Salmorejo

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated June 14, 2021

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
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Total Time
About 1 hour, plus at least 2 hours' refrigeration
Rating
4(165)
Comments
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This silky, salmon-colored purée from Cordoba, Spain, is thicker and creamier than gazpacho Andaluz, just a simple mixture of tomatoes, bread, garlic and olive oil. Its success depends entirely on the quality of the tomatoes and oil. Authentic salmorejo has about three times as much olive oil as this version and can be thicker, doubling as a sauce or a dip. Traditionally, the soup is garnished with Ibérico or Serrano ham and diced hard-boiled eggs, but I like to garnish mine with diced green pepper or, for some spice, diced poblano pepper.

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Ingredients

Yield:Four servings

  • 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, peeled

  • 4 ounces stale French baguette, crusts removed and diced or torn into pieces (about 2 ½ cups diced or torn up bread)

  • 2 garlic cloves, halved, green shoots removed, coarsely chopped

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (more to taste), plus additional for drizzling

  • 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (to taste)

  • Salt to taste

  • Diced green pepper or, for a spicy twist, diced poblano pepper, for garnish (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

24 grams carbs; 211 calories; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 11 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 662 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the bread in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Allow to sit for a few minutes, then drain and squeeze the water from the bread. Return the bread to the bowl, and place a strainer over the bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Cut the peeled tomatoes in half across the equator, and squeeze out the seeds over the strainer. Rub the seed pods against the strainer to extract as much juice as you can. Discard the seeds. Chop the tomatoes coarsely, and add to the bowl with the bread and tomato juice. Add the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar and salt to taste. Toss together and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Transfer to a blender, and blend at high speed until homogenized (you will probably have to do this in two batches). While the blender is running, drizzle in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Pour into the bowl, taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if desired. Cover and chill for at least two hours.

  4. Step 4

    Serve, garnishing each bowl with diced green or poblano pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Tip

  • Variation: Serve the salmorejo as a sauce with grilled fish or as a dip with crudités. For thicker salmorejo, add another ounce of bread.Advance preparation: This will keep for two days in the refrigerator. But don’t add the garlic until a few hours before serving. Blend a cupful of the soup with the garlic, then whisk back into the rest of the soup.Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
165 user ratings
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Comments

Ricard Raventós

Tipically you would find shredded boiled egg to add on top, also very common thinly sliced Spanish ham.

Jen

Wait, 1.5 CUPS of minced garlic? I love garlic, but that's got to be a typo, right?

Sam

Make it the night before, and add the garlic. And if you have a powerful blender, skip all the silliness about peeling and straining the tomato seeds.

Luis

Be very careful with the amount of garlic you put in this thing. Typically, I routinely put double the garlic in any dish I cook. But this time around, I forgot... it's RAW garlic. And boy did I find out quickly. I was thinking to myself, "How did I make this spicy on accident?" Take heed.

Cinderella

With a powerful blender, you can just chuck in the tomatoes with skin and seeds, also the bread with crust and whole cloves of garlic. The texture was still silky and delicious. My blender is a Breville and I love it!

mnh

Sue me, but I added a bit of anchovy paste and a couple pinches of smoked paprika. Made it sing!

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