Rustic Tomato Gazpacho {Cold Summer Soup}

Soups when served hot are greatest comfort food of all times. A hot simmering bowl of soup takes the chill out of your body and makes you relaxed through a cold winter night. But during scorching summers, it’s the same bowl of soup which refreshes and hydrates you, only when made cold.

Gazpacho, a Spanish tomato vegetable soup which is served chilled, sometime with ice cubes too. It’s definitely a cool, fresh and flavorful food for soul. So even when days are super hot, you can still enjoy your favorite bowl of soup.

And the good thing about this soup is that besides being a refreshing meal, it’s full of vitamins and minerals you get from the  vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber and bell peppers. And it doesn’t need you to be a pro in the kitchen.

It even saves you from the heat of stove. Yups…it doesn’t involve any kind of cooking. You just need to blitz the freshest of ingredients in a blender and let it chill in fridge for some time. Or if you are in some hurry, drop in some ice cubes to your soup and have it instantly.

Ingredients

1 cup day-old bread {I used baguette}
2 garlic cloves
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
500 gm ripe tomatoes, seeded
1 English cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 one-inch-thick slice red bell pepper
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup cold water, plus more for soaking
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
For topping
1/2 cup diced cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup diced cucumber

Instructions

1. Soak the bread in some water for 5 minutes and then squeeze and drain.
2. Blitz all the ingredients, except those for toppings in a blender together to make a smooth puree.
3. Sieve the soup through a fine mesh {you could skip this, if you like more chunkier texture}.
4. Chill in fridge for 2 hours. Serve topped with cherry tomatoes and cucumber and a drizzle of olive oil.