Make This Zesty Summer Gazpacho Recipe With Your Ripe Garden Tomatoes
Put those garden-grown heirloom tomatoes to work in this easy gazpacho recipe.
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Flavorful, refreshing, and filled with zing, this easy gazpacho recipe is a delicious way to hydrate, fill up on your yummy bounty of garden-grown heirloom tomatoes and vegetables–all while staying cool this summer.
With just a handful of seasonal goodies (tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, oh my!) and some pantry staples, this gazpacho can be created in a flash. Because this gazpacho recipe is also gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, and dairy-free, it’s an easy way to please everyone at summer parties.
Buying the Ingredients
A traditional gazpacho recipe hailing from the Andalusia region of Spain contains stale bread, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, olive oil, garlic, and wine vinegar.
This gazpacho recipe stays true to tradition while adding in hemp seeds in place of the bread. Hemp seeds, which are an excellent source of protein and fatty acids, give this gazpacho a slightly nutty flavor and delicious texture.
Because the majority of these ingredients are readily available at the farmers market throughout the summer, head there first for your shopping!
When choosing organic produce for this recipe, look for organic tomatoes and red bell peppers, both of which fall on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list for 2017. Although the recipe calls for plum tomatoes, switching them out with local and organic heirloom tomatoes is a delightful idea.
Another reason to choose organic tomatoes? They offer more nutrient bang for your buck. A 2013 study published in PLOS ONE found that organic tomatoes, as opposed to conventional ones, contain significantly more phytochemicals such as vitamin C and total phenolic compounds, including lycopene. Lycopene is associated with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in the body – eat up!
Kitchen Prep
The best part about this gazpacho recipe is that there’s no need to turn on a stove or oven to make it. In fact, the only kitchen utensil necessary is a cutting board, large bowl, and food processor. Keeping things simple in minimal in the summer is key.
We rely on our trusty Vitamix for this recipe (along with so many others!). The gold standard of blenders, Vitamix is a classic for a reason. There’s virtually no processing task it can’t handle, from dips to smoothies to soups and more.
To make this delicious recipe, roughly chop the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, and red bell peppers before adding to the Vitamix. Process this mixture until it is gently broken down, but not over processed. This ensures that the gazpacho will still have texture and not be too watery.
This vegetable mixture is then mixed with the remainder of the ingredients and left to chill in the refrigerator. It’s as simple as can be. For best results, finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil over individual portions just before serving. We love Manni’s the Oil of Life for its flavor, which is perfect for finishing dishes, and the luxurious experience of using this beautiful product.
How to Make Gazpacho
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten
Ingredients
Preparation
- Add cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, red onion, garlic cloves, jalapeno, and hemp seeds to a large food processor. Pulse on and off until mixture is broken down, but not over-processed. Think coarsely chopped, not soup, in order to have texture in the gazpacho.
- Place vegetable mixture into a large bowl and stir in tomato juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Place gazpacho in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours before serving. The longer the gazpacho sits, the more developed the flavors will be.
- Serve gazpacho chilled garnished with chopped fresh cilantro or basil, cherry tomatoes, red onion, sriracha, and a generous finishing drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!
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