Sweater weather is officially here – let’s get cosy with Goulash! This Hungarian recipe is a slow cooked beef soup or stew that’s boldly flavoured with stacks of paprika which makes the sauce a deep, vibrant red colour. Think traditional beef stew – with extra character!

Goulash

If you think Hungary and think hearty food, then Goulash is probably exactly what comes to mind. Unsurprising given it is Hungary’s greatest food export!

Is it a stew? Is it a soup? It sort of lies between the two in terms of the amount of broth vs the stuff in it. Though one noticeable thing about traditional Goulash is that the broth is thinner than what you think of with stews, and it’s not thickened with flour or cream. Also, it’s not typically served over mash like stews, it’s served in bowls like soup.

As for flavour, I describe it as a beef stew with a sauce that reminds me of chorizo flavours thanks to a big hit of paprika and savouriness from a good amount of garlic, capsicum (bell peppers) and onion. It’s really, really good. Bolder than typical beef stew!

Note on authenticity: This is a recipe that is intended to respect traditional Hungarian Goulash. But as with all such recipes, every cook and every family has their own version. I am sure some Hungarians will disagree on something I’ve included! Please share your thoughts below but know that I did do my research!

Ingredients in Hungarian Goulash

Two things you’ll observe when you make this:

1. A LOT of paprika. Flavour and sauce colour!

2. A LOT of vegetables. 2 each onions, capsicum/bell peppers, carrots, tomato, potatoes. Flavour and heartiness!

Beef, spices and sauce

• Beef – The classic beef cut to use is beef chuck which is a tough cut of meat that becomes meltingly tender when slow cooked. If you can, get a single piece so you can cut it into cubes of the size we want, else get a thick steak. Always look for beef that is nicely marbled with fat. All too often, the grocery stores ones are disturbingly lean. We want the fat marbled throughout, it makes the beef so tender and juicy!

  Substitute – Beef osso bucco (boneless) and beef cheeks. The meat cubes will twist and buckle more once cooked but these are actually juicier than chuck. Gravy beef and brisket will also work but meat is a little leaner.

• Paprika – Use Hungarian or Hungarian-style if you can, the paprika is smoother and sweeter than ordinary paprika. Don’t use hot paprika – we’re using lots of paprika here, it will be way too spicy! Smoked paprika will make the sauce a little too smokey, though you could mix-and-match a little if you want.

• Caraway seeds – A traditional spice used in Goulash used in central European cooking. Not the end of the world if you don’t have it but you’ll love the little unique pops of flavour if you do!

• Beef stock/broth – The liquid used to make the sauce. Traditionally water was used, but no one can deny that using stock makes the sauce a whole lot tastier! I personally would not make this with water. If you use homemade beef stock, you could sell bowls of this for a pretty penny.

• Butter and oil – The fat for sautéing. I like to use both so you get the best of both worlds – butter for flavour, oil for effective searing (butter is ~15% water and susceptible to burning at high heats).

• Bay leaf – For flavour. Fresh if you can, or dried (pictured).

We don’t need flour to thicken the sauce – see next paragraph.

The vegetables

Some recipes use flour to thicken the sauce. I don’t find that necessary if you use fresh tomatoes rather than canned tomatoes, as they break down to thicken the sauce. It also makes the stew sauce taste less tomatoey which lets the paprika and other flavours come through more.

• Onion and garlic – flavour base.

• Capsicum/bell peppers – One each red and yellow if you can, or 2 red. Don’t underestimate the flavour this brings to the sauce! You can substitute the potato and carrot but don’t skip capsicum!

• Tomatoes – These break down to naturally thicken the sauce rather than using flour.

• Carrot and potato – Vegetable adds ins that fills it out. Feel free to switch with other root vegetables such as celeriac, parsnip, or even non-root vegetables like green beans. Note: These get added at the end of the cook time so the potato doesn’t disintegrate.

