Salmorejo

Easy 15-minute cold soup for summer

a small bowl of salmorejo is garnished with some diced egg and serrano ham.

When the days are long and hot, there’s nothing better than preparing a batch of Salmorejo ready for a tasty and refreshing snack. Salmorejo is a cold soup that hails from the Andalusia region of Spain and is not only healthy and loaded with antioxidants but is also really satisfying on those warm summer nights when it’s too hot to cook. 

Salmorejo can be made in around 15 minutes (including the time taken to hard-boil the eggs) and requires a blender or food processor for best results. It’s best chilled before serving too (leave around 1 hour). This recipe makes a refreshing summer soup that serves 8 tapas servings.

Serving:

Tapas for 8 people

Ready in:

1 hr, 15 minutes.

Skill level:

Easy

Serve with:

Fresh bread or alone

ingredinets for making salmorejo are laid out on a wooden countertop

What you’ll need to make Salmorejo

  • 1kg/35oz. Tomatoes (Roma or plum tomatoes work best)
  • 200g/7oz. Breadcrumbs (or stale bread)
  • 300ml/10fl oz. Extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic

Optional ingredients and garnishing

  • 50g/1.7oz. Serrano ham
  • 2 Eggs
  • 50ml/1.7fl oz. Sherry vinegar

    Equipment needed

    • A food processor or blender
    • 1 sieve
    • 1 large bowl
    two bowls of salmorejo sit beside a loaf of bread and a few cloves of garlic

    What is salmorejo?

    ​​Salmorejo is a traditional soup originating from the southern Spanish region called Andalusia. This classic cold soup is made with just 4 essential ingredients: fresh tomato, bread, extra virgin olive oil, and garlic. It’s more common than not to add sherry vinegar too, and we highly recommend you try it with as it gives it a lovely sharp kick. Served cold, Salmorejo is often topped with diced hard-boiled egg white and yolk, plus some diced serrano ham.   

    What is the difference between gazpacho and salmorejo?

    Salmorejo and gazpacho are both cold Spanish soups that originate from the Andalusia region in the south of Spain. But gazpacho is a mix of vegetables (tomatoes, onions, peppers, cucumber, and garlic) while salmorejo only includes tomato and garlic.

    Both soups use tomatoes as a base for the flavor, however, Salmorejo is far richer and is thicker in texture due to the use of breadcrumbs. On the other hand, Gazpacho uses a mixture of vegetables (tomatoes, onions, peppers, cucumber, and garlic). 

    Salmorejo is also more intense in flavor and it really makes a difference when choosing the olive oil for Salmorejo. Be careful of using an extra virgin olive oil that is too bitter as it may flavor the Salmorejo accordingly. For a balanced and rich flavored Salmorejo, use a sweeter flavored extra virgin olive oil such as the Spanish Hojiblanca variety of olive oil.

    Ingredient notes:

    With just a few principle ingredients used to make Salmorejo, it’s important to choose the best ingredients available to ensure a rich and full-flavored Salmorejo. 

    Tomatoes

    As the major component in Salmorejo, it’s really important to choose the right tomatoes. While you’ll get the desired color from your everyday tomatoes, your soup will lack the rich flavor compared to using a more full-flavored and sweet tomato variety that really makes this dish shine. 

    We always use ripe plum tomatoes (known as ‘Roma’ tomatoes in Europe) when making Salmorejo. When choosing your tomatoes, find the ripest ones as they’ll be the sweetest and add a great flavor to your Salmorejo without any additional bitterness. 

    Hojiblanca extra virgin olive oil

    Hojiblanca olive oil is a great choice when making authentic Salmorejo recipes as the olive oil originates from Lucena, a small Spanish city within the Andalusia region. 

    Hojiblanca literally translates to “white leaf” in Spanish and accounts for around 16% of the olive oil produced in the Andalusia region. Hojiblanca olive oil often has a slightly sweet taste when harvested from mature olives. But any type of extra virgin olive oil is fine, as they’re all high-quality — so if you have your preferred brand and type, you can go ahead and use that.

    Garlic

    We used 2-3 medium-sized cloves for this recipe and that gave the soup a strong flavor that wasn’t too overpowering. We also halved the garlic cloves and removed the hearts to reduce the intensity. If you’re not a fan of garlic, one clove would be enough! 

    Bread

    Salmorejo gets its thicker texture from the use of breadcrumbs that are added to the soup while it is being blended. Any stale bread will do, but the best results will be found using white bread like a baguette

    We always store any stale bread in the freezer, and the frozen baguette is easily made into breadcrumbs with an ordinary grater. For this recipe, we used around half of a baguette grated into fine breadcrumbs. It’s always a good idea to keep some extra bread on hand just in case you want to make a thicker texture.

    a small bowl of salmorejo is garnished with some diced egg and serrano ham.

