Make Ahead
Super Nutritious Gazpacho
- Serves 4
Author Notes
Summer has arrived in New York and it's only May!
Crazily early summer weather calls for summer food like gazpacho - when it's hot and muggy like this I just can't do hot food, and neither can my tiny kitchen, having the oven on raises the temperature from hot to totally unbearable.
A few years ago I spent a summer in Valencia, Spain and developed an addiction to gazpacho, it was available everywhere and was perfect for a refreshing lunch in the heat of the day.
Being a vegetarian I'm always looking for ways to add extra protein to my meals, and I've found a way here. Traditional recipes call for adding bread to the base, but given that I'm likely to eat this soup with bread, I'm reluctant to do that. Instead I've added cooked white beans, it adds the same substance as bread but with a different flavor dimension and, of course, lots of extra protein.
I've also added extra vegetables to the base (traditionally I think you're just supposed to add them as a topping), I think it makes the soup itself much more interesting.
Recipe note: This is best made in a food processor - it's the quickest and easiest way. If you don't have one, just be sure to chop all the vegetables very finely.
Also, this works really well made ahead of time and left to chill in the fridge to let the flavors develop. —cooklynveg
Ingredients
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1 15-oz can of crushed tomatoes
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1/2 cup cooked white beans
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2 sticks of celery
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1 green pepper
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half an onion
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1/2 large or 1 small zucchini (courgette)
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4 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
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juice of 1 lemon
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1/2 to 1 cup water
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salt and black pepper to taste
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1/2 avocado, chopped
Directions
- very roughly chop all the fresh vegetables and parsley (save a little of each for topping) and place in a food processor, pulse until the vegetables become a rough paste.
- Place in a large bowl and add the crushed tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pepper and stir well. Next, gradually add the water to bring it to your desired consistency (I like it thick, so only added about 1/2 cup) - keep in mind the water will dilute the flavorings, so you may need to adjust them.
- Chill in the fridge (keeps well for a couple of days) Finely chop the vegetables and parsley you reserved for the topping, add the avocado to these. Serve soup topped the a little of the mixed vegetables.
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