Ingredients

The following ingredients have 8 Servings
  • 3 lbs ripe tomatoes (cored and cut into chunks)
  • 8 ounces English cucumber (about 1, cut into chunks)
  • 5 ounces red bell pepper (about 1, cut into chunks)
  • 5 ounces red onion (about ½, cut into chunks)
  • 2 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed)
  • 1 jalapeño pepper (cored, seeded, and cut into chunks)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 ¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for serving)
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (plus more for serving)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced chives
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 ounces halloumi cheese (cut into large cubes)

Instruction

  • Put the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, garlic, and jalapeño into a large bowl. Toss the veggies with the salt then let them sit on your counter for 45 minutes. This step releases the liquid from the vegetables.
  • Separate the vegetables from the liquid, reserving the liquid. Place the vegetables on a parchment paper-lined tray and place them into your freezer for at least 30 minutes, or until they are partially frozen. This step may take longer depending on your freezer.
  • Remove the tray from the freezer and let the vegetables thaw completely.
  • Combine the thawed veggies and any juice that accumulated on the tray, the reserved juice, olive oil, sherry vinegar, and black pepper into your blender. (If you have a smaller blender, combine everything into a large bowl then work in batches to blend the soup. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately or chill for up to 3 days.
  • Serve with extra olive oil and a sprinkle of chives, black pepper, and fried halloumi (see below) over top.