We referred to this as “white gazpacho” when we served this during our South America Uncorked evening. But in South America, Ajo Blanco is the cooler, sophisticated older cousin of the famous red tomato soup we all know and love. Dating all the way back to the Moorish influence in Southern Spain, it’s a velvety, pale concoction that achieves its luscious creaminess without a single drop of dairy, relying instead on a puree of blanched almonds, garlic, and soaked bread. A splash of grassy extra-virgin olive oil and a sharp hit of sherry vinegar bring the drama, turning what looks like a simple bowl of milk into a savory, nutty concoction that hits like a refreshing Mediterranean breeze on a sweltering July afternoon.
While the ingredients list might sound like a strange pantry raid, the magic happens in the garnish. In a move that sounds wrong but tastes incredibly right, the traditional topper for this chilled soup is a handful of sweet, juicy green grapes. This sweet-and-savory high-wire act is exactly what makes the dish a cult favorite; the burst of fruit cuts right through the rich almond base and the pungent bite of raw garlic. It is essentially the culinary equivalent of wearing a crisp white linen shirt while eating a handful of salted nuts—effortlessly elegant, slightly salty, and undeniably cool.
Ajo Blanco – White Gazpacho
Serves 4
2-3 ounces bread, such as day-old baguette, crust removed and roughly torn
1 cup blanched almonds
1 cup green grapes
¼ sweet onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed and sliced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup Water to help thin soup (amount may vary)
Tear up the bread and soak in just enough water to cover for about 10 minutes.
In a blender, very finely chop the almonds.
Add the wet bread to the almonds in the blender, as well as the grapes, onion, garlic, chile, cucumber, vinegar, salt and pepper, vinegar and a good drizzle of olive oil.
Add 1/4 cup of water and blend until everything is incorporated. Add more water as needed to obtain your preferred consistency. Taste, and adjust seasoning as desired, such as adding more salt or vinegar.
Transfer the soup to a storage container, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, garnish with mint, sliced green grapes, and toasted slivered almonds. You could add frozen grapes to the chilled soup to keep it cold. It should keep for a couple of days in your refrigerator.
We paired our Ajo Blanco with the 2024 Susana Balbo Signature “Brioso” White Blend. “Brioso” is a sophisticated architectural feat from Argentina’s first female enologist. A masterful blend of Torrontés, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, this wine offers a luminous profile of white flowers, citrus zest, and a distinct flinty minerality born from the Uco Valley’s limestone-rich soils. It is the wine’s delicate balance of weight and vivacity that makes it an inspired partner for Ajo Blanco. As the wine’s subtle herbaceous notes bridge perfectly to the grassy extra-virgin olive oil swirled atop the bowl, the finish remains clean and saline—much like the refreshing burst of a green grape garnish—ensuring that the rich nuttiness of the soup never feels heavy.
Susana Balbo is widely regarded as the “Queen of Torrontés” and a trailblazing force who fundamentally reshaped the landscape of Argentine viticulture. In 1981, she shattered a massive glass ceiling by becoming the first woman in Argentina to graduate with a degree in enology, often standing as the lone female professional in a fiercely male-dominated industry. Her early career took her to the remote region of Salta, where she revolutionized the Torrontés grape, transforming it from a rustic table wine into a sophisticated, world-class aromatic white. Beyond the cellar, Balbo has been a tireless global ambassador, serving three terms as the President of Wines of Argentina and eventually venturing into politics as a national congresswoman to advocate for women’s empowerment.
