Southern Spain-Style Gazpacho

When my husband and I were visiting Toledo, Spain, we enjoyed a refreshing, tangy, and creamy bowl of gazpacho outside a small church at a tiny storefront restaurant. I had never tasted anything like it. I asked how they made it and developed this recipe to take home. If you like, serve chopped cucumbers, peppers, and parsley as a garnish.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Calories: 329 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• ¾ green bell pepper, seeded
• ½ cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 2 day-old crusty bread rolls, cut into thick slices
• 6 tomatoes, peeled and quartered
• ½ tablespoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon olive oil

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Blend the green bell pepper, cucumber, garlic, and 1/2 cup olive oil together in a blender until smooth. Add the bread slices to the blender one at a time and blend each into the mixture until smooth. Blend the tomatoes into the mixture one at a time until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl; season with salt and cayenne pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon olive oil to serve.