I first fell in love with gazpacho during my visit to Spain (unsurprisingly). It was less “eat pray love,” more out of necessity. We visited Spain in August, when it is notoriously hot, and gazpacho (a chilled tomato-based soup popular in Spain) was the natural thing to cool down with after walking for hours in the unforgiving sun. I wasn’t vegan at that time, but I didn’t eat red meat, which made it difficult to eat a lot of the standard fare served on our tour back in 2012.
I would order bowls of it, along with bread, in an attempt to fill up (gazpacho is delicious but not very calorie-dense). When I returned to the states, I made gazpacho a few times, but I found it was never as good. I assume the tomatoes in Spain are much higher quality than most tomatoes I can find here.
But, this Creamy Avocado Pea Gazpacho doesn’t require tomatoes, and is therefore easy to make extremely delicious without sacrificing on any flavor! And while traditional gazpacho features bread as a thickener (gazpacho means “soaked bread” in Arabic), this version relies on avocados, coconut milk, and peas for its creaminess (which means it’s naturally gluten-free).
Plus, while traditional gazpacho can leave you hungry within an hour or two, this version is extremely satisfying thanks to all the healthy fats!
Why you’ll like this avocado gazpacho
10-minute meal. This creamy green gazpacho comes together in less than 10 minutes. The only prep work is (1) blanching some peas or steaming them in the microwave and (2) roughly chopping a few vegetables before they get blended.
9 ingredients. This recipe uses only 9 ingredients (not including water, salt, and pepper), so in addition to being quick, it’s also fuss-free.
Healthy yet creamy. Thanks to avocados, peas, and coconut milk, this gazpacho is surprisingly creamy, but it’s still light, healthy, vegan, and gluten-free.
Flavorful. Thanks to cilantro and chili peppers, there is some good spiced flavor in this gazpacho. No bland or boring soups here!
Ingredient Rundown
Avocados. This is the biggest source of creaminess in this soup. If you’ve ever made a sauce with avocados, you know it’s gets so lush and creamy! While gazpacho isn’t meant to be as creamy as, say, a bisque, this version is definitely creamier than most gazpachos (making it all the more satisfying). Plus, those avocados = lots of healthy fats that keep your skin and hair looking healthy.
Fresh Peas. You will get the most flavor out of fresh peas, especially while they’re currently in season.
Cucumber. A traditional ingredient in gazpacho, it makes this soup hydrating and refreshing.
Cilantro and Serrano Pepper. This is where the spiced flavor comes in, and it’s what sets this gazpacho apart, so please don’t skip these ingredients! The cilantro brings that pungent, slightly citrusy flavor. And the chili peppers add a nice subtle heat in the background that gives this soup more character and depth of flavor.
Extra virgin olive oil. A good-quality extra virgin olive oil is key in gazpacho.
Water. To thin out the gazpacho a bit. I recommend starting with 1 1/2 cups water, then testing the texture, and adding more water to reach your desired texture.
Lime juice. The lime juice really perks up this dish with some fresh acidity and plays very nicely with avocado, cilantro, and chili peppers (hello, guacamole!).
Shallots. Onions are typically used in gazpacho, but I went ahead and used shallots for a slightly milder flavor. If you don’t have shallots, use half of a small sweet onion (I find raw yellow and white onions to be too pungent).
Coconut milk. The final source of creaminess in this gazpacho. It doesn’t affect the taste (there is on coconutty taste) but just brings a bit more luscious creaminess.
How to make Creamy Avocado Pea Gazpacho
This section is going to be very short since this recipe is very easy!
First, blanch the peas. I blanch the peas in boiling water for just 90 seconds, then immediately strain them into an ice bath to stop cooking The blanching preserves the vibrant green color and ensures they don’t overcook.
If you don’t want to turn on your stove, you could also steam the peas in the microwave. Simply add 2-3 tablespoons of water to a microwave-safe container, add the peas, cover, and microwave on high. Check every 2 minutes for doneness.
Next, add all of your ingredients—blanched peas, avocado, cucumber, shallots, cilantro, lime juice, Serrano pepper, olive oil, water, coconut milk, salt, pepper—to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Taste for seasonings, and that’s it!
Tips for making this recipe + Substitutions
Use ripe avocados. You’ll get the most creaminess from using ripe avocados. Avocados that aren’t fully ripe have a hard flesh, which will make the soup less creamy and less flavorful.
Frozen peas. If you don’t have access fresh peas, you can use frozen peas. Just defrost them before blending. No need to blanch them, as they are pre-blanched.
Coconut milk. If you don’t love coconut milk or don’t want to use it, feel free to omit, but I recommend using less water so that the gazpacho isn’t too watery. Or, you can sub another unsweetened plant-based milk, such as almond milk or cashew milk.
Don’t forget to garnish! This gazpacho loves garnishes, so don’t be shy. I love fresh cilantro and mint on top, as the subtle sweetness of the mint pairs beautifully with the slight spiciness and pungent cilantro. I also added hemp seeds and a few fresh shelled raw peas for a bit of texture.
Serving and storage You can serve this soup immediately after blending (at room temperature), or if you prefer your gazpacho chilled, pop it in the fridge for an hour or so. This gazpacho is best on the day it’s made, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days (the avocado will start to go bad afterwards).
More delicious avocado based recipes
I looooove avocados. If you’re looking for even more delicious avocado based recipes, give these a try:
That’s all you need to know about this Creamy Avocado Pea Gazpacho! If you make it, please leave a comment below or on Youtube with your feedback! And of course, tag me with your remakes on Instagram!
