Gazpacho with Crispy Chickpeas Recipe (2024)

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By Jess Smith

5

Published Jul 10, 2013Updated Dec 27, 2022

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In the heat of summer few things are more satisfying than Gazpacho. To make this chilled Spanish-style tomato soup a meal, top it with protein-packed crispy chickpeas.

Gazpacho with Crispy Chickpeas Recipe (2)

It wasn’t until recently that I started looking for an actual recipe for gazpacho. Before this, my version of gazpacho involved throwing a bunch of vegetables into the blender and turning it on until it seemed soupy. Not exactly riveting blog fodder.

Despite my lackadaisical making of this chilled tomato-based Spanish soup, I’ve never had a version that I disliked. When the weather is steamy, it always hits the spot. While I searched for recipes to test over the past couple months (it’s been hot enough here to make a weekly batch of gazpacho a very good thing), I came across all sorts of stories about ways that people enjoy gazpacho that made me feel like I should be plucking tomatoes from a plant outside my window and having leisurely summer dinners on a veranda somewhere.

It’s no secret that neither of those scenarios will be happening any time soon.

Although this Bangkok life of ours is not without its own unique charms,

Gazpacho with Crispy Chickpeas Recipe (3)

and may be the most fast-paced spot in the world to purchase your next broom.

Gazpacho with Crispy Chickpeas Recipe (4)

When I looked at gazpacho recipes, I came across notes from people serving it in shot glasses before meals, as a starter before brunch, or as an afternoon pick-me-up. One blogger said he had a juice glass of the stuff nearly afternoon.

I have finally moved beyond (although not entirely abandoned) my practice of throwing farmers market produce into the blender at random to make gazpacho. The addition of a few ingredients and some thought put into the ratios of vegetables produces a decidedly more balanced (and tasty) variation than the throw-whatever-you-have in the blender approach. But in testing recipes, I also fell deeply under the spell of a combination that created a spicy, more textured variety that called to mind the gazpacho at José Andrés’ Jaleo. I can’t be certain how the Jaleo version is made, but the addition of a bit of bread and olive oil combine to give the soup more substance and depth. A splash of vinegar also helps enormously in the matter of bright tomato flavor.The version below is what I’ve settled on myself, but it is so very adaptable.

I top a bowl of this soup with thosePan-Fried Crispy Chickpeas with Lime(remember weeks ago when I promised you I had a great way to use them?)for a light lunch or dinner that I absolutely love.

Gazpacho with Crispy Chickpeas Recipe (5)

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Gazpacho with Crispy Chickpeas Recipe (6)

5 from 1 vote

Gazpacho with Crispy Chickpeas Recipe

Gazpacho is chilled Spanish-style tomato soup – perfect for hot weather. Top it with avocado, sour cream, or those Pan-Fried Crispy Chickpeas for a light lunch or dinner.

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Total: 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds Tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium Cucumber, peeled, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 Roasted Red Pepper (from a jar of roasted red peppers in olive oil)
  • 3 slices Bread, torn into pieces (roughly 3 ounces)(baguette or sourdough are great, and bread that is a couple days old is ideal)
  • 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
  • pinch Crushed Red Pepper, to taste
  • Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

For serving (any of these are great):

  • Sliced Avocados
  • Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
  • crumbled Feta Cheese
  • Pan-Fried Crispy Chickpeas with Lime (my favorite)

Instructions

  • Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, bread, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and crushed red pepper in a blender. Blend until nearly smooth. Add water if the soup seems thick. Taste and add salt and pepper, as desired.

  • Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with any of the recommendations above or set all of them out so that people can customize their bowl!

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 156mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $6.00

Calories: 195

Keyword: easy soup, summer, vegan recipe

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Categorized as:
All Recipes, Soups and Stews, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

About Jess Smith

Jess is the recipe creator and photographer at InquiringChef.com. She spent nearly a decade as the Chief Recipe Developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Her colorful, healthyish recipes have been featured in popular online publications including Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost.

Read More About Me

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Gazpacho with Crispy Chickpeas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you get the bitterness out of gazpacho? ›

The quick fix? Simply add in a little bit of sugar to neutralize the acid. Similar to the way many add sugar to their pasta sauce, the goal here isn't to completely transform this dish into a whole new sugary sweet concoction; it's all about using just a small sprinkle to round out the flavors.

