Roasted Vegetable Gazpacho

This isn’t your standard raw-tomato gazpacho. Roasting the vegetables first builds a layer of smoky, caramelized flavor that a traditional cold soup just can’t match.

Tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, onions, and a generous amount of garlic roast together until soft and charred at the edges. Then they soak overnight with sherry vinegar, torn stale bread, and water. The bread thickens the base, just like it does in a classic Andalusian gazpacho, and the overnight rest lets every flavor settle in.

After blending and straining, what you get is velvety smooth, deeply savory, and surprisingly complex for something served cold. The sherry vinegar gives it a sharp backbone that cuts through the richness of the roasted vegetables.

Pro Tips

• Stale bread is critical. Fresh bread turns gummy. If you only have fresh bread, toast the slices lightly before tearing.
• Don’t skip the straining step. Eggplant skin and tomato seeds make the texture gritty if left in.
• Serve very cold. This soup loses its punch at room temperature. Chill the bowls too if you can.
• Sherry vinegar is worth seeking out. Red wine vinegar works in a pinch, but it doesn’t have the same nutty depth.

Variations

• Smoky heat: Add a roasted red bell pepper and a pinch of smoked paprika before blending.
• Creamy finish: Stir in a spoonful of Greek yogurt or creme fraiche when serving for a richer, tangier bowl.