How to Make Strawberry Gazpacho Soup

When heirloom tomatoes and strawberries are in season, make gazpacho. Especially in Texas, the tomatoes are so succulent this year and meant to be eaten. Gazpacho is a classic cold soup made with raw blended produce, that originated in southern Spain, otherwise known as Andalusia. With fresh, juicy summer tomatoes and sweet strawberries, this strawberry gazpacho soup makes the most delightful starter to your summer dinner party.

What is the History of Gazpacho?

Originally, gazpacho is a chilled soup made with bread, olive oil, water, and garlic that arrived in Spain along with the Romans. The name gazpacho possibly derived from the Latin – caspa, meaning little pieces, referring to the breadcrumbs, which are a main ingredient. The tomatoes were only added to this cold soup in the 19th century, and the fruit was added to sweeten it.

The Produce...

Gazpacho is made with fresh seasonal produce of the summer. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers were blended together, traditionally in a mortar or a dornillo – a large wooden bowl. Now, we can easily whip out our Cuisinart food processor for a faster process. If you’ve experienced a hot Spanish summer, you know this was a refreshing treat in the afternoon!

A Variation...

There are many versions of this, and after living in Granada, Spain, with an old woman who cooked for me every day, I can say I’ve altered the recipe quite a bit. Lina, who I swear only had some cloves of garlic and a carton of milk in her fridge, some how created these incredibly delicious meals every day. She would have to disagree with my use of herbs in this soup! Don’t tell! Adding thyme and basil brightens the taste a bit more, so I had to toss them in! I’m also attempting a low carb diet right now, so I omitted the infamous bread crumbs in this recipe.

A Spanish saying states- “De gazpacho no hay empacho” meaning, there’s never too much gazpacho.

This makes a fabulous colorful starter to your dinner party in the summer evening. If you have cordial glasses, divide it into them and serve on a vintage platter garnished with a strawberry for sipping before you sit down to dinner. Surely, it will be a hit!