• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking The Globe
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Map Room
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Map Room
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy
×

Ajo Blanco - Spanish Cold Almond & Garlic Soup

Published: May 3, 2017 by Igor · This post may contain affiliate links · 18 Comments

A cousin of the famous Gazpacho, Ajo Blanco is a cold soup coming from Spain. Featuring very finely ground almonds, garlic, bread, olive oil, vinegar, and garnished with grapes, it's perfect refreshment for scorching summer days!

Ajo Blanco is your answer to the summer heat! Almonds, garlic, bread, olive oil, and grapes combined together to create this chilled Spanish soup! | cookingtheglobe.com

Being here in Tenerife, I am continuing the exploration of Spanish cuisine. We see so many awesome foods served in bars and restaurants while strolling down the streets every single day my eyes don't know where to look!

That said, we don't eat out often. There are a few reasons for that. First, our 1.5 year old kid is super active and he just can't sit at one place for more than a couple of minutes. It's really hard to enjoy food together with my wife because one of us usually has to run after the baby. That's not how I picture a nice meal at a restaurant, ha ha!

Another reason is the price. Staying here for 2 months and paying an arm and a leg for the apartment, our budget is tight. We could stay less and live like kings but our choice is always a lengthier stay even if it's a modest one. We have nothing against "getting our hands dirty" and cooking at home. To be frank, we even like exploring local grocery stores in search for interesting products we have never tried before. The most important thing is that we are here enjoying sun, the ocean, and mindblowing views!

It doesn't mean cutting on restaurants completely, though. Usually we visit them on scorching days when we are out at the beach and we need something to freshen us up. It could be a smoothie, an ice cream, or a cold soup! If you didn't know that before, Spain is known for its chilled soups.

Ajo Blanco is your answer to the summer heat! Almonds, garlic, bread, olive oil, and grapes combined together to create this chilled Spanish soup! | cookingtheglobe.com

The most famous one is Gazpacho. You must have heard this name. It's a tomato based soup packed with other veggies, stale bread, olive oil, and vinegar. Another one is Salmorejo. It's also based on tomatoes but is richer, thicker, and may be garnished with some ham. Both these soups are exquisite (I tried both of them already here) but today I want to talk about their tomato-less cousin Ajo Blanco.

Ajo Blanco also features stale bread, vinegar, olive oil but is also packed with almonds and garlic. By the way, it's the oldest one from all the Spanish chilled soups and it existed even before tomatoes were brought to Europe. What a pity that Gazpacho stole all the spotlight from his big brother. Ajo Blanco is even called white gazpacho by some people.

It's interesting that the soup takes its name from garlic (Ajo Blanco literally translates as white garlic) even though the almonds are the ones that dominate here.

Ajo Blanco is your answer to the summer heat! Almonds, garlic, bread, olive oil, and grapes combined together to create this chilled Spanish soup! | cookingtheglobe.com

This Spanish almond & garlic soup is crazy easy to make. Even my kid would make it. Seriously. All you have to do is just throw almonds, bread, garlic, olive oil, cold water, salt, and vinegar into a food processor and blend. That's it! Then you either chill it or not and serve. It can't be easier, guys! You will have some job to do if you won't be able to get blanched almonds as this soup requires skins to be removed.

Ajo Blanco - Things to Consider

  • The amount of garlic. There is no rule on how much garlic you should use for the soup. My recipe suggests half a clove per person but you can easily up it to one clove per person if you like more kick.
  • The toppings. Usually Ajo Blanco is served with some fruit thrown inside. I find it to be a little bit conflicting because the soup is savory and I don't feel it needs any sweetness but my wife loved it, though. The most popular option is grapes but I also saw some recipes with apples and even fresh figs! The idea I loved the most and the one I'm trying next is adding some cucumber. Somehow I feel that it will fit great here!
  • The amount of water. Once again there is no strict rule. Just keep adding cold water with a food processor running until you get a consistency you like. Some recipes add milk instead of water or, for example, soak the bread in milk.

