My husband found this recipe for Salmorejo in the summer 2026 edition of La Djente Magazine. The recipe comes from Susan Barocas, a writer and cook, and the founding director of the Jewish Food Experience. My husband had a memory of his grandmother's Salmorejo growing up as a Sephardic Jew in Turkey — and though the Djente article says the soup was first made by Conversos in 16th-century South America, it appears to have been known in Sephardic communities in other places in the world.
I made it with heirloom tomatoes I found at the North Carolina State Farmer's Market in August, a time when tomatoes are at their best. It is rich, creamy. perfect for a summer evening on the porch... or anytime.
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds ripe tomatoes
- 2 cups white bread, crusts removed
- 2–3 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp red wine or sherry vinegar
- Pomegranate molasses, to taste
- ½–1 tsp salt
- ½ cup superior quality olive oil
Method
Core, seed, and cut the tomatoes. (Weigh them after seeding.) Process half the tomatoes in a blender or food processor — I used a Thermomix — with half the bread, the vinegar, pomegranate molasses, and salt. Process at high speed until smooth. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes and bread.
With the processor running, add the olive oil slowly until the soup is smooth. Pour into a bowl (I used an aluminum bowl with a lid) and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Serve topped with chopped hard-boiled eggs and basil.