Have you ever tried gazpacho? I hadn’t until this past Spring when my friend Angela brought this cold soup to a lunch I hosted. It was so delicious and fresh tasting. I didn’t feel an ounce of guilt eating it. I’ve waited until now to share it since this time of year there’s an abundance of fresh vegetables to be found at local farmer’s markets or perhaps in your own backyard.
I’ve attempted to plant gardens in the past, but I’ve come to the conclusion I’m more of a container gardener. I don’t have the patience for watering and pulling weeds. My 81-year-old mother-in-law plants a garden every summer and has a bounty of fresh vegetables every summer. If you are looking for an inspiring story you can read more about her in this post. My brother-in-law also likes to garden, but somehow the gardening gene skipped my husband. To his credit though he loves fruit trees and we’ve enjoyed fresh peaches for years because of him. We also aren’t technically allowed to plant gardens in our neighborhood.
My brother-in-law planted 40 plus tomato plants this summer and shared some Cherokee tomatoes with us. They are the best tasting tomatoes I’ve ever eaten. They have lower acidity and are full of flavor. My husband doesn’t care for fresh tomatoes and he even liked them. They are sort of purplish in color which initially threw me off, but don’t be deceived. If you love tomatoes you need to try a Cherokee tomato.
If you find yourself with an abundance of vegetables this summer I hope you’ll try this recipe. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. It’s not something I normally would have made myself, but I thoroughly enjoyed this cold soup. A touch of Tabasco sauce gives it a little kick.
| A Tasty Gazpacho Soup | | Print |
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1-3 teaspoons salt (optional, depending on saltiness of tomato juice.)
- Dash of ground pepper
- 8 cups Tomato Juice (The best you can buy. I like Red Gold brand)
- 4 Large ripe tomatoes, peeled and cubed (I have found that 2 cans of Best Choice brand Petite Diced tomatoes works wonderfully and saves TONS of time and mess. I just stumbled upon this brand and it has been my favorite so far. If you use the canned tomatoes, DRAIN first).
- ½ cup finely chopped onion or scallions (I prefer scallions, green stems and all)
- 4 stalks celery, diced (I cut the celery into thirds lengthwise first then dice)
- 1 large yellow or green pepper, diced
- 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 large cucumber, diced
- Small bunch of cilantro, chopped (optional)
- Hot sauce to taste
- 1 avocado, sliced
- In a large serving bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour in tomato juice and stir to mix.
- Add vegetables and, if using cilantro, turning to mix evenly.
- Let sit in refrigerator from 1 hour to overnight for the flavors to blend.
- Dish into bowls. Season with hot sauce and garnish with sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, and a lemon wedge.
- Covered and refrigerated, this soup will keep for several days.
- Tip: I like my vegetables at about a ¼ inch dice, keeping the celery, cucumber and pepper all about the same size.
Another great recipe using tomatoes is this Feta Dip I shared last summer.
Linking to: Treasure Box Tuesday, Inspiraton 2, I’m Lovin’ It Link Party, Foodie Fridays
Sounds so good I pinned it! I’m like you I’m more of a container gardener even thought some day I want a small garden I just need Rob to help me rabbit proof an area.
So amazing that this would pop up on your page today, as I had gazpacho for dinner last night! I LOVE gazpacho! I got mine last night from the classic Colombia restaurant here in Florida. I have tried to make it a couple of times, but it has never turned out right, either in taste, or color, or both. I will try again with your recipe! Have a great week!
Dawn – the soup looks delicious and the photo is beautiful! Thanks for inspiring us with your blog!
Oh yum! My mouth is watering…..Wednesday I’ll go to the farmer’s market and get some good fresh veggies! Thanks for reminding me!
We’re not allowed to have gardens in our neighborhood?? Oops. Shhh…
I never thought I would like gazpacho soup until recently when I tried a spoonful of my husband’s at a restaurant (it’s the cold soup thing that gets to me)…and it was amazing! So pinning yours to try!
Thanks Michelle. I was the same way, I think it has something to do with eating cold soup. It just doesn’t seem right, but I really enjoyed it. It tastes so fresh! I’ve been wanting to try some fruit soups as well, but once again fruit and soup just don’t go together in my mind.
I love cold soup idea for summer time! Your recipe looks delicious! I’m Turkish and love everything with feta also 🙂 Have a great weekend, Dawn!
Thanks for commenting Yonca! I love feta and almost any kind of cheese 🙂 Happy Weekend!