Gazpacho, the Spanish chilled tomato soup, is widely known — and for good reason. It’s refreshing and light and hits the spot on a hot summer day. But have you ever tried salmorejo? It’s a thicker, creamier (compared to gazpacho) chilled tomato soup that hails from southern Spain, Cordoba (in Andalucia) to be exact. It’s made with tomatoes, of course, along with bread, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and a splash of sherry vinegar for a touch of acidity.

I tried salmorejo for the first time while exploring the south of Spain in 2018. Enjoyed many iterations of salmorejo along the way and have had it on my to-make list ever since (I say “make” since there’s no cooking involved).

Given that there are only a handful of ingredients that go into salmorejo, it’s vital that you use peak of season, vine-ripened, juicy summer tomatoes.

You can use your standard red slicer tomato. That’s most traditional. However, you could certainly play around with different varieties of tomatoes, just make sure they’re fully ripe. Some hearty, rustic, country bread (day-old bread is perfect), good quality, fruity extra virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar round out the soup. And, if you want an even creamier version, I’ve read to add a hard-boiled egg yolk and blend into the soup.

Little tidbit…sherry, a type of fortified wine, comes from the Sherry Triangle, an area in the province of Cádiz in southwestern Spain. The city of Jerez de la Frontera and towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María form the points of what is known as the Sherry Triangle.

You might be thinking, can I substitute something for sherry vinegar? Yes, BUT, nowadays it’s easy to find sherry vinegar, either in stores or online, so why not give it a try??

What to look for in sherry vinegar? Sherry vinegar labeled vinagre de Jerez must be aged for a minimum of six months. A reserva is aged for at least two years, while gran reservas spend at least 10 years in wood. The older the vinegar, the darker the color and more complex the flavor (and, the more expensive).

A vinagre de Jerez is suitable for salmorejo, though it never hurts to experiment with other types of sherry vinegar to suit your taste. BTW, here’s a great article on sherry vinegar.

Traditionally, a bowl of salmorejo is topped with chopped hard-boiled egg, Serrano or Iberico ham and finished with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Salmorejo (Chilled Tomato Soup)

2 1/2 pounds ripe, juicy tomatoes, roughly chopped
7 ounces day-old country bread, cubed
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, more or less to taste
2 small garlic cloves
Sea salt, about 1 teaspoon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling over soup
Chopped hard-boiled eggs
Serrano or Iberico ham, roughly torn into pieces

Place the tomatoes and their juices in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Add the bread and let sit for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and sherry vinegar and blend until smooth.

With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Taste, adding more salt and/or sherry vinegar as needed to taste.

Refrigerate several hours until chilled or overnight.

Ladle into bowls and top with chopped hard-boiled egg and ham. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Note: if you want an even creamier version, add a hard-boiled egg yolk or two and blend into the soup.