazpacho that you’ll absolutely love!
• Lemon juice: Adds a zesty, acidic flavour that brightens the soup and balances the fats in the olive oil and balances the sweetness in the vine-ripened tomatoes. 
• Fresh herbs: I recommend using freshly chopped basil as I find it compliments the fresh tomatoes best, but some also like to garnish their summer gazpacho with freshly chopped parsley or even cilantro.

Make this Gazpacho with me!

Join me on my YouTube Channel, where I teach you just how easy it is to make this gazpacho recipe!

How to Make Gazpacho

Making a great gazpacho at home is so much easier than you think! All you need is 20 minutes to prep, plus a few hours for chilling and you’ll have a delightfully refreshing soup for lunch or dinner. All the flavour, without any extra effort!

To start, peel the skins from the tomatoes: Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slice a small“X”into the bottom of each tomato and drop them into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and submerge them in the ice water for 1 to 2 minutes. The skins should now easily peel away. Discard the skins. Chop the tomatoes into chunks.

Combine all of the gazpacho ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Let this mixture sit for at least 20 minutes to help the flavours meld together (the longer the better!). Stir occasionally to ensure all of the flavours are well combined. 

Next, transfer the mixture to a high-powered blender and blend on high until smooth and velvety. Then, pour the soup into an airtight container or tightly cover it in the blender canister and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the gazpacho sufficiently chilled. 

When ready to eat, divide the gazpacho between serving bowls and garnish with additional chopped tomatoes, chopped avocado, additional black pepper, and freshly chopped basil, or as desired! It’s as easy as that! 

What to Serve with Gazpacho

This cold summer soup is most often served as a first course or side dish alongside heartier mains such as Vegan Stuffed Peppers or cold pasta salad. Many enjoy gazpacho with soaked bread, bread crumbs, or croutons, but I personally prefer to serve my soup without to keep it light and naturally gluten-free. If you prefer yours with bread, serve it with my Easy No-Knead Focaccia Bread, baguette slices, or your favorite flatbread or pita. 

If you’d like to serve this chilled tomato soup as a starting appetizer, here are a few of my favourite additions to serve it with: 

• A Vegan Cheese Board – my favourite homemade cheese board including my popular vegan blue cheese is feautured in the Two Spoons Cookbook!
• Light, refreshing salads like this 20-Minute Strawberry Spinach Salad & Balsamic Dressing, Vegan Chickpea Salad Niçoise or this Spring Mix Salad with Lemon Baked Tofu.
• Grilled vegetables like Green Beans Almondine or Artichoke Halves with Creamy Tahini Garlic Dip.

Recipe FAQs

What is gazpacho supposed to taste like?

A traditional Spanish gazpacho should taste fresh, tangy, herbaceous, and slightly sweet from the juicy summer tomatoes. It’s also meant to be an ultra smooth and creamy soup – similar to a hot Vegan Tomato Soup. If you’re looking for a gazpacho that’s even more refreshing tasting, you must try my Cucumber Gazpacho next!

Why is gazpacho eaten cold?

The reason this classic cold Spanish soup isn’t served warm is simply due to the soup’s origin. The southern Spanish region of Andalusia is incredibly hot during the summer months and the creation of this soup was meant to cool you down and keep you hydrated during the hot summers. Further, the cold temperature allows the flavours of the fresh tomatoes and cucumbers to be enhanced. 

Do you need to peel tomatoes for gazpacho?

If you have a high-speed blender, you do not need to peel your tomatoes to make a velvety, delicious gazpacho. The blender is powerful enough to break up the fibers and ensure smooth consistency.

However, if you don’t have a high performance blender, you can still make a deliciously smooth gazpacho by peeling and discarding the tomato skins, as recommended in the recipe card below. Bon Appetit also has a great method for peeling off tomato skins. Or, simply peel the skins with a small serrated knife, cutting as closely to the skin around the tomato as possible.

I prefer to peel the tomatoes for best consistency no matter the blender you have on hand.

How long will gazpacho last in the refrigerator?

This easy gazpacho recipe will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. It’s perfect for meal prep when you’d like to have a healthy recipe ready in advance. Simply stir well before serving! 

More Fresh Tomato Recipes You Might Like:

• Vegan Tomato Basil Soup
• Tomato Rainbow Salad
• Charred Asparagus with Mango-Tomato Salsa
• Polenta Frittata with Mushroom, Tomato and Basil

I hope you love this gazpacho soup recipe as much as I do! If you do make this recipe, please let me know in the comments below what you think and check out The Two Spoons Cookbook for more European-inspired vegan recipes like this! I truly love hearing from you, and I’m always here to answer any questions you might have. 

And of course, tag me on Instagram with your pictures using the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations. 

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See more step-by-step instructions by visiting the recipe story here!