    Salmorejo garnishings

    It’s typical to serve salmorejo cold that’s nearly always topped with some diced hard-boiled egg and some diced ham. Depending on where you find Salmorejo, the ham used is often serrano ham, or occasionally a nice Jamón ibérico is used. 

    Salmorejo takes very little time to make so if you’re planning to garnish it with hard-boiled egg white and yolk, boil your eggs ahead of time. 

    Salmorejo seasoning and ingredient substitutes

    We recommend checking the soup just before serving if you are planning to season it. Use a little salt and only season with pepper if you’re looking to add a little spice. Salmorejo requires no additional spices or seasoning. 

    My Salmorejo is bitter, what should I do?

    Some tomato varieties can have a slightly bitter aftertaste that may be too intense for Salmorejo. Extra virgin olive oil can also be quite bitter so be sure to choose your olive oil carefully (we recommend using Hojiblanca olive oil as it is quite sweet). 

    If your Salmorejo is a little bitter, try adding a small amount of sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar). Around 2-3 tablespoons should be enough to balance the flavors and remove the bitterness.

    Vegan Salmorejo

    Salmorejo soup on its own is completely vegan so there’s no need for any changes to the recipe. Of course, you’ll want to omit the hard-boiled egg and diced ham from the toppings to ensure the recipe is vegan. 

    Is Salmorejo healthy?

    Salmorejo uses a lot of fresh ingredients that are great for your health. Tomatoes are high in nutrients and are also loaded with antioxidants.

    Extra virgin olive oil is super nutritious and there are many studies illustrating several health benefits. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) contains healthy fats that are good for the heart and it’s high in antioxidants too. Olive oil is also anti-inflammatory and has been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Here are the best EVOOs to try in 2024

    Salmorejo Nutrition facts

    A 100ml serving of Salmorejo contains the following nutritional facts;

    • 434 Calories
    • 37.1g Total Fat
    • 5.4g Saturated Fats
    • 4.9g Protein
    • 24.8g Carbs
    • 2.5g Dietary Fiber
    • 6.6g Sugars
    Olive oil is poured on top of some diced tomatoes in a blender

    How to make salmorejo

    Good news! Salmorejo is very easy to make and takes around 10-15 minutes to prepare. You can serve and eat it straight away but it always tastes better chilled (especially on a hot summer day).  We recommend chilling your salmorejo in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. 

     

    Step 1 – Prepare the salmorejo

    • Quarter your tomatoes and throw them into the food processor along with the olive oil and garlic. Buzz for 2-3 minutes. 
    • Keep the food processor on and slowly add the breadcrumbs. Check texture and flavor and season to taste if required. 
    • Note: If your soup is too bitter, add a splash of sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar) and blend again for a minute or two. 
    • Run your soup through a sieve and use a pestle to grind the soup. This will help to remove the skin and create a smooth soup texture. 
    • Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

    Step 2 – Prepare optional garnishings

    • Boil some water in a pan and once boiling add your eggs. Boil eggs for 10 minutes. Remove eggs from heat and allow them to cool before peeling. 
    • Peel eggs and separate the egg white and yolk. Dice both parts of the egg and set it aside for use later. 
    • Next, dice some serrano ham and set it aside. 

    Step 3 – Serve

    • Pour your chilled salmorejo into small serving glasses or bowls. Garnish with a sprinkle of diced egg yolk and egg white, and/or top with some diced serrano ham.
    a small bowl of salmorejo is garnished with some diced egg and serrano ham.

    Salmorejo (Easy 15-Minute cold soup recipe)

    Byron
    When the days are long and hot, there’s nothing better than preparing a batch of Salmorejo ready for a tasty and refreshing snack. Salmorejo is a cold soup that hails from the Andalusia region of Spain and is not only healthy and loaded with antioxidants but is also really satisfying on those warm summer nights when it’s too hot to cook.
    Salmorejo can be made in around 15 minutes (including the time taken to hard-boil the eggs) and requires a blender or food processor for best results. This recipe makes a refreshing summer soup that serves 8 tapas servings.
    4.88 from 8 votes
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 0 minutes
    Chilling time: 1 hour
    Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
    Course appertizer, cold soup, Soup, starter, tapas
    Cuisine American, andaluz, Authentic Spanish recipe, Spain, vegan option
    Servings 8 tapas (100ml)
    Calories 434 kcal

    Equipment

    • A food processor or blender
    • 1 sieve
    • 1 large bowl

    Ingredients

    For the Salmorejo soup

    • 1 kg/35oz. Tomatoes Roma or plum tomatoes work best
    • 200 g/7oz. Breadcrumbs or stale bread
    • 300 ml Extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 Cloves of garlic

