Toddler Gazpacho is the Vegetable-Laden Soup You Never Thought Your Kiddo Would Love
For the record, and before someone @’s me for suggesting otherwise, this soup is technically not a gazpacho–it’s what you called a salmorejo. But it is gazpacho adjacent, with many of the same key ingredients but the inclusion of lots of vegetables. And, I mean, gazpacho–it’s just a lot of fun for your bubbling youngster to say.
But let’s talk about the add-ins, because they not only make the soup but also make it something closer to a meal. Ricotta (or whatever soft cheese you choose) adds creaminess, and depth; the addition of bread gives the soup its thicker, deeper texture. The hard-boiled egg on top, a nod to how things are done in Spain, provides some different textures and fun, and more protein to boot. You can, of course, remove these components and serve a chilled mostly-tomato soup; this one just eats more like a meal.
Ingredients
Instructions
Prep/Cook/Assemble
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Prep the vegetables: a) wash the tomatoes; b) peel the skin of the cucumber(s) and chop into smaller pieces; c) remove the tops, white portion, and seeds from the pepper.
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In a blender, add the broth, a splash of your vinegar, all of the vegetables, the ricotta (or other soft cheese), a spoonful of minced garlic, a generous dusting of dried cilantro, and the bread; blend at the highest speed until smooth, roughly one minute. If looking too thick, add in more broth or water, and continue finetuning the consistency
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Turn blender speed/power to low and drizzle in olive oil and salt to taste; mix at a low speed until olive oil is integrated into soup. Sample the soup and adjust seasonings and liquids as needed until right texture and taste is achieved.
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Store in fridge for at least thirty minutes.
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While soup cools, make the hard-boiled egg(s). Everybody has his/her own method, but mine is to cook in my air fryer for thirteen minutes at 250 to get a slightly jammy yolk; add another minute to the cook if you want it soft but not fudgy.
Serve
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If your child prefers a thinner texture, add some broth to the bottom of his/her bowl before pouring in the soup; mix with a spoon to meld. Shred the egg over the top and serve to your child; add some toast or grilled cheese points for dipping, too. (Note: though eaten cold, feel free to heat up if your child prefers it warm.)
Note
While a sandwich slice will work just fine as the bread component to the soup, know that you can put to use most any breadstuff lying around: baguettes, buns, crackers, etc. (Fun fact: the gazpacho in the recipe's image was actually made with three matzo and not bread.)
