The Andalusian cold soup made from almonds, bread, and garlic, often served with grapes, is called ajoblanco.
Ajoblanco is especially associated with Málaga and Granada in Andalusia. Its name combines ajo, meaning garlic, with blanco, meaning white, describing the soup’s pale appearance. Unlike red gazpacho, it contains no tomato; its creamy color comes from almonds, soaked bread, olive oil, and water blended into an emulsion.
The dish has roots in the culinary traditions that developed under Muslim rule in Iberia, when almonds became important in southern Spanish cooking. Traditionally, stale bread is softened, then crushed with almonds and garlic using a mortar and pestle. Olive oil, water, salt, and sometimes vinegar are added to create a smooth, refreshing soup.
In Málaga, ajoblanco is commonly garnished with Muscat grapes, whose sweetness contrasts with the garlic and tangy soup. Melon, apple, or other fruit may also be used. It is sometimes called “white gazpacho,” but it is a distinct preparation from tomato-based gazpacho and salmorejo.