Why This Recipe Works

Salmorejo is a traditional cold tomato soup from Cordoba, Spain, that’s thickened with olive oil and bread. We started with blending whole tomatoes and then strained out the skin and seeds for the smoothest texture. Then we blended the tomatoes with a minimal amount of neutral-tasting bread, in lieu of the traditional telera bread that is used in Andalusia. A hint of minced garlic, sherry vinegar, and salt worked as subtle but traditional flavor enhancers. For the final 15 seconds of blending, we drizzled in quality extra-virgin olive oil to emulsify the soup and transform it from a muted red to a vibrant reddish-orange hue. After chilling the soup for at least 2 hours, we topped it with the traditional garnishes of torn Serrano ham and chopped hard-boiled eggs.

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Before You Begin

Use the ripest in-season tomatoes you can find; do not use plum tomatoes. For the bread, use something with a neutral flavor like baguette, country-style or rustic bread, or Italian bread; fresh or stale bread will work here. Serrano ham is a traditional topping, but if it’s unavailable, prosciutto can be used instead. A blender is essential for the smoothest consistency; do not use a food processor. We like to serve this soup with crusty bread or with chicken or fish to make it a meal.

Instructions

Process tomatoes in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. Strain tomato puree through fine-mesh strainer set over large bowl, using back of ladle to press on solids to extract as much puree as possible. Discard solids.

Add bread, vinegar, salt, and garlic to tomato puree and toss to thoroughly combine. Transfer half of tomato-bread mixture to blender and process until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down sides of blender jar halfway through blending. With blender running, slowly add ¼ cup oil until incorporated, about 15 seconds (do not overblend, or oil may taste bitter). Pour soup into large serving bowl. Repeat with remaining tomato-bread mixture and remaining ¼ cup oil.

Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Ladle into bowls, garnish with egg and ham, drizzle with oil, and serve.