Best Cordoba Tomato Soup Recipe

Andalusia has some scorching summers, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this region produces some of the best Spanish soup recipes tailored perfectly for this season. 

The Cordoba tomato soup, also known as salmorejo, is one of these recipes, where fresh, locally sourced ingredients like ripe tomatoes, fragrant herbs, and top-quality olive oil, get combined into a smooth cold soup.

To learn how to make it from scratch, with some expert tips for storing, serving, and customizing its ingredients, simply continue reading this article.

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Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish soup recipes? Have a look at my other posts: 

• Best tomato gazpacho

• Peach gazpacho

• Andalusian gazpacho

Background of the Dish

This Cordoba tomato soup, also known as salmorejo, likely emerged during the 19th century, when it was originally consumed by the working class in Andalusia.

The question that arises is: what is salmorejo? Well the answer is super simple. It is a practical way to make use of readily available ingredients such as tomatoes, bread, olive oil, eggs, and garlic, all blended to make the best cold soup.

Today, salmorejo recipe is enjoyed not only in Andalusia but throughout Spain and the rest of the world, being one of the most popular and delicious Spanish soups to be created in Southern Spain.

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Things You’ll Need for Cordoba Tomato Soup

To make this Andalusian tomato soup you will need ripe tomatoes, garlic cloves, olive oil, hard-boiled eggs, serrano ham, and stale bread as the main ingredients.

Besides that, to prepare this Spanish soup recipe you will also need a blender, food processor, or immersion blender so that your Cordoba tomato soup reaches the right consistency.

Ingredients

• 1kg ripe tomatoes (preferably Cordoba tomatoes)
• 2 slices of stale bread
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup (100ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 5 slices serrano ham
• 5 hard-boiled eggs

How to Make Cordoba Tomato Soup – Step by Step Guide

1. To start with this salmorejo soup recipe, wash the tomatoes and cut them into quarters. Remove the cores and any tough parts. If desired, you can peel the tomatoes, but it isn’t necessary.
   
2. After that, tear the stale bread into chunks and place it in a bowl. Cover it with water and let it soak for about 10 to 15 minutes until softened.
   
3. Now, using a blender or food processor, combine the soaked bread, tomatoes, peeled garlic cloves, olive oil, and sherry vinegar. Blend the salmorejo soup until smooth. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your blender.
   
4. Then, taste the Spanish tomato soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remember that the flavors will develop further as the soup chills.
   
5. To continue with this salmorejo recipe, transfer it to a large bowl or container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until well chilled. Before serving, stir it around.
   
6. To finish, pour the Spanish tomato soup into bowls. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and garnish the Cordoba tomato soup with hard-boiled eggs cut in half and jamón serrano slices.

Substitution of Ingredients

The Cordoba tomato soup only calls for a few ingredients, yet there are some changes that you can make to adapt it to your taste preferences or to enhance its flavor.

Substituting ingredients in a Cordoba tomato soup can dramatically alter its flavor profile and texture.

Consider replacing traditional tomatoes with heirloom varieties for a richer taste, or swapping out olive oil for avocado oil for a unique twist on this classic Andalusian dish.

For example, if you love the flavor of garlic, then you can add 2 or 3 more cloves to this cold Spanish tomato soup, while if you prefer a milder taste, you can reduce the amount of garlic or even omit it altogether.

In case you want to turn this cold soup into a gluten-free or vegan recipe you can do it, simply use your favorite gluten-free bread and remove the hard-boiled eggs and serrano ham slices.

As for some alternatives for the cordoba or regular tomatoes, if you don’t have them then you can check out our gazpacho without tomatoes, tomato juice gazpacho, or the classic beet gazpacho.

Tips on Serving Cordoba Tomato Soup

You can enjoy this Cordoba tomato soup as a refreshing appetizer or light meal on its own, particularly during the hot summer months when a cool, flavorful dish is especially welcome.

To make it more filling, you can top this cold Spanish soup with grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu as a vegan alternative to the classic hard-boiled eggs and ham.

In case you can’t find serrano ham near you, then any kind of ham or cooked bacon are great alternatives to reach the right salty kick in this dish.

If you are feeling like enjoying an extra sweet dish, then other Spanish cold soups include fruits in their ingredients and can be served as a sweet treat, like the strawberry gazpacho and the cherry gazpacho.

How to Store Cordoba Tomato Soup

Once you finish making the recipe for Spanish soup, you can serve it right away or pour it into a covered container (with plastic wrap and a lid) to store it, without the eggs and the serrano ham.

You can store the Cordoba tomato soup for up to 3 days in the fridge, and then stir it around a couple of times before serving, also do a taste test in case you might need to adjust the seasoning.

If the consistency seems off, try to blend the soup again, but if the problem continues or there is a problem flavorwise, then avoid consuming it.

Other Spanish soup recipes that you can make and store for later are the fantastic cherry tomato soup and the refreshing cold vegetable soup.

Recipe Card: Cordoba Tomato Soup

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