Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup tomato juice or vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
  • Pinch of cumin (optional)
  • Dash of hot sauce (optional)
  • Diced cucumber (optional garnish)
  • Diced bell pepper (optional garnish)
  • Diced red onion (optional garnish)
  • Croutons (optional garnish)
  • Chopped fresh parsley or basil (optional garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Chop all the vegetables into rough chunks.
  2. Combine all vegetables, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato juice, salt, pepper, cumin (if using) and hot sauce (if using) in a blender. Blend until smooth.
  3. For a silkier texture, strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids (optional).
  4. Pour the soup into a storage container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
  5. Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired.