Ajo blanco is the Spanish cold soup made chiefly from almonds, bread, garlic, olive oil, and water.
The ingredients are blended into a smooth, pale emulsion and commonly served chilled. Vinegar provides acidity, while grapes or melon may be added as a garnish or accompaniment. The soup is associated particularly with Andalusia and Extremadura, where almonds and bread were important ingredients in older rural cooking.
Ajo blanco predates the arrival of tomatoes and peppers in Europe, so it belongs to a different historical layer from modern gazpacho. Salmorejo is another thick Andalusian cold soup, but it is tomato-based and usually topped with egg and ham. The name ajo blanco means “white garlic,” describing the soup’s appearance and flavor.