• Parsley – optional garnish

How to make Goulash

Usually, stews will call for beef cubes to be browned first, removed, then added back into the pot after sautéing the vegetables. Goulash goes all in. I doubted it at first but when I saw it go all stewy and the flavours mingling together before I even got to the slow cooking part, I understood.

And when I tasted the finished dish, it sealed the deal!

1. Cut beef into nice size chunks then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Cook onion first for 6 minutes until the edges are light golden.

3. Cook beef – Next, add the beef all in one go and stir until the surfaces changes from red to brown. You won’t be browning on the beef because there’s too much in the pot and that’s just how it’s supposed to be. All the flavours meld and come together in the next steps!

4. Add garlic, capsicum and tomato. Stir for 3 minutes to coat the vegetables in all the flavour in the pot. The tomato will mostly breakdown – it will break down completing during the slow cooking phase and thicken the sauce.

5. Spices – Add paprika, caraway and bay leaf. Stir for 30 seconds to coat everything in the tasty flavours.

6. Simmer – Add beef stock, stir, bring to simmer.

7. Slow cook – Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1 1/2 hours. At this stage the beef should be pretty tender but not quite “fall-apart”, there’s still another 30 minutes to go. Stir in carrot and potatoes then cook for another 30 minutes. By this time, the potatoes (if you cut them the exact size I specify!!) should be soft and the beef should be “fall-apart”.

8. Serve – Sprinkle with parsley if you’re feeling fancy then ladle into bowls!

That’s Friday’s cheese bread pictured above, being dunked into the Goulash. Though you could do ordinary crusty Artisan bread. Both are no-knead, no stand-mixer, 3 minute dough making situations. Not mandatory…..but any kind of bread elevates soup-stew eating experiences, right??! – Nagi x

PS One final point – as with any stewy / slow-cooked recipes, Goulash tastes even better the next day. Completely and utterly company-worthy.

Watch how to make it

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Goulash (Hungarian beef stew)

Recipe video above. The national dish of Hungary! Boldly flavoured with stacks of paprika, lots of onion, garlic and capsicum/bell peppers, with fall apart hunks of beef. It's sort of a stew, sort of a soup. The broth is not supposed to be as thick as typical stews. It's naturally thickened slightly using fresh tomatoes that break down into the sauce.

Serve like soup in bowls with bread for dunking. (Try cheese bread. Obsessed!).

Course Mains

Cuisine European, Hungarian

Keyword goulash, hungarian goulash recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 574cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 1 kg/2 lb beef chuck , cut in 3.5cm / 1.5″ cubes (Note 1)
• 1 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp/ 30g unsalted butter
• 2 brown onions , cut into 1cm / 1/2″ squares
• 5 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 2 capsicum/bell peppers (1 red + 1 yellow), cut into 2 cm / 0.8″ squares
• 2 tomatoes , cut into 8 wedges then in half
• 1/4 cup Hungarian-style paprika (sub ordinary paprika, Note 2)
• 1 tsp caraway seeds , optional (Note 3)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 litre / 4 cups beef stock/broth , low-sodium
• 2 carrots , peeled, cut in quarters lengthwise then into 1cm / 0.4″ pieces
• 2 potatoes , cut into 1.2cm / 1/2″ cubes
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley , optional garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan), though you can use your slow cooker or stove instead (oven easiest! Note 4).
• Season beef – Toss the beef with half the salt and pepper.
• Cook onion – Heat the oil and melt the butter in a large oven-proof dutch oven over high heat. Cook onion for 6 minutes until the edges are light golden.
• Cook beef – Add the beef and stir until the outside changes from red to brown, about 2 minutes. It won't go golden brown, it's not supposed to.
• Add vegetables – Add garlic, capsicum and tomato. Stir for 3 minutes – the tomato will mostly breakdown.
• Add paprika, caraway and bay leaf. Stir for 30 seconds.
• Slow cook – Add beef stock, stir, bring to simmer. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
• Add potato – The beef should be pretty tender but not quite "fall-apart". Stir in carrot and potatoes. Return to oven, covered, for another 30 minutes. Beef should now be "fall-apart" – if not, return to the oven for 10 minutes at a time.
• Serve – Ladle goulash into bowls and sprinkle with parsley. Eat as is, with optional bread for dunking! (Pictured with cheese bread)

Notes

1. Beef – Also great with beef osso bucco (boneless) and beef cheeks. Gravy beef and brisket will also work but meat is a little leaner.

