Ajo Blanco Soup
During these hot summer stretches, we’re all craving dishes that are refreshing yet satisfying, cooling yet comforting. Cold soups like Gazpacho are a regular go-to, but the Spanish Ajo blanco soup, while much lesser-known, is much more dynamic and rich.
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Despite its name, ajo blanco is not an overly garlicky soup, although it certainly does have plenty of flavour.
The sweet and nutty flavours of almond feature much more strongly in this creamy summer soup, making it a really special treat for a hot day.
How to serve ajo blanco soup
This recipe suggests the addition of a savoury bell pepper and garlic cream to cut through the creamy ajo blanco base, balancing the flavour beautifully.
A simple serving of this version is ideal, and it is a delicious and impressive soup served as is. However, you can add an extra swirl of balsamic glaze and a sprinkle of micro greens for extra pizzaz.
Served without the red pepper cream, the sweet ajo blanco soup can be beautifully complemented by a garnish of green grapes and a splash of sherry.
Is ajo blanco soup vegan?
Traditional ajo blanco uses an almond base, and contains no animal products, so this chilled soup is naturally vegan – no substitutions necessary!
However, take care if ordering in a restaurant, as some chefs may opt to add a splash of non-vegan wine or vinegar to season this soup.
Total Time: 30 minutes, plus overnight to soak
Servings: 4
Total Time: 30 minutes, plus overnight to soak
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
(Servings: 4)
- For the ajo blanco soup
- 37.5 37.5 g whole wheat bread
- 0.5 0.5 cloves garlic
- 20 20 ml apple cider vinegar
- 15 15 ml olive oil
- 37.5 37.5 g peeled almonds, ground
- 117.5 117.5 ml almond milk
- sea salt and white pepper, to taste
- For the cream of bell pepper
- 1 1 red peppers
- 0.5 0.5 tbsp olive oil
- 0.25 0.25 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 0.5 0.5 cloves garlic
Method
- For the ajo blanco soup: Soak the bread in almond milk and apple vinegar for a night
- Grind the almonds in a food processor until you get a smooth paste
- Transfer the bread mixture into the food processor and add the ground almonds, olive oil, garlic and spices and grind well. Slowly add the almond milk until the texture is accurate and desirable.
- For the cream of bell pepper: Cook the peppers for 10 minutes on a high heat in the oven and then transfer to a closed container and let them sweat until they can be peeled easily. Sprinkle them with olive oil, garlic and balsamic vinegar and rest for about an hour until it cools.
- Puree the peppers and garlic into a cream and season with sea salt.
- Serve the cooled ajo blanco soup with a generous swirl of the cream of bell pepper, and garnish as desired.
Looking for more light summer lunches? Try one of these vegan salad recipes
