There are still a few hot days left this summer until September brings the autumnal breezes. We often find ourselves with a surplus of tomatoes, and when this situation arises, we know exactly what to do –make gazpacho!

A good, classic gazpacho utilizes tomatoes, red or green peppers, onion, and cucumbers, as well as a couple of cloves of garlic. And then there’s the secret ingredient — a slice of gluten-free bread for texture. You’ll love our version, and might even want to make it when the weather grows chilly.

INGREDIENTS

6 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 medium-sized green or red pepper, chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves (more if you really love garlic)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 slice of gluten-free bread
optional garnishes: handmade croutons, chopped herbs, splash of additional olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

It’s really easy to make this soup. All you need to do is prepare the ingredients and pour them, one at a time, into a blender or food processor.

Once the blender or food processor is filled with all of the ingredients, give them a whirl! Combine until you achieve a thick, but smooth texture. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.

Pour your mixture into a large container and cover it securely. Place the container inside your refrigerator and chill its contents for at least a couple of hours. The colder this soup is, the more refreshing it will be!

Remove the container from your refrigerator and pour the gazpacho into colorful, festive bowls! Garnish them with the ingredients of your choice. If you’d like to make croutons, simply cut a couple more slices of gluten-free bread into small squares and fry them in a pan on your stovetop in some olive oil. Season them with thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, or whatever suits your fancy. Be sure to flip the croutons a few times so they don’t burn! You’ll know when they’re done.

This simple, but delicious soup can either be a main attraction or a side dish. It serves 2-3 people, but you can easily increase the ingredients if you’d like to make more. The gazpacho keeps well in your refrigerator for up to three days. You can even freeze it, but why bother? It tastes best fresh!

Summer won’t last forever, so you’d better make this refreshing soup right now. You’ll wonder where it has been all your life. Yum!