Make Ahead

White Gazpacho

by:
November 14, 2012
5
2 Ratings
White Gazpacho
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

White gazpacho -- or ajo blanco -- is a delicious and refreshing variety of gazpacho that's perhaps less known than its classic red counterpart. The base of white gazpacho consists of blanched almonds and garlic that are mashed into a paste. Stale bread (soaked in water to soften it) and olive oil are then added to form an emulsion. Next, cucumbers, grapes, and a shallot are blended in to provide fresh, vibrant flavor, as well as a touch of sweetness that mellows out the garlic. A splash of Spanish sherry vinegar adds just the right amount of acidity to round out the dish.

This dish can be made by tossing all of the ingredients in a blender -- it doesn’t get much easier than that! It can be served at room temperature, but I prefer to refrigerate it for a couple of hours before serving, which gives the flavors plenty of time to meld. You can thin it out with water to achieve the consistency that you like. I like to serve my gazpacho as is, but if you want it completely smooth, you can pass it through a strainer or chinois before serving. —Sonali aka the Foodie Physician

Test Kitchen Notes

Let me just start by saying that I was curious about this recipe -- I love traditional gazpacho, and I'm always looking for things that don't have to be cooked in Austin in the summer. But I have this weird aversion to white food, so I wasn't sure how it would pan out. I'm happy to report that this gazpacho is amazing. The combination of cucumber, grapes, and sherry vinegar is perfectly balanced. The garlic and shallot add sharpness, but mellow if you refrigerate the gazpacho overnight and serve it the next day (which I recommend). And while Sonali suggests that we might want to strain it, I truly loved the texture. I did add a little more salt and vinegar than she called for, but I think that's a matter of personal taste. This is a perfect summer soup. And it's so easy to make -- a big plus when the temperature is over 100. —drbabs

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cubed stale white bread from a baguette, Italian loaf, or sliced bread (crusts removed)
  • 1 1/2 cups cold water, divided
  • 1/3 cup whole, blanched almonds
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
  • 2 cups diced, peeled English cucumber (about 1 large cucumber)
  • 3/4 cup green grapes
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Chives or scallions for garnish (optional)
Directions
  1. Place the bread cubes in a bowl and pour 1/2 cup water on top to soften them.
  2. Place the almonds and garlic in a blender and purée until finely ground. Add the shallot, cucumber, grapes, oil, vinegar, salt, and softened bread to the blender along with the remaining 1 cup water. Purée until smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Add more water to the soup as needed to achieve desired consistency. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Serve in bowls or glasses and garnish with sliced grapes, almonds, and chives or scallions, if desired.
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19 Reviews

Nancy R.
Nancy R. August 15, 2019
Can you use almond flour instead of whole blanched almonds in this recipe?
 
cosmiccook
cosmiccook June 23, 2021
I do. I used Serious Eat's recipe prior; they don't call for cucumber. My husband doesn't care for it so win-win.
 
mare
mare August 26, 2022
Cosmiccook, how much almond flour did you use? Thank you!
 
cosmiccook
cosmiccook August 26, 2022
I used about 1/2 cup--plan on making it again!
 
cosmiccook
cosmiccook August 26, 2022
recently had a gazpacho in Portugal that served it w a cucumber sorbet--I plan on doing that w this recipe--toying w a grape sorbet as well!
 
cosmiccook
cosmiccook August 28, 2022
You can. I made this using Saveur's recipe which has no cuke in it. It also calls a for considerably more almond--I also used almond milk instead of water.
 
Colleen
Colleen June 17, 2018
Could you also purée some cooked rice or purée some additional solids from the soup itself to thicken it, in lieu of bread?
 
Ttrockwood
Ttrockwood June 29, 2018
Cooked white rice or some drained canned white beans would both work to thicken instead of the bread
 
Louise
Louise June 17, 2018
Could you use bread crumbs instead of bread. I often have bread crumbs around but not bread
 
Sonali A.
Sonali A. June 17, 2018
Yes, I think breadcrumbs would work fine! Just make sure they’re plain breadcrumbs, not seasoned.
 
Louise
Louise June 18, 2018
Thanks Sonali!
 
EMilligan
EMilligan June 16, 2015
Is the bread to add some thickness? I try to avoid gluten so wondering if something else can be used rather than bread? Perhaps some celery root?
 
Sonali A.
Sonali A. June 17, 2015
Yes, it's to thicken the gazpacho. You can leave it out but the soup will be thin. I think the celery root sounds like a good idea. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
 
Claudia |.
Claudia |. June 10, 2015
made yesterday, only I didn't find white grapes so I used 1/2 lemon juiced. Thank you, it's a great Summer Recipe. It also inspired my blog post for rome's Diner en Blanc! :-)
 
Sonali A.
Sonali A. June 17, 2015
That's great, thanks!
 
Ellen
Ellen May 16, 2015
Does this keep for a few days? Thanks!
 
Sonali A.
Sonali A. May 18, 2015
Yes, I think it will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. If it separates you may need to re-blend its
 
Madhuja
Madhuja November 17, 2012
I am definitely going to make this once the weather warms up again! What an easy and delicious recipe! :)
 
Sonali A.
Sonali A. November 19, 2012
Thanks! It's definitely easy to make- I hope you like it!