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What is salmorejo and why does it belong to Córdoba?

Salmorejo is a creamy, chilled tomato soup from Córdoba. Where gazpacho is light and tangy, salmorejo is smooth, velvety and comforting — a dish born from simplicity and now a symbol of Andalusian summers.

My first encounter with salmorejo

The first time I ordered salmorejo, I assumed it was a kind of tapa. A small soup, perhaps. Something light — maybe with salmon, who knows; the name certainly sounded Spanish enough. So I ordered two other things as well.

But what arrived was a bowl. Full. Creamy. Silky. And ice-cold.
I don’t remember exactly where it was, only that it was summer. And in that moment I realised: this isn’t a side dish. This is the main event.

A dish born from simplicity

Salmorejo isn’t gazpacho. It looks similar, but where gazpacho is thin and refreshing, salmorejo is rich, rounded and deeply comforting. This Andalusian tomato soup comes from Córdoba — a city of hot, hushed summers, where simplicity is often the key to flavour.

Originally, it was a meal for labourers working the land. There was stale bread. There were ripe tomatoes. Garlic, olive oil, a splash of vinegar. Nothing more. And yet it was nourishing, cooling, filling.

Why salmorejo belongs with us

We only started making it ourselves later on — after long days working on the Cortijo, our hands covered in paint and dust. There was no time for shopping, and it would be hours before the Spanish rhythm carried us towards a restaurant.

But there were tomatoes. A piece of stale bread. Garlic. Olive oil from the neighbours. Enough to make something. Not a grand meal, but exactly what we needed. And exactly what this place sometimes asks for: simplicity.

By now we know for certain: salmorejo belongs here. And so it will soon be on the menu for our weekly guests. Not as a gimmick, but as a gentle, cooling greeting from the inland.

The recipe: our version of salmorejo

Serves 4

Ingredients
- 1 kg ripe tomatoes
- 200 g stale white bread (crusts removed)
- 1 garlic clove
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1–2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- salt to taste

Topping
- hard-boiled egg, finely chopped
- jamón serrano or ibérico ham, finely sliced

Preparation
1. Cut the tomatoes and blend them with the garlic.
2. Add the bread and let it soak for a moment.
3. Blend again until completely smooth.
4. Add the olive oil in a thin stream while blending, until the mixture becomes creamy and almost mayonnaise-like.
5. Season with salt and vinegar.
6. Chill thoroughly. Serve ice-cold with egg and ham on top.

The result? A bowl of comfort. A cooling dish you eat with a spoon — and sometimes with your eyes closed.

For those who join us at the table

Sometimes there’s a pool. Sometimes a shaded table. Sometimes just a glass of water and silence. But there is always something that brings people together.

And sometimes, it’s simply a bowl of cold soup.
Salmorejo — silence in a spoon.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between salmorejo and gazpacho?
Gazpacho is thinner and tangier; salmorejo is creamier and richer.

When do you eat salmorejo?
Traditionally in summer, as a refreshing main meal during the hottest hours of the day.

Will salmorejo be served at Cortijo La Vista?
Yes! It will regularly be on the menu for our guests — as an authentic taste of Córdoba.

A bowl of simplicity, a spoonful of silence. That is salmorejo.

✨ Thank you for reading this far — it truly means a lot.
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Hasta luego from Andalusia,
Daniëlle | Cortijo La Vista