I don’t usually think of soup when I think of my ideal summer meal, but gazpacho is the one very important exception. If you haven’t had a good gazpacho yet, GET READY FOR THIS!

The first time I ever had real gazpacho, I was in Sevilla, Spain, visiting a friend who was studying abroad. Most days I would explore the city while she was in class, but I decided to join her for just one class… cooking.

Guess what we made that day? Gazpacho! I was shocked at how few ingredients it took to make such a delicious gazpacho, and how much better it tasted than any gazpacho I had tried in the U.S. Gotta love real ingredients!

That experience definitely turned me into a gazpacho fan, especially because I discovered that it was so easy to make. If you haven’t had gazpacho before, it’s a cold soup made from tomatoes and other blended vegetables. It’s a Spanish staple for good reason!

It really is that simple – tomatoes, some other vegetables, spices, olive oil… and blend it all up! This is a great soup to whip up if you’re short on time or just want something simple, and it’s perfect if you want a liquid meal on a hot summer day!

This is definitely not your average boring tomato soup. It will turn you into a soup lover! This cool, refreshing soup with light summer flavors is the perfect addition to anyone’s meal rotation. You can serve it as a main or a side! It’s paleo, vegan, vegetarian, packed with veggies, easy to make, and a dish everyone will love!

Paleo / Vegan Gazpacho

Yield: 2-3 large bowls

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Gazpacho:

• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 can of diced tomatoes (16 oz)
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt 
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 
• juice of one lime

Garnish:

• 1 small green bell pepper, diced 
•  1/3 cup red onion, diced 
• 1 small tomato, diced 
• Chiffonade of basil 

Instructions:

1. Blend all of the gazpacho ingredients together. 
2. If you want the texture to be thinner, add some filtered water. Stir in up to 1 cup of cold water to your liking, if needed. 
3. Stir in the garnish ingredients, saving some to be placed on top. 
4. Serve in 2-3 bowls with olive oil drizzled on top.