Salmorejo (Spanish Cold Tomato Soup Recipe) (2024)

ByEdytaJuly 17, 2023September 25, 2023

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Salmorejo is a famous, Spanish cold tomato soup. It’s a summertime ‘go-to’ in restaurants and households throughout Spain, but particularly in the south of Spain (Andalucia). It’s a standalone meal and a perfect dish for the hot summer days. It’s made from the best ripe tomatoes, bread, garlic, sherry vinegar, and olive oil. It’s traditionally topped with Spanish cured ham (Serrano or Iberico) and a chopped boiled egg; as well as fresh bread, like baguette on a side. You’ll find it’s quite distinct from its cousin, Gazpacho.

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Salmorejo – Perfect Meal for Hot Summer Days

We just came back from our European travels where we spent a significant amount of time in Andalucia, Spain. Suffice it to say, we ate our fair share of tapas. And we managed to work in some cold tomato soup almost every day. It’s incredible because you can actually buy an amazing quality Salmorejo, without any preservatives in your local Grocery stores. I just couldn’t get enough.

Additionally, almost every Spanish restaurant had Salmorejo on its menu. It’s chilled and refreshing, and at the same time very satisfying. There’s nothing else that you need on a hot summer day. Well, perhaps for a change, you’d like to substitute in some Gazpacho…

Salmorejo vs. Gazpacho

So one may wonder…what’s the difference between Salmorejo and Gazpacho? These are both Spanish soups that originated in Andalucia. Both are served cold and the core of both of them are tomatoes, sherry vinegar, garlic, and olive oil. But the difference is actually pretty significant.

As you can read in my post about Andalucian Gazpacho, it does have different ingredients and a distinct texture. It is usually served in glasses to drink (sort of like a V8 juice), rather than served in bowls as a soup. In addition to tomatoes, Gazpacho usually also have onions, green peppers, and cucumbers. Once it’s blended it is strain through a fine strainer to achieve a consistency of a thick juice. You then serve it in a glass with an ice cube.

On the other hand, Salmorejo doesn’t have any other veggies, except for tomatoes and garlic. It’s also much thicker, thanks to the inclusion of bread. Ideally, stale bread, like rustic or baguette works. However, any good quality white bread would do. Once the soup is blended, it’s then emulsified with extra virgin olive oil for a smooth consistency. And to make it a full meal it is served with some protein (chopped egg and Spanish cured ham).

How to Make Spanish Cold Tomato Soup

To make Salmorejo, you’ll have to gather the following ingredients:

• Fresh, ripe Roma tomatoes;
• Baguette or other good quality bread;
• Garlic;
• Sherry Vinegar (if you can’t find a Spanish Sherry Vinegar, you can use Red Wine Vinegar);
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil;
• Salt & Pepper, to taste;
• Hard Boiled Egg and Spanish Cured Ham, like Serrano or Iberico (if you can’t find them you can substitute with Prosciutto), to garnish.

The process is very easy:

• Place the tomatoes into hot water for a minute or two. Remove them and let them cool off.
• Once cooled, peel the tomatoes. Remove core and seeds and roughly chop them. Then add to your blender.
• Add garlic and blend on high for a few minutes.
• Then add the bread and let it soak for 5 minutes in the blended tomato mixture.
• Add sherry vinegar, salt, and blend until smooth.
• While the motor is running, add olive oil and blend until emulsified.
• Chill the soup for at least two hours.
• In the meantime, place an egg in a pot with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 10 minutes. Once done, place your egg in cold water and let cool off completely.
• Chop hard-boiled egg and ham (you can use fresh ham or put it in the toaster oven for a few minutes to crisp it up).
• Serve the soup in bowls, with chopped egg, ham and a side of bread.

How to Serve Salmorejo

You can serve Salmorejo as a stand-alone mid-day lunch or as part of a tapas spread. Some of my favorites are:

• Pan Con Tomate (Garlic Tomato Bread)
• Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)
• Ensalada Rusa (Russian Salad)

And the best drink to serve with this fantastic soup is a glass of refreshing Sangria.

Other Spanish Recipes to Try

Here are a couple of my other favorite Spanish recipes:

• Spanish Romesco Sauce
• Spanish Potato Salad with Chorizo and Roasted Peppers
• Spanish Saffron Chicken and Rice
• Spanish Tuna Stew

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