If you know and love classic caprese salad, you absolutely must try our mozzarella caprese gazpacho! It’s light, refreshing, and so satisfying to eat. Plus, it’s perfect for a date night in! Feels elegant, but really requires little effort on your part.
What Is Gazpacho?
Gazpacho refers to any cold soup made up of raw, blended ingredients.
Here, inspired by a classic caprese salad, we’re blending fresh tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, a splash of vinegar, and fresh basil to turn them into a delicious summer gazpacho!
Here’s why we love it so much:
- No cook meal! Everything is made entirely in a food processor.
- Quick and easy! Other than straining the gazpacho, it is really hands off and comes together easily.
- Quick! It’s a great weeknight option, as the entire meal takes about 10 minutes to make.
- Tastes like summer! The combination of tomatoes and basil highlights the best of the season. Fresh mozzarella adds a creaminess that works beautifully, just like in a caprese salad.
We cannot wait for you to try this and enjoy all summer long!
How To Make Basil Oil
You could eat the caprese gazpacho as is, but we recommend topping it with a homemade basil oil. It’s beyond simple to make.
Place fresh basil leaves in the bowl of a food processor with blade attachment affixed, then process while slowly drizzling in olive oil. This will sit until you’re ready to strain it and serve on top of the gazpacho. We told you – easy!!
And the best part? The homemade basil oil intensifies the longer it sits. That means if you can make this a day or two in advance, the flavor will be even stronger. Store extra basil oil at room temperature and use in any recipe or dish that calls for olive oil — you’ll love the added flavor!
To Assemble The Caprese Gazpacho
- Plate the soup. Pour the strained gazpacho into a shallow serving bowl or dish.
- Add fresh mozzarella. Take a large ball of fresh mozzarella and pull it with your hands into bite size pieces. Place the mozzarella directly on top of the gazpacho.
- Add homemade basil oil. Drizzle the soup generously with basil oil.
- Season, then serve. Sprinkle a generous pinch of flaky sea salt on top of cheese, then serve immediately.
We recommend having a crusty baguette or roll on standby for sopping up the delicious gazpacho!
What to Serve With Caprese Gazpacho
You’ll definitely want to serve this with a big ol’ piece of crusty bread for sopping up that delicious heirloom tomato soup.
Here are some of our favorite light salads and side dishes that go great with this homemade gazpacho:
- Well Seasoned House Salad
- Peach Burrata Salad
- Couscous Salad with Tarragon Roasted Shrimp
- Shredded Brussel Sprouts Salad
And don’t underestimate the joy of pairing tomato soup (come on, that’s basically what this is!) with a classic grilled cheese sandwich. Childhood perfection!
Wine Pairings!
As part of my Date Night In series, I’m offering up a few wine suggestions to serve alongside. Because the tomatoes are kept raw in this preparation (read: higher acidity than if they were cooked), you’re going to want to stick with wines that mirror that (aka: have a higher acidity).
Red wine: light-bodied reds, such as Gamay, Cinsault, or a lighter Pinot Noir
Rosé: I can vouch from personal experience that Wolffer Estate rosés pair beautifully! My favorite is their Summer in a Bottle, but the Finca and Estate rosés are also wonderful. Again, look for something with a fair amount of acidity.
White wine: Sancerre (one of our all-the-time go to wines!), Chablis, or Riesling would be great.
This is such a flavorful, refreshing meal that you can enjoy all summer long, and such a great way to beat the heat (thanks cold soup, we love ya forever!). If you make this Mozzarella Caprese Gazpacho, please let us know by leaving a rating and review below!
And make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more Well Seasoned recipes! DON’T FORGET to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #wellseasonedstudio !! We LOVE seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
For more date night worthy meals, check out the following recipes:
- Date night polenta with roasted mushrooms and shallots
- Salmon piccata
- Phyllo-wrapped feta cheese with truffle honey
- Whole30 butternut squash with za’atar and lemon tahini sauce
- Whole30 anchovy chicken
- Marinated soy sauce eggs (shoyu tamago) with sticky rice
Mozzarella Caprese Gazpacho
Equipment
- Fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs heirloom tomatoes (2-3 large tomatoes)
- ½ Tbsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 ¼ cup packed basil leaves divided
- 6-8 oz fresh mozzarella
- Flaky sea salt for serving
- Baguette or other crusty bread for serving
Instructions
To make gazpacho
- Remove the core of each tomato with a paring knife and discard, then cut the rest of each tomato into large chunks. Place into the bowl of a food processor fitted with blade attachment.
- To the food processor, add Kosher salt and black pepper, then pulse until a somewhat chunky, somewhat smooth mixture forms — about 10 quick pulses.
- Remove the lid, add ¼ cup packed basil and white wine vinegar to the bowl, then return the lid and pulse to combine. With the motor running, drizzle in ⅓ – ½ cup olive oil. You don't want the gazpacho to be too thin, so once it's combined, turn off the processor.
- Place a fine mesh sieve under a large bowl, then pour the tomato mixture into the sieve. Use a rubber spatula to push the sauce through, leaving behind only the pulp and small bits of basil (discard). If not using right away, cover the soup with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator until serving.
To make basil oil
- Meanwhile, make a quick basil olive oil. Rinse the bowl of the food processor with water, then shake any excess liquid out. Add 1 cup packed basil leaves to the bowl fitted with blade attachment, then process until finely chopped. With the processor running, drizzle in ¼ cup olive oil. Once again, place your fine mesh sieve on top of a bowl, then strain basil oil. Set aside.
To assemble
- Divide tomato gazpacho into shallow bowls. Tear fresh mozzarella with hands into small, bite-size pieces, then place directly on top of soup. Use a spoon to drizzle a small amount of basil oil back and forth over the top of the dish.
- Optional: sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each piece of mozzarella. Serve gazpacho with crusty toasted bread.
Notes
- Caprese gazpacho can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in a refrigerator in an airtight container.
- For this recipe, fresh mozzarella is best (versus shredded or grated cheese). Other soft cheese will work, but we’re going for that classic caprese flavor profile!
- To freeze: place gazpacho in an airtight freezer-safe container, then freeze until solid. Gazpacho will keep in freezer for up to 6 months.
- To reheat from frozen: place container in a refrigerator to slowly thaw overnight.
Tried it today and can’t give enough “stars” to this recipe 😁 easy and super delicious. The vinegar adds the extra touch that perfectly balance this gazpacho!
Hugs!
THRILLED that you love this as much as we do! A perfect way to highlight those beautiful summer tomatoes! xo, Ari
Oh my word this looks fantastic. Do you think this could be made with big beef tomatoes instead of heirloom? I have a surplus of those growing!
Absolutely!! Use what you’ve got! xo, Ari