Salmorejo is a chilled summer soup from Spain and is very similar to gazpacho. Both are made with fresh tomatoes and garlic, but salmorejo is enriched with bread and topped with olive oil, jamon serrano and chopped hardboiled eggs. As you can see in my photo, I was so excited about diving into my bowl of salmorejo that I forgot to put the chopped eggs on top!
Excellent for Summertime
When I have visted Spain, this light dish has always been my go-to order at the tapas bars. It is such an easy soup to make at home. Refreshing and satisfying, I love this as a cold side dish with sandwiches or salads during the summer.
Gazpacho is lighter and less filling than this recipe, which may work for your meal plan. But many times it’s nice to have a small chilled dish of something that will fill you up so you can get back to your summertime activities.
Ma en España…
To be completely honest, this chilled summer soup tastes so much better when enjoyed in Spain. The ingredient combination of pureed bread, garlic and tomatoes may seem completely unusual to U.S. home cooks. But I promise, this is one of the most common, most requested summer dishes along the Costa del Sol.
If you are still not in the traveling mood after all of our recent lockdowns, whipping up a batch of salmorejo might be the quickest (and cheapest) way to experience world travel. If you happen to find some beautifully blushing tomatoes and artisanal bread at the farmer’s market, give this recipe a try. Add a nice bottle of rioja or make a quick pitcher of sangria and your trip to Spain can be in your own back yard. Serve with sliced jamon serrano, more bread, a little cheese and fruit for a complete meal.
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