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How to Make a Cucumber Tomato Gazpacho

Seasonal Soups

Cucumber Tomato Gazpacho

In early August, when the cucumbers grow large and the tomatoes start arriving in all their beautiful incarnations of reds, yellows, and oranges, like an early sign of autumn’s imminence, a cucumber tomato gazpacho ebbs its way into my summer soup rotation.

Gazpacho is the consummate soup to make use of the bounty of late summer’s harvest. This includes not just cucumbers and tomatoes but things like peppers, onions, garlic, jalapenos, parsley, basil, and mint. 

My Newfound Love of Gazpacho

For me, gazpacho has been a bit of a revelation because I never liked tomatoes until recently. They were always completely tasteless to me with a texture equivalent to a watery slime. But that’s because I grew up eating those god-awful pathetic, bland, pale red, unripe supermarket tomatoes.

That all changed when I moved to western Massachusetts, a region of rich community-supported local farms, and tasted REAL vine-ripened tomatoes for the first time. I’m talking juicy heirloom tomatoes. I’m talking brilliant orange sun golds that are so sweet that they can actually rival strawberries. I’m talking dozens of tomato varieties, all with different sizes, shapes, and flavors.

colorful local tomatoes

So now I love them and I love this peak summertime of year when there are so many options for using them, like in a cucumber tomato gazpacho!

Though I have my exact recipe below, first, here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when making a cucumber tomato gazpacho (or any type of gazpacho) so that you can play around with the different combos of veggies, herbs, seasonings, and even textures to find what you like.

6 Steps to Make a Cucumber Tomato Gazpacho

1. Use about a 1:1.5 ratio of cucumbers to tomatoes.

A 1:2 ratio is OK too as the tomatoes are the key ingredient that adds sweetness and juice. Also, it’s good to use a variety of tomatoes for different colors and flavors.

2. Add additional veggies

This could include celery, fennel, peppers, spicy peppers like jalapenos, red onion, and garlic. Here’s everything I used:

Cucumber Tomato Gazpacho ingredients
3. Try different herbs.

It’s hard to go wrong with any combination of mint, basil, parsley and cilantro but you can try other culinary herbs as well.

4. Try different vinegars.

I used rice vinegar but you could use any type you want – apple cider, wine, sherry, champagne, etc.

5. Try different fruits.

I went without fruit (except for of course, the tomatoes) but melon, watermelon, mangoes, and peaches are a fantastic addition too. Check out my Thai mango gazpacho from my book, The Thai Soup Secret, for a great example of a super sweet fruity gazpacho.

6. Try different consistencies.

Some gazpachos are thoroughly blended into a thin soupy consistency and some aren’t blended at all, leaving it as a chunky mixture. Personally, I prefer a 50-50 blend. I’ll take half the mixture, blend it in my Nutribullet and then mix the blended and unblended portions together. You can get a good sense of this in the cover pic at the top of the post.

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

Cucumber Tomato Gazpacho Recipe

Cucumber Tomato Gazpacho

Cucumber Tomato Gazpacho

A cucumber tomato gazpacho is a great way to use the bounty of summer’s harvest, especially in August when cucumbers grow large and juicy, sweet tomatoes start to thrive.

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Craig Fear

Ingredients

  • 1 pound cucumbers, about 1 large or 2 medium diced
  • 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes diced
  • 1/4 red onion diced
  • 1 pepper – green, red or yellow diced
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano optional, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves diced
  • 1/2 cup packed herbs of choice – mint,basil, parsley, cilantro, etc., diced fine
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 TBSPs vinegar – rice, apple cider, wine, champagne or sherry
  • 2 TBSPs lime or lemon juice
  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Dice all veggies and herbs and transfer to a mixing bowl.

  2. Add in olive oil, vinegar and lemon or lime juice and mix well.

  3. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

  4. Depending on how chunky or smooth you want your gazpacho, transfer 50% (for a chunkier consistency) up to 100% (for a smooth consistency) of mixture to a blender and blend well. 

  5. Mix together blended with unblended portions and chill in the fridge.
  6. Serve in individual bowls and add any additional salt, pepper, lime or lemon juice and herbs, to taste.

  7. Enjoy!
Cucumber Tomato Gazpacho PIN
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About the Author

Craig Fear is the creator of Fearless Eating and the author of three books, The 30-Day Heartburn Solution, Fearless Broths and Soups and The Thai Soup Secret. After years helping clients with digestive issues, Craig decided to pursue writing full-time. He intends to write many more books on broths and soups from around the world! Click here to learn more about Craig.

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