Here is a savory salmorejo soup: a refreshing chilled Spanish tomato soup with bread and vinegar! Traditional garnishes are bits of cured ham, crumbled hard boiled eggs and a good drizzle of good quality olive oil.
Some of you might mistakenly think that this Spanish soup is a classic gazpacho but it is not.
No worries though.
Neither had I before visiting Sevilla.
The term “salmorejo” might be derived from the Arabic word “سَلْمُور” (salmūr), which referred to a type of brine or marinade used to preserve food, especially fish.
Andalusia
This cold tomato soup originally comes from another Spanish city, Cordoba.
And you are right, it has some things in common with a classic gazpacho, that is for sure.
First of all: it is a Spanish cold soup.
Secondly: raw tomatoes are the main ingredient here as well.
And last but no least: you serve salmorejo cold as a starter soup or an appetizer.
No need to add raw cucumber, celery or shallots to this salmorejo though. The rest of the necessary ingredients are quite different.
That is it.
Easy Salmorejo (Spanish Chilled Tomato Soup)
One important ingredient makes it distinctively different from gazpacho: the white bread.
This gives it a much thicker consistency and creamier texture without having to add any dairy such as butter, milk or cream even.
You can easily serve gazpacho as an appetizing drink in a glass.
It is best to pour this salmorejo in a deep plate and eat it with a spoon. And that is because of its thicker consistency and the traditional garnish on top: chopped serrano ham and crumbled hard boiled egg.
Make Ahead Soup
You can make half of the soup a day in advance.
Pour the blended tomatoes, garlic, bread and olive oil through a sieve and chill the drained soup in the fridge. You just have to add vinegar, pepper and salt to taste the day itself.
Easy!
Do you like chilled soups?
Then you should also take a look at another Spanish chilled soup: ajo blanco with almonds and bread.
Enjoy!
Easy Andalusian Cold Salmorejo Soup Recipe
- 1 lb fresh tomatoes (450 g)
- 1 tsp garlic chopped
- 5 oz white bread (150 g)
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 hard-boiled egg crumbled
- 2 slices serrano ham chopped
- ⅓ cup olive oil (60 ml)
- pepper
- salt
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Soak the white bread in a little water for 10 minutes., then squeeze it well. Roughly chop the ripe tomatoes. Add them together with the chopped garlic and the squeezed bread to a clean blender.
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Blend into a fine mixture. Add the the olive oil.
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Blend well again into a silky smooth reddish soup for about 2 minutes. Place a fine sieve over a large pan or bowl and pour in the tomato mixture. Stir the soup in the sieve well using a spatula or a spoon until you end up with a coarse tomato and bread pulp.
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Discard the pulp. Add half the vinegar and a little pepper and salt to the tomato soup.
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Stir well. Check the seasoning. Add extra vinegar, pepper or salt to taste. Chill the soup in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Pour it into bowls, deep plates or glasses. Garnish with crumbled egg and chopped Serrano ham. Finish with a few drops of olive oil. Serve.
The hard boiled egg got me. LOVE this recipe.