Tomatillo Gazpacho Verde

Traditional Spanish gazpacho is made with ripe tomatoes and other raw vegetables, making a beautifully orange-red soup, served cold as an appetizer, first course, or main course. Other traditional ingredients include garlic, olive oil and torn pieces of stale bread, used as a thickener. Beyond these staples, gazpacho recipes vary from region to region—and cook to cook.

Green gazpacho isn’t traditional, but simply a different colorful take on the cold soup using similar techniques and also including raw vegetables. I added a little sour cream to the moisture base to provide a sweet balance for the lime juice and vinegar—and to give the bread extra flavor to soak up.

Although there’s no cooking involved, the ingredients need time to blend and develop the rich flavor of the finished soup. Simply combine everything (except the broth) in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least four hours. Afterwards, you’re ready to puree it all and serve it up.

Serves 4-5 (as a main course)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 4 oz torn ciabatta (crust removed) or other rustic bread
• 5 tomatillos, husked and chopped
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 poblano chile, chopped
• 1 jalapeno chile, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups chopped seedless cucumber
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup vegetable broth, divided
• extra virgin olive oil, for serving

Gazpacho Ingredients

Preparation

1. Whisk together the olive oil, sour cream, vinegar, and lime juice in a very large bowl. Add the torn bread pieces and stir well to combine.
2. Add the tomatillos and next 7 ingredients (through parsley) and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours.

Oil Mixture

Combine with the Bread 

Remaining Ingredients Stirred In 

After 4 Hours

1. Working in 2 batches, puree the mixture in a food processor, adding 1/2 cup broth to each batch, until creamy smooth. Combine the batches in a large bowl and stir well.

Pureed Mixture

Broth Added

Blended Gazpacho

To serve, divide the gazpacho among 4-5 shallow bowls and drizzle each with extra virgin olive oil.

Tomatillo Gazpacho Verde