Gazpacho Andino
Chilled tomato soup with quinoa.
Throughout Peru, locals cultivate and cook with native tomatoes. These tomatoes appear in stir-fries, salads, and stews. Here, Spain’s emblematic chilled soup journeys to one of the ancestral homes of the tomato, the Andes Mountains.
Gazpacho Andino
Chilled tomato soup with quinoa.
Serves 4
Gazpacho—the chilled tomato soup from Spain’s southern Andalucia region—cools the palate on hot summer days. A simple base recipe blends tomato, garlic, bread, salt, vinegar, and olive oil. In some variations, cucumber, strawberry, or watermelon replace the tomato. But tomatoes are native to the Americas.
The word “tomato” comes from the Náhuatl “xitomatl” and Indigenous peoples in Mexico and Peru cultivated the fruit long before colonial foodways brought the tomato to Europe. Can you imagine Spanish or Italian food without tomatoes?
This recipe pays homage to the Indigenous roots of the tomato using local ingredients. Colorful heirloom tomatoes at peak season burst with flavor, Andean quinoa adds protein and texture, while chopped mint provides aromatics reminiscent of Peru’s wild huacatay herb.
2 bread slices, crust removed
1 cup cold water
1 1/2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
cooked quinoa, for garnish
chopped mint, for garnish
In a bowl, tear the bread slices by hand and mix with cold water. I like using a rustic country bread or a baguette instead of plain white bread. Use a fork to mash the bread and form a chunky porridge.
In a tall blender, add the tomato pieces and garlic clove and blend on high for 30 seconds. Pour in the bread porridge and blend on high for 30 seconds. Add the salt, white wine vinegar, and olive oil and blend on high for 30 seconds.
Transfer the soup to a container, seal, and chill for three hours. Before serving, use a spoon to stir the liquid in the container to obtain a smooth and creamy consistency. Serve in bowls and garnish with cooked quinoa and chopped mint.