Gazpacho, a chilled vegetable soup that originated in Spain, has been a summertime treat at my house for years. Chunky with tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and onion, I like to keep a pitcher in the refrigerator for a cooling summer snack.

This Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho takes gazpacho to another level – with additional crunch and a mellow smoky flavor from grilled corn, red onion and zucchini. The recipe is the perfect way to use leftover grilled vegetables, but is delicious enough that you’ll find yourself firing up the grill just to make the soup!

Chili powder and a dash of Tabasco give this gazpacho a kick, but you can also flavor the soup with lemon juice, red wine vinegar and fresh herbs. Make a Tex-Mex version by adding a chopped jalapeno pepper and some chopped cilantro to the recipe. Or, whip up an Italian-inspired gazpacho by adding chopped fresh oregano, basil and garlic.

When tomato season is over, just substitute a 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes with the juice from the can for the fresh tomatoes, for a version that can be enjoyed year-round.

• 1 zucchini, washed and dried
• 1 ear of corn, shucked and washed
• 1 small red onion, peeled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 large tomatoes, washed, dried and diced
• 1 1/2 cups tomato juice
• 1 seedless cucumber, washed, dried and diced, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground chili powder
• 3 dashes Tabasco sauce
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat grill on high for 5 minutes while you prepare the vegetables. Slice the ends off of the zucchini and onion and slice 1/2-inch thick. Brush both sides of the sliced vegetables and the ear of corn with some of the olive oil and season with a bit of salt and pepper. When grill is heated, reduce heat to medium. Add the vegetables and grill 3 to 5 minutes per side. (Corn may take additional time to grill all sides.) Remove vegetables from grill and set aside to cool completely.

Place the tomatoes, tomato juice, half of the diced cucumber and all of the grilled onion in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the chili powder and Tabasco and pulse until the mixture is pureed. Pour into a bowl. Dice the zucchini and remove the corn kernels from the cob and add to the bowl. Add the remaining diced cucumber to the bowl. Stir, taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Refrigerate until very cold, about 2 hours.

Makes 8 to 10 small servings.