2. Paprika – Use Hungarian or Hungarian-style if you can, the paprika is smoother than sweeter than ordinary paprika. Don’t use hot paprika – we’re using lots of paprika here, it will be way too spicy!

3. Caraway seeds – a traditional spice used in Goulash used in central European cooking.

4. Cook methods – Oven is my preferred because you get caramelisation on edges/surface = extra flavour but no worries about base catching like with the stove.

Stove – Use ultra low stove heat, covered, for 1.5 hours. Stir every now and then to ensure base does not catch. Add potato and carrot, then cook 30 min.

Slow cooker – 6 hours on low, add potato and carrot, 2 hours on low.

5. Leftovers – As with all stews, this gets better overnight. Leftovers will keep for 4 to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.

Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 574cal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 1361mg | Potassium: 1918mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 8879IU | Vitamin C: 91mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 7mg

Life of Dozer

Office bathroom. Now doubles as Dozer’s playroom. Staff who walked into this had a good laugh!!

The post Hungarian Goulash (beef stew-soup) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

*** BIG THANK YOU for all your lovely messages in response to the news that Dinner made the New York Times best sellers list! Who ever thought a cookbook with a dog on the cover would become a NYT best seller. 😂***

As for today’s recipe – a healthy dose of cumin plus a good amount of onion and leek keeps things interesting with this Sweet Potato Soup! If leeks are a bit pricey, use more onion instead. Serve with a shower of something crunchy – croutons, nuts, crispy shallots. I used flatbread ribbons and pistachios.

Sweet potato soup

A basic sweet potato soup is made with garlic, onion and sweet potato boiled in stock that is then blitzed. It’s fine, but it’s kind of boring (sorry!).

A carton of cream and giant hunk of cheesy garlic bread will go a long way to make it more interesting. But as a general rule, I like my soups to be able to stand on their own two feet without relying on too many extras to prop it up.

Today’s flavour dial ups come in the form of lots of onion and leek, plus a whole tablespoon of cumin. Gosh, it’s amazing what a difference it makes to turn “fine” into “OMG THIS IS SO DELICIOUS!!”

All you need for The Sweet Potato Soup

Here’s all you need. The recipe only calls for 1/3 cup cream (80 ml!) for a touch of creamy mouthfeel. We don’t need much because the generous amount of leek & onion plus the cumin adds great flavour. Without these, I’d be using a lot more cream!

• Leeks and onions – These add a flavour boost without having to resort to loads of cream or tons of spices to make this soup really tasty. If leeks are a bit pricey (as they can be during some months of the year) just use an extra onion instead. Just one onion to replace two leeks. Why? Because leeks have a more subtle, mild taste than onion. Two extra onions would make this soup too oniony, I think.

  Bonus – Leeks don’t make your eyes water when you cut them! 👏🏻

• Sweet potato – 2 medium ones totalling 1 kg / 2 lb (unpeeled weight), or one gigantic one.

• Cumin powder – A spice that really compliments the sweet flavour of sweet potato. Gives this a flavour reminiscent of Moroccan food which you know is a good thing!

• Garlic – This soup was never going to happen without garlic!

• Butter and oil – Because of the sheer volume of onion and leek that is sautéed, we need 4 tablespoons of fat to cook them. I felt like using just butter makes the soup a little too buttery, but using just oil isn’t as fun. So I took the best of both worlds by using equal amounts of each.😎 You can double up on either of them, if you prefer.

• Chicken stock (or vegetable stock) – I know it’s counterintuitive to use chicken stock for an otherwise vegetarian soup. But it really does give the soup deeper flavour than vegetable stock. However, I freely substitute vegetable stock.

