Skip to main content

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

All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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.

Read More
Store-bought dumplings, fresh tomatoes, butter, and soy sauce simmer away for dinner in a flash.
A blended soup for kids who don’t want to “see” their vegetables—or anyone else looking for a steamy bowl of chicken soup comfort.
The original surf-and-turf, this rustic Spanish dish combines tender seafood and beefy meatballs in a thick, savory stew.
Braising canned chickpeas in chicken stock and olive oil makes them unbelievably tender and buttery. This is worth the effort of peeling 40 cloves of garlic.
With flash-seared squid, tomatoes, olives, parsley, and a tangy lemon vinaigrette.
We reimagined pork dumplings as a filling for juicy stuffed tomatoes.
This no-knead knockout gets its punch from tomatoes in two different ways.
Juicy peak-season tomatoes make the perfect plant-based swap for aguachile.