Ajo Blanco is your answer to the summer heat! Almonds, garlic, bread, olive oil, and grapes combined together to create this chilled Spanish soup! | cookingtheglobe.com

To sum it up, I find Ajo Blanco to be a perfect refreshment for hot summer days. Sometimes it's nice to alternate sweet smoothies, juices, and ice creams with something savory. Try it and let me know how you liked it, guys!

Looking for more cold refreshing soups? Check out this Cold Beet Soup aka Cold Borscht coming from my country!  Ajo Blanco is your answer to the summer heat! Almonds, garlic, bread, olive oil, and grapes combined together to create this chilled Spanish soup! | cookingtheglobe.com

This Cold Beet Soup, also called Summer Borscht is perfect for beating the heat. It's also really easy and quick to make!

Ajo Blanco is your answer to the summer heat! Almonds, garlic, bread, olive oil, and grapes combined together to create this chilled Spanish soup! | cookingtheglobe.com

Ajo Blanco - Spanish Cold Almond & Garlic Soup

Cooking The Globe
Ajo Blanco is the Spanish answer to the heat. This chilled almond and garlic soup is super easy and requires only 10 minutes to make!
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Cuisine Spanish
Servings 6 people
Calories 446 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 slices (about 3 oz. or 100g) crustless white bread
  • 9 oz. (250g) blanched almonds , plus more for garnish
  • 3 cloves garlic , crushed
  • ½ cup Olive oil
  • 3 cups cold water
  • salt , to taste
  • 2-3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • seedless white grapes

Instructions
 

  • Soak the bread in water for a couple of minutes.
  • In a food processor, add the almonds and process until finely ground. Add the soaked bread, garlic, olive oil, and process well. With the food processor running, gradually add the water until you get a lightly creamy texture. Season with salt and add the vinegar.
  • Chill for a couple of hours and serve in bowls drizzled with oil and garnished with almond slices and grapes. Enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from The Food of Spain by Claudia Roden

Nutrition

Calories: 446kcalCarbohydrates: 16.6gProtein: 10.6gFat: 39.7gSodium: 77.9mgSugar: 2.7gVitamin C: 0.8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition Facts
Ajo Blanco - Spanish Cold Almond & Garlic Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 446 Calories from Fat 357
% Daily Value*
Fat 39.7g61%
Sodium 77.9mg3%
Carbohydrates 16.6g6%
Sugar 2.7g3%
Protein 10.6g21%
Vitamin C 0.8mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

* This post contains affiliate links, thank you for the support in keeping Cooking The Globe up and running!

« Canarian Wrinkly Potatoes - Papas Arrugadas
Som Tum - Thai Green Papaya Salad »
1004 shares
  • Facebook

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry

    May 07, 2017 at 9:33 am

    5 stars
    What a different recipe, really interesting and perfect for a hot day

    Reply
    • Igor

      May 30, 2017 at 3:13 pm

      I am glad you liked it, Bintu 😉

      Reply
  2. Vicky @ Avocado Pesto

    May 08, 2017 at 7:20 am

    5 stars
    Spent a few weeks in Spain last year and tried ajo blanco for the first time! Before I loved Gazpacho, then I fell head over heels in love with salmorejo and now I'm on to ajo blanco. I've got to make this at home myself this summer!

    Reply
    • Igor

      May 30, 2017 at 3:16 pm

      I love all these soups equally! Each one of them has such a unique taste 😉

      Reply
  3. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine

    May 08, 2017 at 10:22 am

    The almond sounds wonderful! What a great soup!

    Reply
    • Igor

      May 30, 2017 at 3:17 pm

      Thanks, Rebecca!

      Reply
« Older Comments
5 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)

Join the Discussion Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Social Profiles

Categories

Latest Recipes:

Featured Img of Cheesy Egg Roll- Easy Breakfast Idea
Featured Img of Paneer Paratha
Featured Img of Aloo Bhindi
Featured Img of Bread Omelet Easy Indian Style Breakfast
Featured Img of Sooji Halwa Easy Semolina Pudding
Featured Img of Tuscan Style Fresh Panzanella Recipe

Affiliate disclosure

Cookingtheglobe.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 · Cooking the Globe WordPress · Log in

1.0K shares
  • 66

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.