Salmorejo de Remolacha (Chilled Beetroot Soup)

HISTORY & INTERESTING FACTS

Salmorejo is one of Andalusia’s great answers to summer: a chilled, velvety soup traditionally made with ripe tomatoes, bread, garlic and generous amounts of extra virgin olive oil.

Its home is Córdoba, where the heat calls for food that is refreshing without being insubstantial. Unlike gazpacho, which is generally lighter and more fluid, salmorejo has a thicker, creamier texture created by emulsifying bread and olive oil into the tomatoes.

The earliest versions would not have contained tomato. Preparations made by pounding bread, garlic, salt, vinegar and oil have deep roots in Mediterranean cooking, while tomatoes only became part of Spanish cuisine after arriving from the Americas. Over time, they transformed salmorejo into the richly coloured dish now associated with Córdoba and wider Andalusia.

Beetroot salmorejo, or salmorejo de remolacha, is a contemporary variation. Beetroot contributes an extraordinary crimson colour, gentle earthiness and natural sweetness while preserving the thick, smooth character that defines salmorejo.

Remolacha means beetroot in Spanish. The name therefore describes exactly what is in the bowl: a beetroot interpretation of traditional salmorejo.

Although beetroot is often thought of as a winter vegetable, this soup is particularly suited to the warmer months. Served well chilled, its earthy sweetness is lifted by tomato, blood orange, sherry vinegar and good olive oil.

It brings together ancient Mediterranean ingredients, Andalusia’s tradition of chilled soups and a modern willingness to reinterpret familiar dishes without losing their essential character.

Serve it as a light lunch, an elegant starter or in small glasses as part of a tapas spread.

¡Bon Profit!
Raquel 

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg ripe, in-season tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
• 500g beetroot, peeled and roughly diced
• 200g day-old bread, torn into small pieces
• 150ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 50ml sherry vinegar
• Juice of 1 blood orange, or 1 regular orange
• 1 garlic clove
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For a gluten-free version, substitute a suitable gluten-free bread.

HOW TO PEEL FRESH TOMATOES

1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil.
2. Prepare a separate bowl of iced water.
3. Cut a small, shallow cross into the base of each tomato.
4. Lower the tomatoes into the boiling water for approximately 30 seconds.
5. Remove them with a slotted spoon and immediately place them into the iced water.
6. Once cool enough to handle, peel away the loosened skins.

METHOD

The night before

1. Finely slice the garlic.
2. Place the garlic in a large bowl with the tomatoes, beetroot, bread, sherry vinegar and orange juice.
3. Do not add the olive oil at this stage.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. This allows the bread to soften and the flavours to begin coming together.

The next day

1. Transfer the contents of the bowl to a food processor or high-powered blender.
2. Blend until the beetroot, tomatoes and bread form a smooth mixture.
3. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Add it gradually, allowing the soup to emulsify and become smooth and creamy.
4. You may not need all the oil. Pause, taste and assess the texture as you go rather than pouring it in at once.
5. Season with sea salt and 3–4 grinds of black pepper, then blend again.
6. For an especially refined texture, pass the soup through a fine sieve.
7. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
8. Taste once more before serving and adjust the salt, pepper or sherry vinegar if required.

GARNISH IDEAS

Choose one garnish, or place several options on the table and allow everyone to finish their own bowl.

Blood orange: Add a few blood-orange segments and finish with extra virgin olive oil.

Cucumber ribbons: Peel cucumber into long ribbons, roll them loosely into cylinders and arrange them over the soup.

Goat cheese and hazelnuts: Scatter over crumbled goat cheese and roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts for contrasting creaminess and crunch.

Plant-based alternative: Substitute vegan feta or cashew cheese for the goat cheese.

Anchovies: Lay 2–3 anchovy fillets over each bowl and finish with extra virgin olive oil. The salty anchovies are particularly good against the beetroot’s natural sweetness.

TIPS, CHEATS & TROUBLESHOOTING

Use properly ripe tomatoes

Ripe tomatoes are essential to the flavour and balance of this soup. If good fresh tomatoes are difficult to find, substitute three 400g cans of peeled Roma tomatoes. Canned tomatoes are preserved at peak ripeness and arrive already peeled, making them both a useful shortcut and a more reliable option outside tomato season. Drain off some of the excess liquid before blending so the soup does not become too thin.

Add the olive oil slowly

The oil needs to emulsify into the soup rather than simply float through it. Keep the blender running and pour in the oil in a thin, steady stream. Stop when the soup is creamy, glossy and balanced—you may not need the full 150ml.

Choose your olive oil carefully

Extra virgin olive oil is not merely a finishing touch in salmorejo; it is one of the central ingredients. Use a fresh, high-quality oil with a flavour you enjoy. A poor or overly bitter oil will dominate the finished soup.

Adjust the consistency after chilling

The bread will continue absorbing liquid while the soup rests. If it becomes thicker than you would like, blend through a small amount of chilled water, tomato juice or orange juice.

Balance sweetness with acidity

Beetroot and orange both contribute sweetness. If the finished soup tastes a little flat, add sherry vinegar one teaspoon at a time until the flavours become brighter and more defined.

WINE MATCHING & SERVING SUGGESTIONS

This soup was made for Pinot Gris. The wine’s orchard fruit, gentle spice and textural palate complement the beetroot, while its acidity lifts the richness of the bread and olive-oil emulsion.

Rosé is another natural match, particularly one with bright red-fruit characters such as strawberry, raspberry or cherry.

For a red option, choose our Amphora GSM and serve it slightly chilled. Its red fruit and savoury character work well with the beetroot, particularly when the soup is garnished with anchovies, goat cheese or toasted hazelnuts.

For a relaxed lunch, serve the soup in chilled bowls with the garnishes offered separately. Add warm, crusty bread and let everyone build their own combination of creamy, salty, sweet and crunchy elements.