Skip to main content
Epicurious
Bon Appétit

Bloody Mary Salmorejo

saucy bright orange red dish with skewer and jammy egg in a tan plate on white surface and accompanying dish on the side
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.

I make cold tomato-based soups all summer because I am notoriously bad at using up all of the heirlooms in my weekly CSA produce box. When I’ve reached max capacity on BLTs and the ’matos are on their last legs, I throw them in a blender and drink the results (don’t knock it ’til you try it) from a tall glass like a salty, ultra-refreshing smoothie.

What distinguishes a salmorejo from gazpacho—another Spanish warm-weather tomato soup—is the inclusion of bread as a thickener. I like toasted white bread here for the complex flavor note and velvety texture it provides. We’re ladling the chilled soup into bowls and giving it the Bloody Mary treatment with spicy, meaty, briny toppings that help make it feel like a full meal. —Kendra Vaculin

What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

2 ½”-thick slices white bread, toasted, torn into bite-size pieces
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 lb. heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes
1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt
½ tsp. smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Halved jammy eggs, prosciutto or jamón Serrano, stuffed green olives, anchovy fillets, and/or pickles (for serving; optional)
Crushed red pepper flakes and finely chopped parsley (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Purée bread, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, salt, and paprika in a blender until smooth; season mixture generously with black pepper. With the motor running, gradually stream in oil and blend until emulsified. Transfer soup to an airtight container; cover and chill until very cold, at least 30 minutes.

    Step 2

    Ladle soup into bowls and top with egg halves and prosciutto if using. Thread olives, anchovies, and/or pickles of your choice onto skewers and set across bowls (or serve toppings alongside soup). Sprinkle some red pepper flakes and parsley and more black pepper on top.

    Do ahead: Soup can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled. Whisk just before serving.

TagsDinnerLunchStarterMainQuickEasyWeeknight MealsHealthyishVegetarianDairy FreeNut FreeCold SoupSoupSoup/StewHeirloom TomatoTomatoVegetableSummerSpanishEuropeanBon Appétit
Read More
Vegan Chili
This vegan chili skips the meat but keeps all of the smoky-savory flavors that make it so comforting: cocoa powder, beans, and all of the toppings.
Shrimp Scampi Bisque
This garlicky shrimp scampi version of a classic bisque embraces the technique of blending seafood shells for a luxuriously silky and creamy end result.
Butternut Squash Orzo With Fried Sage
Canned butternut squash purée (find it by the canned pumpkin!) makes this cozy, cold-weather recipe come together in a snap.
Tofu Breakfast Burritos
Tofu and scrambled eggs share a similar texture, so if you’re not really into tofu, or you think meat has to be part of every meal, you can almost sneak the tofu into the burrito without even realizing it. And before you know it, you have a really great vegetarian breakfast burrito.
Beans and Greens With Halloumi Cheese Crumbles
Bathe greens and chickpeas in a garlicky, tomato-enhanced broth. Stretch a block of Halloumi by grating and toasting it into a topping for the soup.
One-Pan Herbed Chicken and Biscuits
Biscuits and gravy, but make it spring.
Nuoc Cham Chicken Salad
A spicy-funky upgrade for lettuce cups, sandwiches, and more.
Stone Fruit and Salami Panzanella
Pickled chile vinaigrette, salami, and torn crispy bread help turn a bowl’s worth of stone fruit into a lightning fast summery dinner.