Salmorejo
Salmorejo originates in Córdoba, in the heart of Andalusia, where winters are mild but summers reach extreme temperatures, and a cold, thick, filling soup was the ideal solution for field workers who needed energy without lighting a stove. The name comes from "salmuera," referring probably to old salting practices, though the modern, tomato-based recipe only emerged once tomatoes brought from the Americas became a Spanish staple, in the 19th century.\n\nUnlike the thinner gazpacho, which combines several vegetables, salmorejo keeps a minimalist ingredient list and relies on a high proportion of bread to reach a thick, near-cream consistency. The garnish of hard-boiled egg and jamón, usually added right before serving, turns the dish from a simple cold soup into a complete meal, which is why in Córdoba it is often served as a main course at lunch rather than just a starter.
Far more bread than gazpacho
Salmorejo uses roughly three times more bread relative to tomatoes than gazpacho, which is what makes it thick as a cream rather than a soup.
Eaten with a spoon, not drunk
Unlike gazpacho, which can be sipped from a glass, salmorejo is dense enough to sit on a spoon, almost like a savory pâté.
Chopped hard-boiled egg and jamón on top
The traditional garnish — crumbled hard-boiled egg and diced jamón ibérico — adds texture and salt to the smooth tomato cream.
Just tomato, bread, garlic and oil
No cucumber, no pepper — salmorejo relies on only four core ingredients, emulsified until velvety.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1 kg very ripe tomatoes, quartered
- 250g day-old white bread, crusts removed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 150 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, for garnish
- 80g jamón ibérico, diced, for garnish
- Olive oil, for serving
How to make it
- 1Put the stale bread pieces in a bowl, cover them with cold water and let them soak for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the excess water well.
- 2Put the tomatoes, garlic and soaked bread into a blender and blitz on high speed until you get a fine paste.
- 3With the blender still running, pour in the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, as you would for mayonnaise, until the mixture turns smooth and emulsified.
- 4Add the sherry vinegar and salt, then blend for another minute, until the mixture is completely velvety.
- 5Pass the cream through a fine sieve to remove any seeds or skins, if you want a perfectly smooth texture.
- 6Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, since salmorejo is always served very cold.
- 7Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with crumbled hard-boiled egg and diced jamón ibérico, then drizzle with a thread of olive oil just before serving.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
