Strawberry Basil Gazpacho

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold the phone. It’s the first recipe since I’ve been back from France AND it’s French Friday.

Conscience? I think not.

I won’t gush about the trip in this post (even though it’s going to be hard to contain my excitement!) more than to say: TRIP. OF. A. LIFETIME. I’m exploding with gratitude. And inspiration. Because let me tell you: we ate so much amazing food.

Again, more on that later. Right now we have one focus, and one focus only. Strawberry Basil Gazpacho.

Can I be honest with you? I always am, but let’s be real. If you had asked me before I left my opinion on gazpacho I probably would have said, “remind me what that is again…”

And don’t you dare say cold soup. Which, if I’m being honest again, is kind of what it is. But it’s SO much more than that. And quite frankly, it was everywhere in France – of every variety – and just what we needed on the incredibly hot heat-wave days we faced.

What is Gazpacho?

I’m glad you asked, because like I said, I needed a reminder too.

It originated in Spain and at its core is a blend of raw vegetables. Traditionally, tomatoes, peppers, aromatics, and a few other goodies. Ok, so, let’s call it a chilled soup instead, shall we?

I’ve got to say, we didn’t actually have any traditional gazpacho while in France. We had cucumber gazpacho, and zucchini and bean gazpacho, and the one that takes the cake for the most unique and WOW gazpacho of maybe our lives: Strawberry Basil Gazpacho.

How to Make Strawberry Gazpacho

This is a strawberry forward gazpacho, my friends. There’s not a whole lot of extra veggies (as a traditional gazpacho would have). The bright, sweet, juicy flavor of the strawberry is forefront, so be sure to get the best berries you can find!

And the goat cheese! Ah, the tangy, creamy addition of the goat cheese! It gives the gazpacho all its smooth, creamy texture.

The Ingredients

• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Goat Cheese
• Basil
• Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar
• S&P

We’re all about the simple, yet WOW recipes, right? Look at that: 5 ingredients. We’re not counting S&P, ever, mkay? And really, if you’re here then you’re probably in the “always have olive oil and balsamic lying around in my cupboards” camp, in which case, THREE INGREDIENTS.

That would be THREE INGREDIENTS you would have to buy to go from “what’s for lunch on this hot hot day” to “oh my goodness that was such a refreshing, delicious, light yet filling lunch”.

And if you have a garden that’s already growing tomatoes, strawberries, and basil? Well, then you’re my hero.

Oh, right, but how to make it! Take those ingredients, blend them together (I recommend a high-speed blender for ease (love my Vitamix*) – you could also use a food processor or an immersion blender*.

Chill it in the fridge to make it extra refreshing on a steamy summer day, then serve it as a light lunch, a side, or heck, it would even work as a dessert. Just be sure to have a baguette on the side, as we would in France. Deal? Deal.

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