Ajo Blanco is a savory cold soup from Spain made with almonds and garlic. This version uses crisp green apples for a fresh tart flavor.
Ajo Blanco is a savory cold soup from Spain made with almonds and garlic. This version uses crisp green apples for a fresh tart flavor.This no-cook, cold soup is perfect for late summer. Not only is Ajo Blanco delicious, it takes only 15 minutes to make and takes just a handful of simple ingredients.
Many years ago, Kevin and I honeymooned in Spain. It was literally a dream vacation inspired by the book Dream Sleeps: Castles and Palace Hotels of Europe by Pamela Barrus. We lived like a king and queen for a couple weeks, hopping from castles to palaces, and sleeping int hem too! That’s right! Many of Europe’s old castles have been converted to charming hotels.
When we weren’t sleeping like royalty, we were soaking in the culture of España. We toured cathedrals, synagogues, and mosques; drove down windy roads flanked by sunflowers and olive trees; explored formal gardens, city walls and monasteries; and followed the footsteps of Cervantes.
I wish I had a fitness tracker back then to count my steps…goodness it was a lot of walking! You certainly work up an appetite exploring the ancient history of Spain. But I always new that there would be something wonderful to taste around each and every corner!
In Spain, many of the hotels (especially those is the state run parador system) have top notch restaurants that serve local cuisine. Best part was that they had English menus, so we immersed ourselves in local flavors. Of course we drank lots of coffee, ate lots of cured meats, manchego and Spanish tortilla. And no evening was complete without wine or sangria…
So I came home with memories of stone fortresses and delicious Spanish foods. To this day I get excited over manchego cheese, sangria, chimichurri and this soup, ajo blanco.
We were married in June, so our trip from Madrid to Grenada was very hot. You can imagine that this cold ajo blanco soup really made an impression. Who wants to eat a lot of hot food when its scorching outside? And I distinctly remember the tart apple flavor mingling with the garlic.
Oddly enough we learned that apple and garlic are a natural combo while we were in San Juan this past January. Kevin had eaten Mofongo with a garlic sauce and I could smell him from ten feet away! I searched the internet and found this helpful article which details the anti-garlic effects of apple. Vacation saved!!!!
So besides the fact that you can eat this without smelling like a bulb of garlic for days, I love this soup because it’s smooth and refreshing. It’s also super easy to make. All you need are simple ingredients, 15 minutes and a blender!
Ajo Blanco Recipe (Spanish Garlic and Almond Soup)
Ingredients
Soup:
- 2 large Granny Smith apples , peeled, cored and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , thinly sliced
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white bread , crust removed
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnish:
- extra virgin olive oil
- julienned apples
- sliced almonds
Instructions
- In a blender puree apples, garlic and water until smooth.
- Add bread, almonds, olive oil and vinegar and pulse until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate until cold.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, julienned apples and a sprinkle of sliced almonds
Nutrition
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Lizzie says
Wow, thanks for this recipe. I’ve made a similar version with grapes, but the apple sounds terrific. Funny thing with using the grapes, however, is that the skins never quite get blended in. I’m not about to hang around peeling grapes, are you ….? Think not.
Vintage Kitty says
I’ve never had it with grapes, but no, not interested in peeling grapes. Although there was this Halloween when I was a kid where my dad and stepmother did a sensory. blindfolded haunted house. One of the things they used were peeled grapes which I think they said were eyeballs :-) That was fun!
abra says
I love the idea of adding apple to this soup! Yummy :-)
Vintage Kitty says
Thanks Abra!