This is a nice fresh tomato soup you can make when you have too many tomatoes and want to use them with zero effort. Salmorejo is very similar to Gazpacho but made only with tomatoes. It is served cold topped with ham and hardboiled eggs. To add a festive touch I decorated it with some edible flowers, Tulbaghia.

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What is Salmorejo
Originally from Cordoba, Andalusia in the South of Spain, this fresh tomato soup is made with fresh tomatoes, bread and garlic. This recipe was given to me by my Spanish/German friend Diana.
The bread makes this soup creamy and the sweetness of the tomatoes is contrasted by garlic a few tablespoons of vinegar. It is so easy to make, you will be surprised.
Usually topped with serrano ham and hard-boiled eggs it is a great fresh soup. As Serrano ham is not always available, in this recipe I used bacon instead. To add a festive touch I decorated it with some edible flowers, Tulbaghia.
Making the fresh tomato soup
To make this soup you must buy long tomatoes, the same ones that you use for the tomato sauce.
The ingredients are:
- 2 lb - 1 kg of fresh long tomatoes
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon apple or white vinegar
- 1 clove of garlic
For the toppings:
- 4 slices of Serrano ham or bacon
- 2 eggs
- 3 stems of Tulbaghia
Here is how to proceed:
- Wash the tomatoes thoroughly in cold water
- Cut them in half removing any green or any damaged parts
- Add garlic, breadcrumbs, olive oil, vinegar and salt
- Blend until smooth
- Taste for flavour and add some water to make it smoother
Peeling fresh tomatoes
To make the Salmorijo, you could peel the tomatoes, I didn't as I find it very time consuming and not worth the effort.
If you want to peel fresh tomatoes here's how to do it:
- Pour boiling water over the tomatoes
- Leave the tomatoes in hot water for 5 minutes
- Take them out with a ladle
- Make a cut with a pointed knife
- The entire peel will come off easily
To make the sauce (only recommend for small quantities) boil the peeled tomatoes for 1 hour, they will eventually break apart. You can make the sauce just by mixing it with a wooden spoon or a fork.
Preparing the toppings
- If you are using bacon, crisp it in a pan
- Hardboil 3 eggs
- Pour the soup in serving bowls
- Crumble the bacon and the egg over the soup
- Add some edible flowers Tulbaghia
- The soup is served cold
Tips and tricks to make the best fresh tomato soup
- To make this soup, use long tomatoes, the same that you would use to make fresh tomato sauce
- If you prefer you can peel the tomatoes but it is not necessary
- Use fresh breadcrumbs for a smooth soup
- Add water if you want the soup creamier
- Taste and adjust seasoning
- If you can find it, top the soup with Serrano ham instead of bacon and you don't need to crisp it
- For a vegan version only add the edible flowers for decoration
- Serve cold
When can you serve Salmorejo
This fresh tomato soup can be served as a light lunch or as a starter. It is perfect for entertaining as it can be prepared in advance.
You can serve it in a large bowl and let your guests help themselves. If there are any vegans in your party they can just top it with the edible flowers and skip the bacon and the eggs.
It can also be used as a starter for a seafood menu. Its lightness will not compromise the delicate flavour of the seafood course.
As a main, you can serve stuffed calamari, cod baked with potatoes, swordfish wheel, sea bream cooked in salt or trout in a parcel.
Using edible flowers
Edible flowers are a wonderful decoration to use for a festive dinner party. Not only they add colour to a special dish but also a unique taste.
They are very versatile and you can use them in many ways, but personally, I prefer using them raw. Cooking edible flowers ruins their beauty, and it is their fresh colourful look that brings joy to a dish.
I like to use them in salads or soup, but it is very important to choose the right combination of flavours. Some flowers have a garlicky or peppery flavour and will only go with savoury dishes, while others have a more acidic flavour and can be combined with sweet dishes as well.
Edible flowers Tulbaghia
In this fresh tomatoes soup, I am using Tulbaghia edible flowers; they are the perfect combination for colour as well as taste.
They are in season early autumn when there are still plenty of tomatoes. It is a good way to use up the last tomatoes of the season once you are done with your canned tomato sauce. The Tulbaghia are small white flowers with a light tone of purple that stands out on the pinky-red of the soup.
