Last week NYC had its first heat wave. Normally I have a high tolerance for heat, but even I was suffering. And coming home to a fridge full of ingredients that needed cooking–read: more heat–only increased my irritability. I vowed to prevent a recurrence at all costs.
Enter the seasonal favorite, gazpacho. I’ve never been super into this food–like iced coffee, cold soup just felt wrong–but suddenly it feels oh so right. Making this also transported me to somewhere impossibly chic, like an Italian cafe where my beautiful green meal was only matched by the effortlessly beautiful outfit I was wearing…
But even in reality, this soup hits the spot if you’re looking for something cool, in temperature if not trendiness. It’s a riot of hydrating yet flavorful greens, and the tofu, tahini, and avocado give it enough bulk to prevent it from feeling like you’re eating a bowl of cucumber flavored water with a spoon (though cucumber in water is also delicious).
Where will your gazpacho transport you?
High Protein Cucumber Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 2 large cucumbers seeds removed and cut into chunks
- 1/2 block silken tofu
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp tahini
- juice from 2 limes
- 2 cups total fresh mint and basil removed from stems and coarsely chopped
- 3 stems fresh dill
- 2 scallions
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 cup water optional
- salt, paprika, dill, olive oil for garnish
Instructions
- Drain the tofu to remove excess water, at least 10 minutes.
- Remove the seeds from the cucumber and chop into small chunks. (I kept the peels on, but if you want a smoother soup you can peel them). Place in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients to chill, or freeze ahead of time for several hours to prevent having to chill the soup later.
- Add the tofu, garlic, tahini, and lime juice to a food processor and blend until very smooth.
- Add 1/4 cup water, mint, basil, dill, scallions, and avocado. Blend.
- Add the cucumber and blend until almost smooth (there will be some chunks because of the peel.) Here, you may want to add more water depending on the desired consistency.
- Chill for 1-2 hours before serving. (Or, you can use ice cubes instead of the water to not have to chill.) Garnish with additional spices/oil as desired. Enjoy!
Originally published on Peaceful Dumpling