• Cream – Any dairy cream will work here. Thickened or heavy cream, pure cream, single cream, double cream etc.

  Alternatives – I haven’t tried coconut milk or cream but I think they’d work nicely here. Sour cream and yogurt can also be used but they won’t add that touch of creamy mouthfeel that cream gives this soup. I’d rather use an extra knob of butter, personally.

How to make sweet potato soup

I’m a stick blender girl, when it comes to soups. So much less mess than using a blender.

1. Sauté leek, onion and garlic for 5 minutes until sweet and softened.

2. Stir sweet potato and cumin for 3 minutes so it’s nicely coated in the flavoured oil and the cumin gets toasted, which brings out the flavour.

3. Simmer 20 minutes – Add the stock and simmer for 20 minutes with the lid off.

4. Blitz with a stick blender until smooth.

5. Stir in cream.

6. Serve – Ladle into bowls and shower with something crispy! More chat on this below.

Soup toppers

I know I said at the beginning that this is a soup that stands on its own two feet. And it does. I drink it by the mugful, plain.

That said, I am a soup toppings gal and I will always encourage you to make soups more interesting with toppers. And wow, yes, we can do something different to the usual croutons and a swirl of cream!!! Today – crispy flatbread ribbons, a sprinkle of pistachio and swish of olive oil. Chosen as a nod to the Moroccan vibes in this soup.

I fried the crispy ribbons – for shooting speed purposes – but they are just as easily baked. Directions in the recipe. – Nagi x

PS And yes, you can absolutely do croutons instead if you prefer. Don’t let me deter you!

Watch how to make it

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The Sweet Potato Soup

Recipe video above. A healthy dose of cumin plus a good amount of onion and leek keeps things interesting with this Sweet Potato Soup! If leeks are a bit pricey, use more onion instead.

Serve with a shower of something crunchy – croutons, nuts, crispy shallots. I used pistachios and flatbread ribbons, fried for speed, but they can be baked – Note 3.

Course Soup

Cuisine Western

Keyword sweet potato soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 337cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter – or more oil
• 2 onions , diced
• 2 leeks , white and pale green part only, quartered, cut into 1cm / 1/2″ slices (Note 1)
• 2 garlic cloves , chopped
• 1 kg/ 2 lb sweet potato , peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut into 2cm / 0.8″ chunks
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1.25 litre / 1.25 quarts chicken or vegetable stock , low sodium (Note 2)
• 1.5 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup cream (any type) or an extra knob of butter

Garnishes (Note 3)

• Something to drizzle / dollop – extra virgin olive oil, cream, yogurt, sour cream
• Something crunchy – flatbread strips (pictured, Note 3), croutons, pistachios, pepitas, crispy fried shallots

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Sauté aromatics – Heat the oil and melt the butter in a large heavy based pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, leek and garlic for 5 minutes until softened.
• Add the sweet potato and cumin, cook for another 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Simmer 20 minutes – Add the stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 20 minutes at a gentle simmer until the sweet potato is very tender (no lid).
• Blitz – Remove the pot from the stove. Blitz with a hand-held stick until smooth. (Note 4 for blender) Stir in cream.
• Garnish – Ladle into bowls. Drizzle with yogurt, cream or olive oil with a sprinkle of something crunchy – pictured with pistachios and crispy flatbread strips (Note 3).

Notes

1. Leeks washing ( video 0.09 sec) – Chop the reedy dark green part off, only use the soft white & pale green part. Cut in quarters lengthwise but keep the root intact (for gripping). The cut part of the leek will splay out like tassles / cheerleader pom poms! Hold the root part and wash the cut part of the leek under a running tap. Shake excess water off well, then chop.

2. Stock – I really do prefer this made with chicken rather than veg stock because it gives it a deeper flavour. But veg stock is a close 2nd I freely use to keep this vegetarian.

3. Garnishes – Something drizzled and something crunchy is my standard soup baseline. I used crispy flatbread strips in a nod to the vaguely reminiscent Moroccan flavours in this (I say that only because of the cumin!).

