\nOur articles may contain affiliate links. This means we receive commissions for purchases made through those links, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying Amazon purchases.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n When summer\u2019s heirloom tomatoes are at their peak, there\u2019s no better time to make gazpacho. This chilled tomato soup puts the flavor and color of ripe summer tomatoes front and center, with garlic, peppers and fresh vegetables adding even more flavor.<\/p>\n It\u2019s refreshing, intensely tomato-y and surprisingly easy to make ahead, which makes it an especially good recipe for hot summer days.<\/p>\n If you love cooking with fresh produce, I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard of heirloom tomatoes. You\u2019ve probably even used them. But you may not know what the term heirloom tomatoes means, other than it\u2019s the name for some funny-looking fruit!<\/p>\n Heirloom tomatoes are grown from seeds saved from plants that produce desirable fruit. Those seeds are then used season after season, preserving the characteristics of the original plant.<\/p>\n Of course, if you\u2019ve ever visited a farmer\u2019s market in August, you know that the term heirloom tomato does not refer to just one kind of tomato.<\/p>\n That really depends on a combination of what\u2019s available and your personal preference. If you like your soup a bit sweet, you might choose different varieties than someone who likes their soup with a more vegetal flavor. The most important thing is to use fresh tomatoes.<\/p>\n Those of you who eat heirloom tomatoes regularly have a good idea of which tomatoes to pick to make the soup with the delicious tomato intensity you\u2019re looking for. But if you aren\u2019t feeling certain of what you\u2019re looking for, Cooking Light<\/a><\/em> has a nice guide to the flavors of some of the most popular varieties.<\/p>\n Although this gazpacho recipe has several steps, it\u2019s an incredibly easy soup to make and one that\u2019s remarkably healthy. The most important step is your tomato selection. Pick the five best ripe fresh tomatoes and set them aside to use raw. These are the soup\u2019s stars. Then peel the remaining seven.<\/p>\n What\u2019s probably the easiest method for peeling tomatoes is the gas stove method. (You have to have a gas cooktop to do this.) Turn the flame to medium-high. Use a table fork to skewer the tomato and hold it one inch from the flame until the skin begins to blister. Once the skin is loose, remove the tomato from the flame and allow it to cool before peeling. (The blistering shouldn\u2019t take more than 25 seconds. Don\u2019t hold the tomato over the flame for too long or it will start to cook.)<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have a gas stove, you can peel the raw tomatoes with a sharp paring knife. Quarter the tomatoes and place the wedges seed side up on a cutting board. Slide the knife between the skin and flesh, staying as close to the skin as possible. This method isn\u2019t easy but with a little practice, you\u2019ll really improve your knife skills! (There is also a blanching\/ice bath method for peeling tomatoes but it requires extra dishes and a lot of ice.)<\/p>\n Once your tomatoes are peeled, it\u2019s time to make the soup. You\u2019re going to cook down the tomatoes in the stock until they just lose their form. Then you process them in the food processor or blender until nice and smooth. While the tomatoes are cooking, you can sear the bell peppers seasoned with cumin and set them aside. This way, they will have time to cool down before you add them to the other soup ingredients.<\/p>\n Then you simply chop and combine the other vegetables and let them sit with the garlic for about 2 hours, covered at room temperature. The purpose is to let their flavors combine. Then add them, along with the peppers, to the pureed tomato base and chill the finished gazpacho overnight. Before you serve the chilled soup, you\u2019ll make baguette bread crumbles for a fun and crunchy garnish.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to make a vegan version of this tomato gazpacho soup. Although I personally prefer my heirloom tomato gazpacho made with chicken stock, vegetable stock works perfectly well. And other than that substitution, the soup is naturally vegan-friendly.<\/p>\n Gazpacho is an easy way to make a summer dinner feel special without having to cook something complicated. It\u2019s refreshing, colorful and can be made in advance, so you aren\u2019t stuck in the kitchen when you\u2019d rather be enjoying the evening.<\/p>\n This recipe is also generous with garlic<\/a>, a food with a long history as an aphrodisiac. And tomatoes<\/a> have their own fascinating history as an aphrodisiac food.<\/p>\n That\u2019s one of my favorite ways to think about aphrodisiac cooking: start with a genuinely delicious meal, then choose ingredients with a little history and intrigue behind them.<\/p>\nWhat are heirloom tomatoes?<\/h2>\n
Which heirloom tomatoes should you use for your gazpacho?<\/h2>\n
Tips for making the best gazpacho<\/h2>\n
Variation notes<\/h3>\n
Why this cold soup should be a star on date night<\/h2>\n
More great summer soup recipes<\/h2>\n
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