Gazpacho is a delicious and refreshing cold soup from the Andalusian region of Spain. It was originally made with stale bread, olive oil, garlic, vinegar, water, salad vegetables, and nuts.
Now, however, the base is usually tomato and other vegetables are added, such as cucumber, pepper, onion, and celery. Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce are often added to give a hint of spice. The soup can either be blitzed into a smooth consistency or you can leave it with chunks of vegetables.
However, is it possible to batch-cook this soup and freeze some of it to have at a later date? The simple answer is yes, and in this article, we will tell you how to freeze gazpacho and how to defrost it. You can freeze both chunky and smooth gazpacho.
How To Freeze Smooth Gazpacho
1. Make the gazpacho.
Use your favorite recipe, blitzing the soup to a smooth consistency. To make extra sure that the soup is smooth, run it through a sieve.
2. Divide the soup into portions.
It is better to freeze the soup in meal-size portions so that you only defrost as much soup as you need for one meal. It will defrost quicker as well.
3. Put the gazpacho in containers.
You can use either freezer bags or glass containers. If you use freezer bags, make sure that they are strong so that they don’t split, making a mess in your freezer. In addition, squeeze out the air from the freezer bags so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. Freezer burn will ruin the taste and texture of your gazpacho. Put a label on the bag or container with the date and contents.
4. Freeze.
How To Freeze Chunky Gazpacho
1. Make the gazpacho.
Use your favorite recipe but this time, don’t blitz the soup.
2. Divide the soup into meal-size portions.
This will ensure that you only defrost as much soup as you need for one meal. When you are doing this, make sure that you put an equal number of each type of vegetable in each portion.
3. Put the portions in freezer bags or glass containers.
Squeeze out the air from the freezer bags to prevent freezer burn. Put labels on the bags or containers with the date and contents. If you are freezing different soups, it is important that you can tell the difference especially if you are freezing different red soups.
4. Freeze.
Tips For Freezing Gazpacho
- Squeeze out the air from the freezer bags to prevent freezer burn. One way of doing this is to almost close the bag and then insert a straw. Suck the air out of the bag and quickly close it. Another thing that could happen if you don’t squeeze out the air, is that the bag could explode, leaving a mess in your freezer.
- Don’t fill the freezer bags or containers right up to the top as the soup will expand in the freezer. Leave about an inch of space at the top otherwise, the bags or containers could explode.
- Use glass containers rather than plastic. This is because red soup can stain plastic.
- If you are making a chunky gazpacho, you should be aware that not all of the ingredients will freeze that well. Vegetables with a high water content can become mushy. Such vegetables include cucumber so if you are using these vegetables, you may want to blitz the soup. Chunks of bread also don’t freeze well in soup and will become very soggy.
For How Long Does Gazpacho Last in the Freezer?
Gazpacho lasts for around eight months in the freezer. After this time, it will probably still be safe to eat but it will start to lose taste and texture. The sooner you eat it, the better it will taste.
How Do You Defrost Gazpacho?
It is best to defrost the gazpacho slowly and steadily. Take it out the night before you want to use it and put it in the fridge. Doing it this way will help it to retain taste and texture. If you are in a bit of a hurry, you can defrost it on your countertop but it may then lose some texture. Don’t defrost it in the microwave as it will end up watery and warm, something you don’t want from a cold soup!
If you are defrosting a smooth gazpacho, it is a good idea to give it another blitz to ensure that all the ingredients are blended.
Can You Refreeze Gazpacho?
Unlike a lot of food, it is safe to refreeze gazpacho as it doesn’t contain any meat or fish. However, if you refreeze it too often, it can become watery.
Is It a Good Idea To Freeze Gazpacho?
Yes, like most soups, it is a great idea to freeze gazpacho. As long as you don’t keep refreezing it, it will keep its taste and texture and be just as good defrosted as fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing gazpacho but in case you would like to know a little more, we have answered a few questions here.
You can keep gazpacho in the fridge for around four days before it starts to spoil. It is best to keep it in an airtight container. Stir it before serving to make sure that all the ingredients are incorporated or give it a quick extra blitz if you are serving a smooth gazpacho.
Yes, gazpacho with vodka is a recognized dish. Blend tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers together with vodka and spices. Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce go well with vodka. Think of a Bloody Mary. However, gazpacho with vodka might not freeze as well as ordinary gazpacho. This is because alcohol doesn’t freeze as it has a much lower freezing point than the average freezer. What you can do is add the vodka after you have defrosted the gazpacho and give it a quick blitz.
Yes, even if you don’t want to freeze it. It gets better with time as the flavors blend especially if you have put in spices. You can put it in the fridge when you have made it and eat it within four days.
Yes, you can freeze gazpacho with watermelon. Use exactly the same procedure as with ordinary gazpacho.
Yes, you can, and it freezes the same as if you use fresh tomatoes. You will probably want to blitz this soup into a smooth soup.