CRISPY FLATBREAD STRIPS – Cut 1cm / 0.4″ strips. Scrunch in hand (to curl) then fry in 3cm / 1″ 180°C/350°F oil for 20 seconds until light golden. Sprinkle immediately with salt while hot (so it sticks). 

BAKED OPTION – Coat strips generously with olive oil spray, sprinkle with salt, bake at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for 10 to 13 minutes or until golden and crisp, tossing once or twice. Exact time will depend on thickness of flatbread.

Croutons – Cut any bread (crustless) into 0.75 cm / ⅓” cubes. Toss in a little olive oil to coat, sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 10 min, tossing halfway, until golden and crunchy. Cool fully on tray before using.

4. Blender option – Allow soup to cool for 10 minutes then transfer half into a blender. Remove the lid of the feeder tube (it might blow-off due to the heat inside!), then put the lid on. Use a folded tea towel to cover the hole then blitz until smooth. Transfer to a separate pot. Repeat with remaining soup. (Stick blender really is easier!)

Silky smooth soup – You’ll need a high powered blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec. Note: soups as is might look a bit lumpy but it tastes smooth. 

5. Leftovers will keep for 4 days in the fridge. Great for freezing too! 

Nutrition per serving, soup only (because I can’t be held responsible for how crazy you go with toppings – and I fully endorse excessive toppings!).

Nutrition

Calories: 337cal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 749mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 24474IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 3mg

More cosy bowls of soup

Pumpkin Soup

Broccoli and Potato Soup

Creamy Carrot Soup

Chicken and Rice Soup

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Soup

Chinese Corn Soup with Chicken

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

Soups

Life of Dozer

Crashed out in his kennel at the end of a big Easter long weekend. (By “big”, I am obviously referring to extreme amounts of food scavenging and play time.)

The post Sweet Potato Soup – simple but great! appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

If the thought of this cold Spanish soup conjures up visions of watery, bland, pureed vegetables, think again! The secret to a really good Gazpacho is marinating ripe vegetables with vinegar, olive oil and garlic. Fabulous, refreshing summer food bursting with flavour. No cook!

Gazpacho – chilled Spanish soup

I tell people gazpacho is like salsa in soup form. But instead of using corn chips for scooping, you get to dunk chunks of crusty bread into that bowl of tasty goodness.

The fact that it’s good-for-you doesn’t even cross your mind. All you know is that once you start, you don’t want to stop. And if you’re eating this on your deck on a hot summer day? I WANT TO BE YOU! (Especially if you have a cold glass of wine on the side….)

What you need to make gazpacho

Traditionally, gazpacho includes bread for thickening the soup and keep leftovers from splitting if you leave it overnight. I find the soup is plenty thick enough without bread. As for splitting? Just stir once – maybe twice – and it’s back to the original state.

So – my recipe has no bread! (Bonus: means it’s gluten free and virtually carb free.)

• Tomatoes – As the primary ingredient in gazpacho, getting juicy ripe ones is key to great flavour here! Don’t be tempted to substitute with canned tomato. It just won’t be the same.

• Cucumber – One cucumber around 20cm/8″ long. I like to peel it to preserve the reddish colour of this soup and also it makes the soup smoother. But, you can leave it on it you wish. Extra nutrition! Just expect slightly more texture in your soup as it won’t puree fully.

• Red capsicum / bell pepper – Traditionally. Spanish gazpacho is more frequently made with green rather than red capsicum / bell pepper. I like to use red for colour consistency and also because red capsicum is slightly sweeter than green (which is actually just un-ripened red capsicum!).

• Red onion – You’ll only need about 1/4 of a red onion as we need 1/4 cup of chopped red onion. I don’t usually measure red onion in cups but in this no-cook soup, if you use too much then it’s too onion-y. And if you don’t use enough, you lack the fresh zing.

  So – chop. Then measure 1/4 cup!

• Garlic – Gazpacho is not gazpacho without the delicious flavour garlic brings to it!

