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.
- 1 large cucumber (or two mini ones)
- 1 red pepper (or 6 mini-peppers)
- 1/2 pint Cherry Tomatoes
- 1/2 cup Ricotta (cream cheese or other soft cheese is fine, too)
- 1/2 cup Chicken Broth (low-sodium recommended)
- Minced Garlic
- 1 slice Bread (see Note)
- Sherry Vinegar (any sweeter vinegar–say, balsamic, honey, rice, etc.--can sub in)
- Dried Cilantro
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- Store in fridge for at least thirty minutes.
- 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.
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.)
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.)
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
