I love gazpacho in all of its forms. And, watermelon gazpacho is no exception. When it's tomato, cucumber, sweet pepper, basil and watermelon season, it's the perfect light, but filling, nutritious but delicious, spicy but hydrating shot of summer. If it's warm where you are, try it ASAP.
You might think that watermelon gazpacho is sweet because of the watermelon, but, when everything is mixed together, you don't really taste the watermelon per se. The watermelon ends up giving a nice balance to the more savory notes from the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, scallions, and herbs. The final dish is rich, tangy, and complex. I seriously think it's the perfect combination of flavors for summer.
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Ingredients for Watermelon Gazpacho
When it's summer and all of the season's best fruits, vegetables and herbs are ripe and abundant, it's time to stock your kitchen. If you're like me, you want to eat as many tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and melons as humanly possible before the season leaves for another year.
- Watermelon: You'll want to use seedless watermelon for this recipe since the mixture will be pureed in a blender. And, of course, it will save you time.
- Cucumber: I used the smaller Persian cucumbers but you could also use an English cucumber. Neither of these types of cucumbers needs to be skinned, but, for a better outcome, you'll still want to scoop out the seeds before adding to the mix.
- Tomatoes: I've made this recipe with almost every kind of tomato. Just make sure you remove the skins and scoop out the seeds so the soup doesn't get too watery.
- Red pepper: Use a red pepper with a firm glossy skin that's heavy to the touch with no wrinkling and no signs of damage.
- Green onions: Use scallions with bright green ends, undamaged stalks and a moderately dry (not slimy) white flesh.
- Garlic: When you're buying garlic, look for plump firm bulbs with intact, papery skin and avoid those that are soft, shriveled, sprouting, or have moldy or damp spots.
- Basil: Look for bushy, vibrantly green leaves avoiding any that are wilted, droopy or discolored.
- Red wine vinegar: For the best flavor, ensure your vinegar is 100% grape vinegar without added preservatives or flavorings. You can do this by looking for the name of the grape variety on the bottle. When you open the bottle, there should be strong aromas of fruit, reflecting the wine from which the vinegar was made. And, finally, look for a vinegar with acidity in the 5-7% range so it's tangy, but with a hint of sweetness.
- Olive oil: When making a recipe that is uncooked especially, the quality of the olive oil is important because you'll taste it in the dish. Use an extra virgin olive oil that is a first cold press if possible.
- Jalapeno pepper: The jalapeno here is optional, but I think it adds a wonderful kick. Add as much or as little as you prefer.
- Salt and pepper: Use kosher salt or pink Himalayan salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Watermelon Gazpacho
This soup is really just two steps: Chop up your fruits and vegetables and then puree them in the blender. What could be easier? It's in a bowl in 15 minutes!
- Chop up the vegetables and basil, reserving a little of each for topping or mixing into the soup.
- Add the watermelon, garlic, basil, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and jalapeño pepper, if using. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Pour the soup into a large bowl or individual jars and stir in the reserved chopped vegetables. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight. Garnish with diced avocado and/or micro greens, if desired, before serving.
Equipment
Recipes that involve fruits and vegetables almost always mean you'll need a few kitchen essentials and basic cooking tools. If you're serious about adding fruits and vegetables to your diet, invest now and you'll reap the value for years to come.
- Chef's knife: The chef's knife is always first on the list. Buy a good one and care for it consistently. This one from Wustoff comes through every day.
- Sharpening steel: Hone your chef's knife regularly to keep the blade sharp. I use this ceramic one from Sharpeak.
- Tomato knife: If your chef's knife isn't sharp enough to cut through tomato skins, use a dedicated tomato knife like this one. It's a lifesaver for tomato dishes.
- Cutting board: Keep your knives sharp and your cooking sanitary by using an end grain cutting board made from a hard wood like maple or walnut like this one.
- Blender: I use my blender at least once a day if not more. Invest in a good quality high speed blender like a Vitamix. I know there are others but I've used Vitamix and it's been a dependable daily kitchen partner for a looooong time.
- Immersion blender: For soups that you've cooked in a soup pot, take a short cut and puree the ingredients in the pot with an immersion blender. Total time saver, including clean up.
Storage
If you don't eat the entire bowl of watermelon gazpacho right after you make it and need to store it. Pack it in an airtight glass jar and store it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. It just keeps getting better honestly.
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Watermelon Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed seedless watermelon
- 3 small persian cucumbers, diced, reserve half
- 3 tomatoes, skinned, seeded, diced, reserve half
- 1 red pepper, seeded, diced, reserve half
- 3 green onions, diced, reserve half
- 1 clove garlic
- handful basil
- 3-4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ jalapeno pepper diced (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set aside the reserved half of the chopped cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper and green onions. Place the remaining half in a blender.3 small persian cucumbers, diced, reserve half, 3 tomatoes, skinned, seeded, diced, reserve half, 1 red pepper, seeded, diced, reserve half, 3 green onions, diced, reserve half
- Add the watermelon, garlic, basil, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and jalapeño pepper, if using.4 cups cubed seedless watermelon, 1 clove garlic, handful basil, 3-4 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ jalapeno pepper diced (optional), salt and pepper to taste
- Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.3 small persian cucumbers, diced, reserve half, 3 tomatoes, skinned, seeded, diced, reserve half, 1 red pepper, seeded, diced, reserve half, 3 green onions, diced, reserve half
- Pour into a bowl, stir in the reserved chopped veggies.
- Enjoy right away or chill for a few hours to let the flavors come together.
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