Italian salad meets Spanish soup in this icy caprese gazpacho filled with the flavors of balsamic vinegar, basil, fresh mozzarella, and loads of tomatoes. A naturally gluten-free recipe.
Meet my new favorite soup.
At least, it will be for approximately 2 more minutes.
See, gazpacho is a warm weather thing – something that doesn't really happen here in San Francisco. When it does, it lasts precisely long enough for me to buy gazpacho ingredients, lug them home, make gazpacho, and chill gazpacho. The moment I pour myself a bowl of icy tomato soup, kissed with chile, herbs and vinegar, Karl the Fog rolls in, laughing his ass off. "How do you like your pathetic cold soup now?" I hear him mocking. (Actually, I love Karl because he's keeping my kitchen at a sensible temperature for baking recipes for my book. But still. We have our moments.)
The last time Karl foiled my gazpacho plans was about 8 years ago. By the time he took off again and let the sun shine in, we opened the container to find the gazpacho frothing and fermented. We promptly threw it out. Racked with guilt at wasting so many precious tomatoes, I hadn't gazpachoed since.
This time, gazpacho and I got to spend one day together. Inspired by the juicy leavings in the bottom of a bowl of a chopped up caprese salad that Jay's been making (milky mozzarella whey, syrupy balsamic vinegar, peppery olive oil, salt and pepper, basil bits, and most importantly plenty of fresh heirloom tomato juice) I whipped up some gazpacho with similar ingredients, adding cucumber, chile and avocado for some traditional flavors and crunch. I tested the recipe yesterday, when my personal assistant (a.k.a., my really awesome niece) was over. We sweltered and drank cocktails as she entered expenses into a spreadsheet and researched cute electric fans for my studio (a.k.a., our living room) and I pureed tomatoes in the kitchen. We sat down to a couple of cool caprese gazpacho bowls and inhaled the revivifying contents.
Today I made a second round of caprese gazpacho in order to tweak a couple of things and take pictures. Like clockwork, the sky clouded up as I put the final touches on the bowls.
Suddenly it was drizzling.
Ah well, this caprese gazpacho is too good to be wasted. Plus it's filled with cheese, so it manages to appeal even on a cooler evening like this one. We accompanied bowls with sweet corn polenta topped with sauteed zucchini and basil pesto, and, shivering, reveled in summer's bounty.
Many gazpacho recipes call for peeling and seeding tomatoes, but I found that this method works better and is a zillion times easier: chop the tomatoes, pulse them in a food processor, then press them through a strainer, working as much of the liquid bits though as you can. The skin and seeds get left behind, leaving you with a silky puree. In go some chopped ingredients and flavorings, and voilà: buon appetito.
Or should I say, "disfrute de su comida?"
*Thanks for reading! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this Caprese Gazpacho, I’d love to see. Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Caprese Gazpacho
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 1/4 pounds ripe red tomatoes, stem bit removed and cut into large chunks (1 kg) (5-6 cups)
- 2 medium garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1/4 - 1/2 a jalapeño, seeded and minced, or a pinch of cayenne (optional, if you like a bit of heat),
- 4 ice cubes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, plus more for drizzling (30 ml)
- 1 tablespoon flavorful olive oil, plus more for drizzling (15 ml)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar (9 ml)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, stemmed and halved (or quartered if large) (275 g)
- 3/4 cup finely diced cucumber (90 g)
- a large handful basil leaves, finely chopped plus more for garnish (~1/4 cup)
- a good grating fresh black pepper
- 2 containers fresh small mozzarella balls (ciliegine), drained and halved or quartered (8-ounce / 225 g)
- 1 large avocado, chilled, peeled, pitted and cubed
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tomatoes, garlic, shallot, jalapeño and salt (you may need to blend this in batches depending on the size of your food processor). Puree smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh (though not super-fine, as that will take forever) sieve set over a large bowl. Use a flexible silicone spatula to work the liquid through, pressing on the solids to extract as much of the good stuff as you can. You should have about 4 cups of liquid. Discard the pulp.
- Add the ice cubes to the tomato juice; they will help chill it down quickly and loosen the mixture a bit which you will want once you add all the goodies. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sliced cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, chopped basil leaves and black pepper. Stir until the ice is melted and the soup is cold. Taste, adding more salt or vinegar if you feel the soup needs it. The flavors will continue to emerge as the soup sits. Serve now, or chill for up to 2 days.
- When ready to serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the mozzarella balls, avocado, and a drizzle of olive oil, and a few torn basil leaves.
Notes
Nutrition
Dena Testa Bray says
This looks delicious. Thanks so much.
Alanna says
Thanks Dena!
Union of Food says
Wow what an interesting recipe, we will have to give this one a try next time. Thank you :)
Alanna says
Thanks, and you're welcome! :)
Christine // my natural kitchen says
Alanna this looks amazing! We have had a bit of a chilly thing going on here - so unusual - but this weekend is supposed to warm up and your soup looks like the perfect way to enter the world of gazpacho. I've actually never made it before. Can't wait! xo
Alanna says
Ooh, I think you will love gazpacho. Let me know if you give this a try. Thanks so much for the kind note, Christine! :)
Aysegul Sanford says
Amen to not having to peel tomatoes for gazpacho!
