Description
This refreshing Beet Gazpacho is a vibrant, cold soup made from tender boiled beets blended with cucumbers, garlic, onion, and fresh dill. Perfect for warm days, it’s served chilled and garnished with diced vegetables, avocado, herbs, and optional creamy swirls, offering a healthy and flavorful start to any meal.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- ¾ lb beets (4 medium beets, smaller than a tennis ball, approx. 3 inches in diameter)
- ¼ cup red or sweet onion, finely diced, divided
- 1-2 garlic cloves (1 large or 2 small cloves)
- 3 small Turkish cucumbers, divided
- ½ cup fresh dill, divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups cold water or cold vegetable stock
Garnishes
- 1 avocado, diced
- Remaining diced cucumber
- Remaining diced beet
- Remaining finely diced onion
- Chopped fresh dill
- Baby nasturtium leaves (optional)
- Olive oil, yogurt, or sour cream for drizzling
Instructions
- Cook the Beets: Place the whole beets in a medium pot and cover completely with water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the beets are fork-tender throughout, approximately 60 to 90 minutes. After cooking, drain and rinse the beets with cold water to cool them down.
- Prepare the Soup Base: When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel off their skins by gently rubbing with your hands. Slice the peeled beets and place three of the four beets into a blender. Add 2 cups of cold water or vegetable stock, half of the finely diced onion (approximately ⅛ cup), both garlic cloves, two sliced Turkish cucumbers, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and about two-thirds of the fresh dill. Blend the mixture until very smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and add vinegar to your liking. Refrigerate the blended soup until thoroughly chilled.
- Prep the Garnishes and Serve: Finely dice the remaining beet, remaining cucumber, avocado, and onion. Chop the remaining dill. When ready to serve, pour the chilled beet gazpacho into bowls. Top each bowl with the diced vegetables, avocado, chopped dill, and baby nasturtium leaves if using. Drizzle with olive oil or a swirl of yogurt or sour cream for added richness. Serve immediately to enjoy the refreshing flavors.
Notes
- Beets can take up to 90 minutes to cook depending on size, so plan accordingly.
- Chilling the soup well before serving intensifies the flavors and makes it more refreshing.
- You can substitute cold vegetable stock for water to add more depth to the soup.
- Adjust vinegar and salt according to taste for optimal balance between tartness and savoriness.
- Optional garnishes like baby nasturtium leaves add a peppery note and attractive presentation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
