Gazpacho is the most emblematic cold recipe in Spanish cuisine: a raw soup of tomato, cucumber, pepper, garlic, and olive oil, served well chilled in the warmer months. In this version, we replace traditional vinegar with Mūn Green Kombucha (matcha Green tea and basil), which provides a clean fermented acidity and an herbal background that pairs well with tomato and raw vegetables.
What is gazpacho
Andalusian gazpacho is a cold soup of rural origin, born in the fields of Andalusia as a subsistence dish made with bread, oil, garlic, and vinegar. With the arrival of tomatoes and peppers from America, the recipe evolved into the current version: a raw vegetable purée served cold, refreshing, and very hydrating. In this recipe, we use Mūn Green Kombucha instead of Sherry vinegar to provide fermented acidity with notes of matcha and basil, without masking the flavour of ripe tomato.
Ingredients (4 servings, ~1.2 L)
- 1 kg ripe pear or vine tomatoes
- 1 medium cucumber (200 g), peeled and deseeded
- 1 Italian Green pepper (100 g)
- 1 small garlic clove, germ removed
- 1/4 sweet onion (30 g)
- 50 g day-old rustic bread (crust removed)
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 60 ml of Mūn Green Kombucha (instead of vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon mineral salt (to taste)
- 100 ml very cold water (optional, to adjust texture)
- 4 ice cubes
For the garnish
- 1/2 cucumber, diced into 5 mm cubes
- 1/2 red pepper, diced
- 1 firm tomato, diced
- 1 chopped boiled egg (optional)
- Croutons of toasted bread with oil
- Fresh basil leaves
- A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Step-by-step preparation
- Wash and chop. Wash the tomatoes, cucumber, and pepper. Remove the tomato stem, peel the cucumber, deseed the pepper. Cut everything into large pieces for the blender to work better.
- Soak the bread. Place the bread in a bowl with 60 ml of Mūn Green Kombucha and let it rest for 5 minutes until the crumb absorbs the liquid. The bread gives the gazpacho a silky texture.
- Blend the vegetables. In the jug of a high-speed blender, place the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, garlic, onion, and soaked bread. Blend at maximum speed for 2 minutes until you get a very fine mixture.
- Emulsify with oil. Without stopping the blender, add the olive oil in a thin stream. The emulsion is what gives the gazpacho its orange colour and creamy texture.
- Season. Add the salt and ice cubes. Blend for another 30 seconds. Taste: if it's too acidic, add a pinch more salt; if it needs more zing, add an extra splash of Mūn Green Kombucha.
- Strain (optional but recommended). Pass the mixture through a chinois or a fine sieve, pressing with a ladle. You discard skins and seeds and get a silky restaurant-quality texture.
- Refrigerate. Pour the gazpacho into a jug and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. Ideally 4 hours: the cold rounds out the flavours.
- Serve. Serve in very cold bowls or tall glasses. Distribute the diced garnish on top, add croutons, basil leaves, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Times
- Preparation: 15 minutes
- Chilling time: 2 hours (minimum)
- Total active time: 15 minutes
- Servings: 4 people (approximately 1.2 L)
Why we use Mūn Green Kombucha instead of vinegar
Traditional gazpacho uses Sherry or apple cider vinegar to balance the sweetness of ripe tomatoes. Mūn Green Kombucha fulfils this function with specific advantages:
- Milder acidity. The pH of kombucha (around 3.2) provides acidity without the pungent note of vinegar, which in excess can mask the flavour of the tomato.
- Herbal background. The matcha Green tea and basil of the Green integrate with the pepper and garnish without detracting from the tomato.
- Fermented acidity. Provides organic acids (gluconic, lactic, acetic) characteristic of fermentation, with a more complex profile than a single acetic acid.
- Clean colour. It does not darken the red-orange of the gazpacho as a balsamic vinegar might.
Mūn Kombucha has been fermented in Catalonia since 2015. The Green is the most versatile reference for vegetable dishes and cold sauces.
Variations
- Classic Andalusian gazpacho: without beetroot or avocado. Just tomato, cucumber, Green pepper, garlic, bread, oil, salt, and kombucha. It's the purest and brightest version.
- Watermelon gazpacho: replace 300 g of tomato with 300 g of deseeded watermelon. It's sweeter and more refreshing, ideal for a savoury dessert.
- Strawberry gazpacho: replace 200 g of tomato with 200 g of ripe strawberries. Finish with a little chopped basil and crumbled fresh cheese.
- Beetroot gazpacho: add 1 small cooked beetroot (100 g) to the base ingredients. Intense pink colour and earthy flavour.
- Gazpacho with avocado: add 1/2 ripe avocado when blending. Creamier texture and a contribution of healthy fat.
- Green gazpacho: replace the tomato with 300 g of cucumber + 1 avocado + Green apple + basil. Mūn Green integrates even better with this herbal profile.
Common mistakes
- Under-ripe tomato. This is the ingredient that defines the flavour. If the tomato is Green or hard, the gazpacho will be bland. Buy ripe, seasonal tomatoes.
- Too much raw garlic. One small clove is enough for 1 kg of tomatoes. Too much garlic repeats and masks the rest.
- Not straining. If you want a restaurant-quality texture, the chinois step is important. If you like it rustic, you can skip it.
- Serving lukewarm. Gazpacho should be served very cold (4–6 °C). If you serve it at room temperature, it loses its appeal.
- Too much oil. 80 ml for 1 kg of tomatoes is the balance. More oil results in a heavy mouthfeel.
Frequently asked questions
How long does gazpacho last in the fridge?
3 days well-preserved in a sealed jug. From the second day, it gains flavour but loses visual freshness.
Can it be frozen?
It's not ideal. When defrosted, the water separates and the emulsion breaks. It's better to make it fresh.
Does kombucha replace vinegar 1:1?
60 ml of Mūn Green Kombucha is equivalent to 2 tablespoons of Sherry vinegar in this gazpacho. If you like it more acidic, increase to 80 ml; if you want it milder, reduce to 40 ml and compensate with an extra pinch of salt.
Do I need to peel the tomatoes?
If you're going to strain, no. If you're not going to strain, blanch them for 30 seconds in boiling water and the skin will come off easily.
Can I make it without bread (gluten-free)?
Yes. Replace the 50 g of bread with 30 g of raw peeled almonds or 1 small boiled potato. The texture will be just as silky.
When is gazpacho served?
Traditionally as a starter or cold soup for summer meals. It also works as an appetizer in a small glass or as a light dinner with a generous garnish.
When to serve it
Gazpacho is a seasonal dish: it makes sense between June and September, when tomatoes are at their best. In a small glass (shot glass), it works as an appetizer before a rice dish or a barbecue. In a bowl with a generous garnish, it's a complete light dinner of about 250 kcal per serving. In a carafe, it's the refreshing drink to stock the fridge for the weekend.
Other savoury recipes with Mūn Kombucha
- Pesto sauce with Mūn Green Kombucha
- Vegan basil cheese fermented with kombucha
- Roasted carrots with probiotic coconut sauce
Original recipe adapted by Mercè Pérez for Mūn Kombucha.