Ahh how much I love those gorgeous tomatoes flavored with jalapenos and balsamic vinegar...
Sounds and looks incredible..
Alanna says
Aw, thank you Aysegul!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
This flavour is so lovely. Definitely digging the fresh mozzarella in there!
Alanna says
Thanks lady!
CaliZona says
Hahaha, Karl the fog! I know him all too well!! This is such a great gazpacho with the addition of fresh mozzarella! Sounds incredible and sounds like you guys had a lot of fun!
Alanna says
Haha, totally! Thanks lady!
Tessa | Salted Plains says
Gazpacho is one of my most very favorite things about summer and this version sounds so incredibly good. I am most definitely going to try your strainer method too. Beautiful, Alanna!!
Alanna says
Aw, thank you so much Tessa!
Cathleen says
I have never tried gazpacho before! But anything filled with cheese is okay in my book!
Alanna says
Haha, word!
Lucy Eats says
Beautiful photos! I love gazpacho with a slice of chewy bread!
Alanna says
Yum!
valentina | sweet kabocha says
Oh I love gazpacho!!! I only need to find a vegan replacement for mozzarella to try your version, that seems delicious!! ^_^
Alanna says
Ooh, let me know what you find! You could leave it off and it'd still be delicious. :)
Gerry @Foodness Gracious says
Delicious as always!!
Alanna says
D'aw, thanks! :)
Lynsey Walker says
this looks amazing and i think i would totally eat rain or shine, cold temps or hot! love the method of straining the tomatoes!! Definitely making when i get a tomato bounty. xo
Alanna says
Haha, Thanks Lynsey! Let me know if you give it a go - it's so easy and satisfying. <3
_our food stories_ says
absolutely in love with these pictures!! and it looks so delicious <3
Alanna says
Gah! That means so much coming from you - thank you! <3
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
So gorgeous, those heirlooms are stunning!
Alanna says
Aw, thanks, Laura!
Susan Clayton says
First, congratulations on your book deal. Looking through past posts it is easy to see why you have one. You deserve it. You earned it.
I'll be featuring your blog this week and adding you to mu blog roll, and would like to use a small photo or two from past posts in the feature. If you prefer to opt out let me know and the feature will be immediately removed. Susan Clayton - [email protected], [email protected]
Alanna says
Thank you so much, Susan! That's absolutely fine by me as long as the photos are credited as I'm sure they will be. Thank you so much for featuring my site! Send me the link and I'll share it around. :)
Liren says
Oh Karl the Fog, you fickle creature. Doesn't he understand that we need a few gazpacho days? From my side of the bay, I can see him creeping along, but I am grateful that he doesn't last long around here, even if it does get so darned hot. This is BEAUTIFUL and your PA/niece sounds like an angel! What a wonderful way to spend the day together!
Alanna says
Aw, thank you Liren! She is indeed an angel. And I've grown quite fond of Karl over the years, but I agree - he needs to stop crashing our gazpacho dinner parties.
Eileen says
Oh man, yes please! Just look at all those gorgeous summer tomatoes. I would be tempted to just chug a big glass of this for breakfast. :)
Alanna says
Oooh, yes! Thanks Eileen! <3
Chahaya @ Sweet Si Bon says
Gazpacho has been one of my long time favorite soups and the perfect dish for homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers. Love the addition of the fresh mozzarella. Gorgeous photos!
Alanna says
Thank you Chahaya!
aida mollenkamp says
Oh, my, you've outdone yourself! I'm making this ASAP.
Alanna says
Aw, thanks Aida!!
Ellie says
Wow wow wow. CAPRESE gazpacho?? That sounds so crazy good! I've tried gazpacho only once in my lifetime and it was a really good experience (thankfully), but this one looks even better due to the mini mozzarella balls. 0_0
Alanna says
Aw, thank you Ellie!
Anonymous says
I made your soup today. It was fantastic! I really loved the method (no peeling/seeding tomatoes) and flavour combination.
Alanna says
Woohoo! Thanks so much for giving it a go and for the great feedback - so glad you liked it!
Liz Deprimo says
It was 97 degrees in Santa Rosa yesterday, which inspired me to look for a new gazpacho recipe. I was so glad to find one on your blog! And it did not disappoint. We shared it with friends and they asked for the recipe. The cheese was delicious, but definitely not necessary for thoose who don't eat dairy. This gazpacho is amazing on its own. I especially love the avocado pureed with the tomatoes in the soup base. It was so rich and "creamy", and still refreshing and bright.
I gave the leftovers to our friends, so I might have to make more today!
Alanna says
Hi Liz! Yikes, that's hot! I'm so glad you liked this gazpacho - now I'm craving a bowl too! Much love to you and the family. <3