Classic Gazpacho

I have been DYING to make Gazpacho ever since the weather got warmer. I absolutely LOVE soup, so why should a few degrees and a ton more humidity separate me from that love? Seriously. This calls for gazpacho. Gazpacho: the perfect choice for a light and refreshing summer meal. For those of you who are “fresh” (ha ha) to the idea of it, gazpacho is basically a cold tomato soup, originating in the southern Spanish region of Andalucia and often served as an appetizer or a light supper with some crusty bread on the side.

How to make it? It’s simple. The hardest part is chopping all the veggies beforehand. I used a Real Simple recipe and touched it up a little with my own little additions- namely, a can of cannellini beans, celery, fresh lime juice, cumin, and a few extra pepper varieties. Throw it all into the food processor, give it a whirl, and in just a few seconds you have an incredibly refreshing chilled soup!

Make it ahead of time and stick it in the fridge, too. It only gets better with time because the flavors start a little romance 😛

Ok, let’s get to it!

Ingredients:

1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved

1 green pepper, chopped roughly

1 yellow pepper, chopped roughly

1 red pepper, chopped roughly

1 large cucumber, chopped roughly

3-4 stalks celery, chopped

2 small sweet yellow onions, diced

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed

1/4 cup lemon juice

juice from 2 limes

1 cup low-sodium vegetable juice (V8 works fine too)

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried parsley

salt and fresh ground pepper

1 cup frozen corn kernels, for topping

aged balsamic vinegar, for topping

Directions:

Chop all vegetables and add to food processor, working in batches. (For me, it took about 3 batches- each one turned out a bit differently but I just mixed them all together in a big bowl in the end!). Add beans, onions, tomatoes, garlic, vegetable juice, spices, and lemon and lime juices. Pulse for a few seconds at a time until the soup has a chunky texture!

Chill until ready to serve. Serve topped with corn kernels and a dash of balsamic vinegar.