This refreshing chilled tomato basil gazpacho comes together in just 10 minutes and is perfect to store in jars for a veggie-packed meal prep. Such a great way to use up summer tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers from the garden or CSA!
Fun fact! I studied abroad in Spain and studied gastronomy there, and gazpacho became one of my favorite things I ever ate. Now, every summer I hit a point where I would prefer gazpacho to a salad on most days (except maybe my peach blueberry salad?? Tough choice...), because something about a chilled, veggie-packed gazpacho hits the spot on those hot summer days.
If you haven't had a tomato gazpacho before, the taste almost reminds me of a fresh blended salsa, but with plenty of olive oil, a splash of red wine wine or sherry vinegar, and some toasted or dry bread blended in for a thick, smooth texture.
Besides the fact that it's incredibly refreshing and feels good to eat, it's one of my favorite summer meal preps for work (especially when it's hot outside). I just blend up a batch on Sunday and pour it into 16-ounce mason jars, pop those in the fridge, and they're ready for me to enjoy with lunch, usually on the side with a sandwich, pasta salad, hearty grain salad, or bowl of sorts.
Gazpacho also uses up so many garden or CSA veggies! Tomatoes, bell peppers, fresh herbs, cucumbers, onions, and garlic. I even make a peach basil gazpacho if I have some ripe, juicy peaches or nectarines on hand. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!
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What You'll Need for a Really Good Gazpacho
Fresh produce: If you're able to get your produce from a garden, CSA, farmers market, or otherwise very fresh source, definitely do it! Gazpacho is one of those recipes where produce shines, so the fresher the better. If you're getting veg from the grocery store, definitely best to make this one in season when the tomatoes are best (summer).
Olive oil & vinegar: We'll also be blending in some olive oil and sherry or red wine vinegar. I love splurging on good olive oil, but what you have is great. The O Olive Oil aged sherry vinegar is insanely good in gazpacho, but I don't always have that on hand, so red wine vinegar is a great alternative that's pretty widely available.
Bread: Bread is a traditional gazpacho ingredient to help thicken the texture and emulsify the olive oil so it doesn't separate later. I usually use a piece of sourdough (especially if I have some getting dry),
Step-by-Step Visual Overview
Step 1
Chop everything into large chunks. No need to be precious since the blender will be doing the work! Add to your blender and blend until smooth.
Step 2
Add some dried or lightly toast chunks of bread (one slice is enough). Push it down until it's completely submerged, and let it soak for 5 minutes.
Step 3
Blend again until the gazpacho is completely smooth (another 20-30 seconds should do it).
Step 4
Transfer to jars or your storage container of choice to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, then enjoy with a drizzle of olive oil, more fresh basil, and pepitas on top.
Use It Up
If you have an extra couple tomatoes, a different kind of bell pepper, a handful of parsley or cilantro... this is a great opportunity to use it up, even if it's not precisely within the measurements I provided. Gazpacho has a lot of flexibility!
If you have more tomatoes leftover, my roasted tomato soup is another summer favorite!
Make It a Meal
I like serving my gazpacho with something else, like a sandwich or pasta salad. Here are some favorites!
📖 Recipe
Tomato Gazpacho with Fresh Basil
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: ~8 cups
- Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
This fresh tomato gazpacho recipe has become my go-to way to use up a ton of fresh summer tomatoes and produce. It tastes incredible on a hot day and is perfect for lunch meal prep in jars!
Ingredients
- 6-8 cups quartered tomatoes (or whole cherry tomatoes)
- ½ sweet onion, cut into large chunks
- 2 cloves garlic
- 5-6 fresh basil leaves
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into large pieces
- 1 small-medium cucumber, peeled and cut into large pieces
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Dash of black pepper
- 1 slice bread, day-old or lightly toasted (I use sourdough)
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Blend vegetables. Add all ingredients to a blender except for the bread, and blend until smooth, about 30-60 seconds.
- Add bread. If the bread isn't dry, lightly toast it in the toaster first. Tear it into pieces and add it to the tomato blend, pushing it under to get it fully immersed. Wait 5 minutes for it to soak and soften, then blend the entire mixture again for another 20-30 seconds to incorporate.
- Chill & serve. You can definitely enjoy right away, but the gazpacho is extra good when chilled for at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and drizzle with more olive oil or even some aged balsamic vinegar. Yum!
Notes
- Gazpacho meal prep. I love pouring the gazpacho into 16-ounce widemouth mason jars, and during the workday it's so easy to grab a jar to serve with a sandwich or pasta salad for lunch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Blend
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 192
- Sugar: 11.1 g
- Sodium: 361.9 mg
- Fat: 11.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.3 g
- Fiber: 4.9 g
- Protein: 4.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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