They have a delicate garlicky flavour, not overpowering which accentuates the garlic form the soup.
What else can you do with Tulbaghia
It is up to your imagination, I recommend using them raw for decorating your final dishes. You can add them to any delicate recipe that would go well with garlic-like seafood or vegetables. Their flavour may be too delicate for beef or pork.
Where can you buy edible flowers?
Unfortunately, edible flowers are not yet available in all supermarkets and mostly you will find them in shops that serve professionals chefs, like Metro in France and Italy. Unfortunately, you can only buy in these shops if you have a business licence.
Although edible flowers are slowly appearing in Supermarkets, they are still a novelty. In France, you might find them in some Grand Frais supermarket and I was told that Whole Foods Market has them in the USA.
I am looking for more information, so if you know where to find edible flowers near you, please share the information with a comment below. Thank you for helping!
NT: Only use edible flowers that are grown to be eaten. Flowers grown for decoration may have been treated with dangerous chemicals
Here are the edible flowers I am featuring in my posts:
- Nasturtium Capucines: papery taste
- Begonia: bitter taste
- Agastache: anise taste
- Tulbaghia: garlicky taste
More recipes with edible flowers
If you are interested in edible flower recipes, I have many here for you. You can find sweet as well as savoury recipes. Make sure you pick flowers that are safe to eat. Even if they are edible, they should not have been treated with chemicals.
Savoury recipes:
- Fried zucchini flowers
- Italian zucchini frittata with flowers
- Roast Pumpkin Soup With Edible Flowers Capucines
- Chayote Squash Mousse with Mussels With Edible Flowers Begonia
- Seafood Chowder Recipe Served In A Bread Bowl With Edible Flowers Agastache
Sweet recipes:
If you are making the Fresh tomato soup Salmorejo with Edible Flowers, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.
📋Fresh Tomato Soup Salmorejo
Ingredients (Commissions Earned)
- 2 lb fresh long tomatoes
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon apple or white vinegar
- 1 clove peeled garlic cloves
For the toppings
- 3 stems tulbaghia
- 4 slices Serrano ham or bacon
- 2 fresh eggs
Equipment (Commissions Earned)
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes thoroughly in cold water2 lb fresh long tomatoes
- Cut them in half removing any green or any damaged parts
- Add garlic, breadcrumbs, olive oil, vinegar and salt½ cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove peeled garlic cloves, 3 tablespoon apple or white vinegar
- Blend until smooth. Taste for flavour and add some water to make it smoother
- If you are using bacon, crisp the bacon in a pan4 slices Serrano ham
- Hardboil 3 eggs2 fresh eggs
- Pour the soup in serving bowls
- Crumble the bacon and the egg over the soup
- Decorate with some edible flowers Tulbaghia3 stems tulbaghia
- The soup is served cold
Video
Notes
- To make this soup, use long tomatoes, the same that you would use to make fresh tomato sauce
- If you prefer you can peel the tomatoes but it is not necessary
- Use fresh breadcrumbs for a smooth soup
- Add water if you want the soup creamier
- Taste and adjust seasoning
- If you can find it, top the soup with Serrano ham instead of bacon and you don't need to crisp it
- For a vegan version only add the edible flowers for decoration
- Serve cold
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
I love cold soups and this does sound fantastic when the tomatoes just keep coming. The garnishes look really pretty too.
Laura
Thank you Amanda
Brian Jones
Too many tomatoes is a curse I am happy to be lumbered with, this was a new recipe to me but simple and delicious and the perfect way to use up toms that are still good to eat but a little past their "catwalk" best.
Laura
It is indeed Brian, thank you
Beth
I always have a ton of tomatoes by the end of the season, so it's great to find new, different recipes! This is both easy and delicious and I'll be making it every year, going forward! Thanks!
Laura
I thought of you when I made this recipe. You always have so many vegetables from the garden
Michelle
Wow! This tomato soup is a flavor burst. So pretty with the garnishes too. I adore recipes that take something so simple like the humble tomato and transform it into a culinary delight.
Laura
Thank you, very true. Once the ingredient is good, simple is best
Lesli Schwartz
Such an interesting soup! I adore gazpacho soup so I'm sure I'd love this one too. And using edible flowers, how clever is that?
Laura
Thank you, I love edible flowers