Why is my gazpacho not red? ›

Red capsicum / bell pepper – Traditionally. Spanish gazpacho is more frequently made with green rather than red capsicum / bell pepper. I like to use red for colour consistency and also because red capsicum is slightly sweeter than green (which is actually just un-ripened red capsicum!).

Why is gazpacho healthy? ›

Nutrient-Rich: Gazpacho is typically made with fresh, raw vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and onions. These ingredients offer a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, contributing to a nutrient-rich meal.

Why is gazpacho famous in Spain? ›

With the introduction of the tomato and cucumber from the New World and Asia respectively, the refreshing vinegar and olive oil-based soup evolved into a decidedly Spanish dish. The presence of the Moors in Spain until 1492 influenced the cuisine of the region, including gazpacho.

Why does my gazpacho taste bitter? ›

When you leave seeds in your tomatoes and cucumbers, you run a few risks. The first is that there's a chance your gazpacho will turn out slightly bitter from the seeds. Secondly, the watery membranes surrounding the seeds can dilute the flavor of your gazpacho.

Does gazpacho taste better the next day? ›

Does gazpacho taste better the next day? Yes, it does! Gazpacho should be chilled for at least 30 minutes before serving, but letting it chill overnight is best, to allow all of the flavors to meld together.

Should you remove tomato seeds for gazpacho? ›

A little texture is a good thing when making gazpacho (and yes, it is a rustic dish), but you shouldn't be chewing on your soup. That means removing watermelon, tomato, and cuke seeds, and peeling tough cucumber skins.

Should I peel tomatoes for gazpacho? ›

For the ultimate gazpacho, you must peel, seed, dice, salt, and drain really good, vine-ripened tomatoes. But if you don't have time to fuss with fresh tomatoes, try this gazpacho with canned tomatoes.

What is used as a thickening agent in gazpacho? ›

The quick answer is raw tomatoes — along with uncooked peppers, onions, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and stale bread used as thickener — although the relatively newfangled addition didn't come about until the 19th century, after the discovery of the Americas.

Is gazpacho good for losing weight? ›

In fact, it's one of the best things you can eat for lunch if you're trying to lose a few pounds. That's because gazpacho is loaded with healthy vegetables and fiber, and it's very low in calories. So it'll help keep your energy levels up all day without loading you up with extra calories.

Can you eat gazpacho every day? ›

Cool off on a hot summer day with this refreshing Mediterranean soup that is chock full of summer vegetables: Beyond great tastes, this soup may benefit your health! One study found that study volunteers who ate gazpacho twice a day for a week had decreased markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in their blood.

Is gazpacho high in sugar? ›

As can be observed in Figure 4, gazpacho shows the highest amount of free sugar, alcohol and most micronutrients. This cold tomato soup is the second tested food in iron, phosphorus and zinc content.

What do you eat with gazpacho? ›

It may not be a meal on its own, but it can be when paired with another dish or two. Continue with the Spanish theme and choose something vegetarian like tortilla española or patatas bravas, serve it with seafood such as fried calamari or paella or a selection of small plate dishes like empanadas and croquettas.

What do you get when someone in Spain serves you gazpacho? ›

Usually accompanied by tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion, bread and hard boiled egg, all finely diced. Everyone can serve themselves according to taste.

How do you neutralize bitter taste? ›

Sweetness: From sugar, honey, fruits or otherwise, sweetness will counteract bitter and sour flavours. It can also be used to cut down the heat of a particularly spicy meal. Saltiness: Salt plays two very important roles in flavouring a dish. Firstly, it balances against bitterness.

How do you fix bitter soup taste? ›

Add sweet vegetables like carrots and beets. They will sweeten the broth and deepen its color. You might also add a bit of miso (or salt) and/or a squeeze of lemon juice. Sweet, salt and acid balance bitter flavors.

How do you fix bitter tomato soup? ›

Add Some Baking Soda

If your tomato sauce is too acidic and verging on bitter, turn to baking soda, not sugar. Yes, sugar might make the sauce taste better, but good old baking soda is an alkaline that will help balance the excess acid. A little pinch should do the trick.

Does salt get rid of bitter taste? ›

In most cases, perceived bitterness was suppressed by salts, although the degree of suppression varied. In general, bitterness suppression was not accompanied by an equivalent reciprocal suppression of saltiness.

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