Creamy Avocado Pea Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280g) fresh peas, shelled (I used English shelling peas)
- 2 medium-large ripe avocados
- 2 tablespoons good-quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Serrano pepper, stem removed and sliced in half (de-seed for a mild version, but I think the seeds are key for bringing some interest to this soup, and it’s not overly spicy)
- 1 medium shallot, peeled and chopped in half
- 1 medium English cucumber, very roughly chopped
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (you can use the leaves and tender stems)
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups (360 – 480 mL) water, plus more as needed
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) full-fat coconut milk, plus more as needed (you can use lite coconut milk, or for a non-coconut milk, try unsweetened oat milk)
- A generous amount of kosher salt or sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Optional Garnish Ideas: fresh cilantro and mint leaves (recommended), fresh shelled peas, hemp seeds, cucumber ribbons.
Instructions
- Blanch the peas. Bring some water to a boil in a saucepan. Prepare an ice bath (a large bowl of ice water). Add the shelled peas to the boiling water. Wait for the water to return to a boil, then set a timer for 90 seconds. Immediately after, transfer the blanched peas to the ice bath to stop cooking and cool down. Once the peas are cold, drain them.1. NOTE: you can also steam the peas in the microwave. Simply add 2-3 tablespoons of water to a microwave-safe container, add the peas, cover, and microwave on high. Check every 2 minutes for doneness.2. NOTE: If using frozen peas, you need to defrost them but no need to blanch them.
- Add the blanched and drained peas to a blender. Add the avocado flesh, olive oil, Serrano pepper, shallot, cucumber, cilantro, lime juice, 1 1/2 cups (360 mL) water, and coconut milk. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. If it’s too thick, add the remaining 1/2 cup (120 mL) water to thin out.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more lime juice for acidity or more cilantro for pungency. Taste again, and add more salt or pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately at room temperature, or transfer to the fridge to serve chilled. This gazpacho is best on the day it’s made, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days (the avocado will start to go bad afterwards).
Made this AND the tomato tart last night and they were SO GOOD, especially together. It didn’t hurt that I had most of the ingredients in my garden (I used jalapeño instead of serrano)! Delicious, as always!
Fantastic soup!
Thank you Kimball! Glad you enjoyed
This looks amazing! Can it be made without the peas?
Hi Alyse! Since this is a 9 ingredient recipe and peas are one of the largest components, the dish is not going to be the same without the peas. Sorry about that!
Perfect for summer! I can’t wait to make it!
Hope you enjoy this recipe, Alyse!
I made this recipe and brought to work to share and it was a huge hit! Everybody loved it!
Hi Sidnee, we’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
This gazpacho is lovely! I can’t use pepper, so I used garlic instead and ended up adding more lime juice. Will make this again!
Awesome, Aleks. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
I’d like to try this recipe. However, I have a sensitivity to coconut, so I’m leery about using coconut milk. Could you kindly suggest a substitute?
Hi Stella! Feel free to omit the coconut milk, but we recommend using less water so that the gazpacho isn’t too watery. Or, you can sub another unsweetened plant-based milk, such as almond milk or cashew milk. Hope that helped!
This is an awesome soup. Perfect for summer!
It really is the best summer soup isn’t it?! So glad you enjoyed this recipe Marty :)
This was glorious! I used oak milk instead of coconut and it was still incredibly rich and flavourful, robust yet refreshing. It was just the right about of spicy for my husband, but almost too much for me – I dolloped a spoonful of plain oat milk yoghurt to cool it off a little; admittedly the pepper I used was quite large! I am glad I made enough for a second helping!
Will certainly make this again during the summer. Thank you!
I know cucumber is a main ingredient, but I’m allergic to it. Would celery work as a substitute?
DELISH! Like drinking guac, but healthier.
Any recommendations for the rest of the coconut milk can? I know you have some recipes that use about a cup of it, but thought I’d ask before going down the rabbit hole.
Out of this world recipe!!!Nisha you rock
To clarify, are you referring to canned coconut milk in the recipe, or coconut milk beverage?
Hi Karen, this recipe calls for full fat canned coconut milk. Hope you get to try it!
This looks so good to me but my husband does not like cold or creamy soups. I thinking of serving this in a glass and calling it a “savory smoothie” which I think I can pass off on him. Do you think it will work, I make smoothies every day for our lunches which he loves but, never a savory one? (yet!)
Hi Mary Beth, that is an incredible idea. If you have shot glasses you can serve some to him in one of those, we’d love to hear how it turns out!
Can’t wait to try it, will let you know. Thank you! Mary Beth
I made this a couple of days ago and was amazed at how delicious and filling it was! I’m one of those people who can’t abide cilantro, so substituted with some parsley and was so happy with the results.
Thanks for sharing, Suzanne!
Amazzzinggg! I subbed corriander for cilantro and regular change chilli for jalapeno and can’t believe how great it turned out. It’s scorching summer here in India and I’m forever grateful to have attempted this wonder, which also turned out as a great post workout replenishment. You need no fancy ingredients or hours of cooking time to whip up a great dish. This is one perfect example for that. Definitely trying this over and over throughout the year. Tons of love right back at you! ❤️
Like, wow! I cannot believe how good this recipe is. It was so easy and quick and I’m definitely going to make it over and over.
This is very tasty! I wanted to try something new out of my usual lunches and dinners. Thank you
So yummy! Thank you for this recipe.
I added spinach to mine.
This was delicious! I added a bit more lime juice and used jalapeños since that is all I could find. Will be making again, such a great soup for summer.