• Sherry vinegar – This is the vinegar that is traditionally used in gazpacho. It’s made from sherry and has more flavour than common plain white vinegar.

  Quality – The more you pay, the better the quality. The vinegar will be aged which means it has more flavour than economical brands. Such is the secret of why simple salads at fine dining restaurants are so good! Use what suits your budget. I reserve my 25 year Pedro Ximenez Sherry Vinegar for special occasion salads. I use Chef’s Choice or Moro for everyday purposes and recipe development.

  Substitute with white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar. Apple cider vinegar will also work but a wee bit sharper.
  

• Extra virgin olive oil – As with the sherry vinegar, the more you pay, the better the quality. Lomondo is an Australian extra virgin olive oil which I use as my “good olive oil”, though I always enjoy trying local varieties wherever I travel.

• Salt and pepper – The only seasoning required for this wonderful refreshing dish!

How to make gazpacho

Authenticity note: Marinating the vegetables isn’t a step in traditional gazpacho recipes. But it does improve the flavour so it’s a recommended step, especially if you are using an economical vinegar or if your tomatoes aren’t farm-fresh-organic-ridiculously-ripe-and-sweet. That would be tomatoes sold in everyday Australian grocery stores, even at the height of summer.

1. Marinate – Toss all the vegetables with the garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Then set aside to marinate, preferably overnight (12 hrs up to 24 hours) or at least 3 hours. This allows the flavours to meld together more and the vinegar flavour smooths out as well. It really does make a noticeable difference.

   However, if you don’t have time, it’s fine! Just proceed to the next step immediately. I do like to add an extra glug of olive oil when I don’t marinate, just to compensate.

2. Blitz! Transfer everything into a blender and puree until smooth. If you have a powerful one like a Vitamix or Blendtec then it will only take around 45 seconds on speed 7 or so. If yours is not as powerful then it may take a little longer.

   Handheld blender stick also works but takes a little longer. Use a tall jug and work in batches, if need be. A food processor will get 90% of the way there but I find it doesn’t make it quite as smooth.

   Smoothness note – If you’d like yours 100% smooth and thinner, more like a drink than a soup, then pass it through a very fine mesh or food mill. Discard the solids.

   I like mine straight out of the blender which has a bit of texture to it, not 100% smooth, and a bit thick. Reminds me I’m eating a meal, not sipping a drink!

3. Rest – Pour the soup into a bowl and let it rest for 15 minutes. This allows the aeration incorporated into the soup when you blended it to settle a bit (so you don’t feel like you’re eating a mouthful of foam) and the colour will change slightly from orange to a slightly darker orange.

   Wait, gazpacho isn’t red? Nope, it’s actually not! It’s more of a burnt orange colour.

4. Serve – Ladle into bowls and serve. Sometimes I top with little diced cubes of cucumber, for colour / texture / healthy garnish. I always finish with a swish of olive oil and pinch of pepper.

   I like to serve gazpacho with crusty white bread for dunking. Both for the eating experience, and to bulk out the meal.

This gazpacho truly is seriously delicious. I’m not sharing this as diet food – low-carb, low-calorie, low-sugar food, high nutrition, etc etc.

It’s just a downright good food. Regular readers know I’m not a health-food website. I will never sacrifice tastiness for the sake of reducing calories. I just can’t. I enjoy food too much!

But I do believe in eating a balanced diet, and I do get extra excited when I can share a really great recipe that happens to be healthy.

Gazpacho ticks those boxes. 50 million Spaniards can’t be wrong! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Gazpacho

Recipe video above. If the thought of this chilled Spanish soup conjures up visions of watery, bland, pureed vegetables, think again! Fabulous refreshing and full of flavour.

Marinating isn't traditional but does improve flavour. So it's recommended, especially if you use economical vinegar or if your tomatoes aren't farm-fresh-ripe-and-sweet (ie typical tomatoes from everyday grocery stores….)

This version has no bread in it – it's thick enough as is, I find. Serve with crusty bread on the side, for dunking. Fabulous meal for a hot summer day!

Serves 3 hearty appetites, 4 normal appetites (with bread for dunking).

Course Light mains, Mains, Soup

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword cold soup, gazpacho, summer food, tomato soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Marinating (3 – 12 hrs recommended) 12 hours

Servings 3 – 4

Calories 189cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Gazpacho:

• 1 kg / 2 lb ripe tomatoes (~7), cut into 8 wedges, core removed
• 1 cucumber (20cm/8" long) , peeled and diced into 1cm / 1/2" cubes
• 1 red capsicum/bell pepper , cut into 1.5 cm / 1/2″ cubes
• 2 garlic cloves , chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion , finely diced (Note 1)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil , + extra for serving
• 1 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar (sub white wine or champagne vinegar)
• 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Serving:

• Crusty bread
• Cucumber , cut into small cubes (optional)

Instructions

• Marinate – Toss all the gazpacho ingredients together in a large bowl. Cover then set aside to marinate, preferably 12 to 24 hours, or at least 3 hours. (Note 3)
• Blitz – Transfer everything into a blender and blitz on high until smooth. (Or use a tall jug with a hand blender). For 100% perfectly smooth, pass through a fine mesh strainer or food mill and discard solids (Note 2)
• Serve – Pour into a bowl. Rest for 15 minutes to let the bubbles subside. Stir, then ladle into bowls.
• Garnish – Top with diced cucumber, if using, and a swish of olive oil. Serve with crusty bread!

Notes

1. Red onion – I know it’s unusual to see red onion listed using a cup measure. But it makes a difference here. Too much = too onion-y. Too little, and it’s missing zing. Chop and measure!

2. Smooth vs slightly grainy (my preference) – If you make it completely smooth, I find it makes it seem more like a cold drink rather than a soup as a meal. I actually like it with a bit of texture in the finished dish. Reminds me I’m eating a meal rather than drinking a Bloody Mary!

3. Marinating – If you don’t have time, make this anyway with an extra 2 tbsp of olive oil to compensate! But be sure to chill the finished soup before serving because it’s best served cold. Not fridge-ice-cold, not at room temperature. Somewhere in between.

4. Leftovers will keep overnight. Beyond this, I’d freeze then just add to tomato based cooked sauces, though a reader suggest that if you blend it again it will resurrect it. Interested to hear if you try this!

5. Nutrition per serving, for the gazpacho only.

Nutrition

Calories: 189cal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 453mg | Potassium: 784mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3070IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

Dozer’s mates!! He wants to join the party but it’s a bit too cosy in there. 😂

The post Gazpacho appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

I honestly can’t think of a better way to celebrate the excellent-quality seafood we have in Australia than this wonderful Spanish stew. I particularly love the garlicky picada, a finishing flourish that dials the deliciousness up to 11.

Find the recipe on page 288 of Dinner.

This is a cookbook exclusive recipe!

This recipe is exclusive to my debut cookbook Dinner which includes a how-to video for every recipe. Just scan the QR code!

Just to explain….

I know, it’s confusing! You’re so used to getting recipes on my website – there’s over 1,200 of them, after all. And here you are looking at a tasty recipe video and I haven’t provided the recipe. 🙀

I’m not just doing this to torture you, I promise.

This page exists to display the how-to video for this recipe which I exclusively created for my debut cookbook, Dinner. Every recipe in the cookbook has a tutorial video. To watch it, you simply scan the QR code with your phone or tablet and it will take you straight to the recipe video like the one shown above!

Curious about my cookbook?

• Read the cookbook overview

• Browse all cookbook exclusive recipes here

• Read the Cookbook Tales. Spoiler alert: there’s A LOT of dirty dishes!! And quite a lot of Dozer. 😂

Stay tuned for more on this page! Some cookbook exclusive recipes will have extra information added as well as extra tips. I am also looking at enabling comments for selected recipes so I can answer reader questions about cookbook recipes. I’m just a little snowed under during this launch period – book tours, getting 131 recipe videos out, launching the book overseas. Please bear with me! – Nagi x (10 October 2022)

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