Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Yellow Tomato Soup Base
- 800 g yellow tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
- 150 g yellow bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 100 g cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 30 g shallot, roughly chopped
- 5 g garlic, peeled and crushed
- 30 ml white wine vinegar
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 5 g kosher salt
- 1 g white pepper, ground
Black Olive Cream
- 50 g pitted black olives
- 100 g creme fraiche
- 5 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Garnish
- 50 g red tomato, seeded and finely diced
- 50 g yellow tomato, seeded and finely diced
- 5 g fresh basil leaves, chiffonade or micro basil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 638 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 15 mg
- Potassium
- 766 mg
- Calcium
- 73 mg
- Iron
- 1.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 40 mg
- Phosphorus
- 121 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 47 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 93 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 18 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.18 mg
- Niacin
- 3.0 mg
- Folate
- 82 mcg
- Water
- 300 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a high-speed blender, combine the yellow tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, shallot, garlic, white wine vinegar, kosher salt, and white pepper.
Blend the mixture on high speed until completely smooth. Reduce the blender speed to low.
While the blender is running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil to emulsify the soup into a creamy consistency.
For an ultra-refined texture, pass the soup through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl, using a ladle to press the liquid through and discarding the solids.
Cover the bowl tightly and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill until very cold, reaching below 4C/40F, for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
While the soup chills, prepare the black olive cream. In a small food processor, pulse the black olives and lemon juice until finely minced.
Add the creme fraiche to the food processor and pulse briefly just until combined. Do not over-process, or the cream may become too thin.
Ladle the thoroughly chilled yellow tomato soup into shallow bowls.
Garnish each bowl with a dollop of the black olive cream, a scatter of the finely diced red and yellow tomatoes, and a pinch of fresh basil. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Yellow tomatoes naturally have less acidity and a higher perceived sweetness than red varieties. Always taste your finished soup before chilling and adjust the vinegar or salt if needed to achieve a bright, balanced profile.
- Emulsifying the olive oil at the very end ensures a creamy, luxurious mouthfeel without causing the olive oil to turn bitter from the high shear of prolonged blending.
- For the smoothest possible texture, taking the extra step to pass the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois is highly recommended to remove tiny seeds and skin fragments.
- The diced red tomato garnish is crucial not just for a textural pop, but for a striking visual contrast against the vibrant yellow canvas of the soup.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store soup and olive cream in separate airtight containers to maintain vibrant colors and prevent flavor muddling.
Troubleshooting
Soup is too thick and resembles a puree rather than a soup
Cause: The yellow tomatoes lacked sufficient water content
Fix: Whisk in a splash of ice cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached
Prevention: Select very ripe, heavy-for-their-size tomatoes
Black olive cream is too runny and sinks into the soup
Cause: Over-processing the creme fraiche or using watery yogurt
Fix: Chill the cream in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up before plating
Prevention: Pulse the ingredients gently or fold the minced olives into the cream by hand
Soup tastes flat or overly sweet
Cause: Yellow tomatoes lack the natural acidity of red tomatoes
Fix: Stir in a few extra drops of white wine vinegar and a pinch of salt to brighten the profile
Prevention: Always taste and adjust seasoning before serving
Cultural Context
While traditional Andalusian gazpacho strictly relies on ripe red tomatoes, modern Spanish gastronomy often embraces the yellow tomato for its sun-kissed color and honeyed sweetness. The addition of black olive cream nods to broader Mediterranean flavor pairings, balancing the soup's inherent sweetness with concentrated bursts of savory umami.