    Optional ingredients and garnishing

    • 50 g/1.7oz. Serrano ham
    • 2 Eggs
    • 50 ml Sherry vinegar

    Instructions
     

    Step 1 - Prepare the salmorejo

    • Quarter your tomatoes and throw them into the food processor along with the olive oil and garlic. Buzz for 2-3 minutes.
      1 kg/35oz. Tomatoes, 300 ml Extra virgin olive oil, 3 Cloves of garlic
      Olive oil is poured on top of some diced tomatoes in a blender
    • Keep the food processor on and slowly add the breadcrumbs. Check texture and flavor and season to taste if required.
      200 g/7oz. Breadcrumbs
      blended salmorejo soup in a blender
    • Note: If your soup is too bitter, add a splash of sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar) and blend again for a minute or two.
      50 ml Sherry vinegar
      Some sherry vinegar is added to a salmorejo soup
    • Run your soup through a sieve and use a pestle to grind the soup. This will help to remove the skin and create a smooth soup texture.
      pulp from a salmorejo soup sits in a sieve
    • Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
      a small bowl of salmorejo is garnished with some diced egg and serrano ham.

    Step 2 - Prepare optional garnishings

    • Boil some water in a pan and once boiling add your eggs. Boil eggs for 10 minutes. Remove eggs from heat and allow them to cool before peeling.
      2 Eggs
      some diced egg white and yolk sit beside some diced serrano ham on a cchopping board
    • Peel eggs and separate the egg white and yolk. Dice both parts of the egg and set it aside for use later.
      some diced egg white and yolk sit beside some diced serrano ham on a cchopping board
    • Next, dice some serrano ham and set it aside.
      50 g/1.7oz. Serrano ham
      some diced egg white and yolk sit beside some diced serrano ham on a cchopping board

    Step 3 - Serve

    • Pour your chilled salmorejo into small serving glasses or bowls. Garnish with a sprinkle of diced egg yolk and egg white, and/or top with some diced serrano ham.
      two bowls of salmorejo sit beside a loaf of bread and a few cloves of garlic

    Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 100mlCalories: 434kcalCarbohydrates: 24.8gProtein: 4.9gFat: 37.1gSaturated Fat: 5.4gSodium: 199mgPotassium: 309mgFiber: 2.5gSugar: 6.6gCalcium: 64mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword 15-minute-meal, authentic Spanish cuisine, cold soup, easy recipe, easy to make, mediterranean, mediterranean soup, serrano ham, Spanish Soup, Spanish tapas, tapas, tomatoes

    Salmorejo Cooking tips and FAQs

    How long does Salmorejo take to make?

    • Prep time: 5 minutes
    • Cook time: 10 minutes
    • Chilling time: 1 hour
    • Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

    What’s the best way to serve salmorejo?

    Salmorejo is a traditional Spanish soup that’s always served cold. It’s best to chill your Salmorejo for at least an hour before serving. 

    Where does salmorejo originate?

    Salmorejo hails from the Andalusia region in the south of Spain, although you’ll find salmorejo served as a refreshing tapas or starter all over Spain. 

    Is salmorejo healthy?

    A 100ml serving of Salmorejo contains the following nutritional facts;

    • 434 Calories
    • 37.1g Total Fat
    • 5.4g Saturated Fats
    • 4.9g Protein
    • 24.8g Carbs
    • 2.5g Dietary Fiber
    • 6.6g Sugars

    How long can you keep homemade salmorejo?

    Salmorejo will keep for 2-3 days when refrigerated in an airtight container. 

    Can you freeze salmorejo?

    Salmorejo is always best made with fresh ingredients and you can really taste it. Freezing is not recommended as it loses a lot of freshness. Freezing also changes the texture of the soup and may require blending again before serving.

    More Summer Recipe Ideas

    With most of Spain heating up in summer, it’s no surprise that some incredible summer recipes have come from here. Here are some of our favorite no-cook recipes to help keep you cool and refreshed:

    • Jamon Iberico salad – cured ham, orange, chickpeas, mozzarella, and almonds, with a delicious tangy/sweet dressing.
    • 3-Minute tuna tomato salad – just add some onion, black olives, EVOO, sherry vinegar, and season.  
    • Pipirrana summer salad – bright and light, this is summer food at its best. 
    • Tuna tartare – found in many tapas bars in Madrid, this recipe comes with a lime, honey-soy, and ginger marinade. 
    • Mediterranean tomato salad – with manchego (sheep milk) cheese and a homemade pesto. 
    • Boquerones – Spanish anchovies marinated in oil, garlic, and vinegar, that are served cold with some bread.