During the hottest days of summer, classic Andalusian-style gazpacho is a balm. Smooth, tomato-forward, and traditionally served ice-cold, it comes together in minutes in the blender, no cooking required.
Peak-season tomatoes make all the difference. Choose a variety for both blending into the soup and garnishing. If you spot heirloom tomatoes, they’re exceptional here—but if yours fall short, a small pinch of sugar can round things out. Taste before serving and adjust seasoning accordingly, since chilling may reduce the intensity of the flavors.
Tips for making gazpacho
Why trim cucumber ends?
Cucumber ends can be bitter; removing about ¼" from each side keeps the flavor clean and balanced.
Taste before and after chilling
Taste the soup after blending and once again after chilling. Cold temperatures dampen flavor, and you might want to add a little more salt or vinegar to wake things up.
Strained vs. unstrained
This gazpacho recipe yields a fully blended soup with a velvety, spoonable texture that holds garnishes well. For a thinner, more sippable version, strain after blending.
Serving suggestions
Serve your gazpacho in wide, shallow bowls, topped with more cucumbers, tomato, and red pepper, a drizzle of your best olive oil, and a few cracks of black pepper. Or for a lighter option, strain and serve in small glasses for sipping and garnish with a small basil or cilantro leaf.
For a more substantial serving, top the gazpacho with a dollop of lump crab meat, crumbled brined feta, or olive-oil-toasted croutons.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
½
½
2
½
1
2
1½
¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
3
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Cut 2" off of ½ English hothouse cucumber (about 7 oz.), ends trimmed, unpeeled; cut 2" piece into ¼" pieces and set aside for serving. Coarsely chop remaining cucumber and place in a blender. Cut one quarter of ½ large red bell pepper (about 3 oz.), stemmed, seeded, into ¼" pieces and set aside for serving; coarsely chop remaining bell pepper and add to blender with chopped cucumber. Add 2 lb. very ripe red tomatoes, preferably heirloom, cut into ½" wedges, to blender along with ½ large shallot (about 2 oz.), peeled and chopped, 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or grated, 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt; blend until smooth, about 60 seconds.
Step 2
Transfer tomato mixture to a large bowl (or strain for a thinner, sipping-style gazpacho). Add 3 Tbsp. olive oil and stir; season with additional salt and vinegar, if desired. Cover and chill until cool, about 1 hour.
Step 3
Divide gazpacho among bowls. Top with quartered cherry tomatoes, chopped chives, freshly ground black pepper, and reserved cucumber and red pepper; drizzle with olive oil. Serve with toasted country-style bread alongside.
Do Ahead: Gazpacho can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
Editor’s note: This gazpacho recipe was first printed online in August 2016 as BA’s Best Gazpacho; it was updated in 2026 to address user comments on seasoning and texture. A previous version called for straining, which results in a thinner soup that doesn’t hold garnishes as well. Head this way for more cold soup recipes from Epicurious →