Cold Spanish Tomato Soup (Salmorejo)

Salmorejo is a rich and silky cold tomato soup which, like gazpacho, originated in the Andalusian region of Spain. Unlike gazpacho, this soup is All About The Tomatoes. So pick the best! Needing no cooking, it is perfect for hot summer’s days and takes advantage of intensely ripe summer produce!

Hello, all.

One of our favorite dinners here at BitofBacon HQ is tomato soup. We love it hot with red wine croutons or mixed with roasted red pepper, or cold in a gazpacho with cucumber and peppers. Around here it always disappears!

So of course, when I was thinking about what recipes to post here this summer my mind went to cold soup, and that meant the other famous Spanish tomato soup. Which you might not have heard of, but I hope you try it because it is both simple and delicious. 🙂

What do you need?

• Tomatoes – Get the best! This recipe is ride or die on the tomatoes.
• Bread – A good, crusty dinner bread is perfect. Skip the sourdough though – it takes over.
• Olive Oil – Flavorful, but not TOO fruity since it can become bitter. Save the super fruity oil for topping.
• Shallot/Garlic – We prefer small amounts of each. If you are serving the recipe in small cups, you can increase the garlic and shallot, but it becomes too much when enjoying a bowl.
• Sherry Vinegar – Just a little to provide some needed tang.
• Toppings – Egg and ham are traditional. From the photos we obviously enjoy croutons and basil here.

Variation: If you have a craving in the winter, use 28-oz of canned tomatoes in juice (no puree or crushed – only diced or whole) for the fresh.

How to make this

To make salmorejo, puree tomatoes with garlic and shallot. Add bread and puree. Then pour in olive oil to make a smooth soup. Season with sherry vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve cold with the toppings of your choice.

1. Puree the Veggies

Start by roughly chopping the tomatoes and then pureeing them with the garlic (and shallots if using). It should be fairly smooth before you move on.

2. Add the Bread

Now put the bread in the blender. If it has dried out (maybe it’s two or three days old), let it sit in the puree for a few minutes before you blend.

3. Time for the Olive Oil

Next, with the blender running, pour in the olive oil. I find I need at least 1/3 cup and usually more like 1/2 cup to get the smooth, silky texture I want. Once the oil is added just let the blender run for another minute. This makes sure the soup is SMOOTH.

4. Finish Up

Now add seasoning and sherry vinegar to taste mix in.

If you want, put it through a sieve and get out any bits of seed or skin which haven’t been pulverized. And then into the fridge to fully chill.

Tip: If you want a really ❄cold❄ soup, put it in the freezer for ~20 minutes before you are going to serve.

Toppings Ideas

While the soup is quite lovely as it is, or maybe with a little drizzle of olive oil and some more pepper on top, it’s fun to add extras. Here are a few ideas!

• Hard Boiled Eggs – This is a traditional topping you will see if you order this in restaurant. Slice or chop the eggs.
• Ham – Jamon (Spanish ham) or prosciutto fried crispy make a nice crunch and is also traditional. Or you can use thin, sliced pancetta fried up.
• Croutons – We love fried croutons here. And croutons are fun idea on any soup!
• Jarred Tuna – A little different idea is tuna in olive oil flaked over the top.
• Fresh Herbs – Any fresh herbs you enjoy with tomatoes will add a little pop of flavor.
• Other Ideas – Crumbled goat cheese, avocado, toasted almonds, red onion.

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If you try my recipe for Salmorejo – Cold Tomato Soup, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

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– Stay Safe, Annemarie