Cold Tomato Soup

By David Tanis

Published August 21, 2012

  • Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 1 hour
Rating
4(90)
Comments
Read comments

The most beautiful tomatoes may not always be the best ones. Often, it’s the gnarly, misshapen, split-topped tomatoes that are the sweetest. You can also seek out the nearly overripe must-sell-today tomatoes, which can sometimes be found discounted at farmers markets. Those are perfect for this kind of chilled soup, a no-cook delight that is best made at the end of summer when tomatoes are at their best. Add toast and avocado for a more substantial meal.

Featured in: Tomatoes Help With Summer Survival

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

FOR THE CHILLED SOUP

  • 3 pounds ripe red tomatoes, cored and diced

  • 4 large garlic cloves, sliced

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, more if necessary

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

  • Black pepper, to taste

  • Generous pinch cayenne

FOR THE GARNISH

  • 1 cup finely diced bell peppers, preferably a mix of colors

  • ½ cup finely diced sweet onion, such as Vidalia

  • Salt and pepper

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

  • 6 slices freshly toasted French bread or ciabatta

  • 1 garlic clove

  • 1 firm ripe avocado

  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

21 grams carbs; 260 calories; 13 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 785 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put tomatoes and garlic in a non-reactive bowl and sprinkle with salt. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, the black pepper and cayenne. Mix well and leave to macerate for at least 15 minutes, or up to an hour.

  2. Step 2

    Pulse tomatoes in a food processor or blender until just crushed. Transfer to a strainer or food mill to remove skins and seeds, pressing well to obtain all the juices. You should have about 5 cups. Add enough ice water to yield 6 cups. Stir well, taste and adjust seasoning. Chill on a bowl of ice for 15 minutes or refrigerate for up to several hours.

  3. Step 3

    Make the pepper relish about 30 minutes before serving: Put diced bell peppers and onions in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, mix well and set aside.

  4. Step 4

    To serve, rub each toast lightly with garlic. Top toasts with thick slices of avocado and season with salt and pepper. Place an avocado toast in each bowl and ladle in about 1 cup of chilled soup per serving. Garnish with a generous spoonful of pepper relish and a sprinkling of parsley and chives.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
90 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

sfemet

This also works with canned, peeled Italian tomatoes. (No matter how I try, finding enough really good fresh tomatoes at a reasonable price just isn't happening.) Just the best soup.

PMP

This soup is delicious, I think the vinegar is the secret. I didn't strain it, just pureed it more. I used cucumber instead of peppers, since that's what I had. The bread/avocado element is a bit awkward, since the bread doesn't absorb the thick soup enough to make it easy to cut into. Not sure what the alternative would be-- maybe just a dollop of sour cream. But it wouldn't be as tasty or picturesque, so maybe just alert your eaters up front!

tal

blanched the tomatoes for 30 seconds (so the skins slipped off easily) cored & seeded and chopped the fruit. added the remaining soup ingredients as written substituting chipotle for the cayenne (as another reviewer suggested). Let the mixture macerate overnight. Finally, ran the mixture through the blender until smooth (no straining). The result is obviously thicker than if strained. Delicious!

Barb

I made this twice. In one batch, I replaced the cayenne with chipotle. In the other, I added half of an habanero chile (without seeds). Both were amazing. What a terrific way to use our garden’s bounty!

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.