Spanish Salmorejo Recipe

Spanish Salmorejo Recipe - Salmorejo is a famous cold tomato soup from Spain, especially loved in Andalucía during the hot summer months. You’ll find it served in almost every restaurant and home in southern Spain as a refreshing yet filling starter or light meal.

This creamy soup is made from the ripest tomatoes, bread, garlic, sherry vinegar, and olive oil, blended together into a smooth, thick puree. It’s traditionally topped with Spanish cured ham (Serrano or Iberico) and chopped hard-boiled egg, and served with fresh crusty bread on the side.

While it might look similar to Gazpacho, Salmorejo is much thicker and creamier, making it a completely different experience – rich, satisfying, and bursting with authentic Spanish flavours.

🥣 Salmorejo vs. Gazpacho – What’s the Difference?

Both Salmorejo and Gazpacho are delicious cold Spanish soups from Andalucía, and while they share some core ingredients – tomatoes 🍅, sherry vinegar, garlic, and olive oil – they’re actually quite different.

✅ Gazpacho

• Made with tomatoes, garlic, onions, green peppers, and cucumbers 🥒🧅.

• Blended and strained to become a smooth, drinkable soup, like a thick juice.

• Traditionally served chilled in a glass with an ice cube 🧊 to refresh you on hot days.

✅ Salmorejo

• Made with just tomatoes and garlic, plus stale bread 🥖 to thicken it.

• Blended and then emulsified with extra virgin olive oil for a rich, creamy texture.

• Served in a bowl, topped with chopped hard-boiled egg 🥚 and Spanish cured ham 🐖, making it a hearty and filling dish.

In short:
👉 Gazpacho is light, refreshing, and drinkable.
👉 Salmorejo is thicker, creamier, and served with toppings as a meal.

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📝 Ingredients for Spanish Salmorejo

For the Soup:

• 450g very ripe tomatoes
  (Roma, vine-ripened, or other good quality varieties)

• 1 clove garlic (small to medium)

• 100g cubed day-old white bread
  (approx. 1 cup, crusts removed; baguette or country-style)

• ½ teaspoon (2-3ml) sherry vinegar

• 1 pinch salt

• 45ml extra virgin olive oil (approx. 3 tablespoons)

To Serve:

• 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped

• 2 slices Serrano ham (ideally thick-sliced; chorizo is a good alternative), chopped or crisped if preferred

• 5ml extra virgin olive oil *(approx. 1 teaspoon), for drizzling

Spanish Salmorejo Recipe

🥣 Method – How to Make Salmorejo

1. Prepare the tomatoes:
   Place the tomatoes in hot water for 1-2 minutes to loosen the skins. Remove and let them cool.

   Note:
   If your blender isn’t very powerful, it’s best to peel the tomatoes to avoid bits of skin in the soup. If your blender is high-powered and handles skins well, you can skip peeling.

2. Peel and prep:
   Once cooled, peel the tomatoes, remove the core and seeds, and roughly chop them. Add to your blender.

3. Blend the base:
   Add the garlic to the tomatoes and blend on high for a few minutes until smooth.

4. Add the bread:
   Tear the stale bread into pieces and add it to the blender. Let it soak for 5 minutes in the tomato mixture.

5. Season and emulsify:
   Add the sherry vinegar and salt. Blend until completely smooth.
   While the motor is running, slowly pour in the olive oil and blend until the soup is emulsified and creamy.

6. Chill:
   Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

7. Prepare toppings:
   While the soup is chilling, place an egg in a pot of cold water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 10 minutes. Remove and place in cold water to cool completely.

8. Finish the toppings:
   Peel and chop the hard-boiled egg. Chop the Spanish cured ham (you can crisp it in a toaster oven for a few minutes if you prefer).

9. Serve:
   Pour the chilled soup into bowls. Top with chopped egg, ham, and serve with fresh crusty bread on the side.

🍽️ FIND MORE SPANISH RECIPES HERE
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