This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
You won’t believe the flavor in this watermelon gazpacho! Pairing the sweet fruit with tomatoes and cucumber makes for the most refreshing summer soup.
Cold soups are a great way to stay cool in the summer. Alex and I are huge fans of Spanish gazpacho, a cold soup made of ripe summer tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, and garlic. So why not add watermelon to the mix? Turns out, the sweet and savory mix of watermelon gazpacho is out of this world good. This unexpected pairing could not be more refreshing! With summer in full swing, we found a huge watermelon at our farmers market to use in this watermelon gazpacho. Here’s how to make it!
Watermelon gazpacho ingredients
Pairing watermelon with tomatoes, cucumbers, and hot sauce might sound a bit unexpected, but it’s seriously good. This watermelon gazpacho is as refreshing as that first splash into the pool on a 100 degree summer day! The savory ingredients are just the right balance for the sweet, and the hint of spice adds complexity without too much heat. Here’s what you’ll need for this summery soup:
- Ripe watermelon (make sure it’s at its peak! See below)
- Cucumber
- Tomato
- Shallot or red onion
- Fresh basil
- Red wine vinegar
- Hot sauce
Make this soup 2 to 3 hours before you want to serve it!
You’ll want to serve this watermelon gazpacho chilled. So, make sure to think ahead and blend up a batch several hours before you want to serve it. It’s not at its peak at room temperature. Even if you use chilled watermelon, you’ll still need a few hours to chill it. Because of this, it’s easy to make in advance. The flavors get even better in the refrigerator! We recommend making it only 1 day in advance.
What to serve with watermelon gazpacho
We enjoyed this watermelon gazpacho as a starter for a summer-themed meal with friends, along with summer pasta with zucchini and some cornbread. We ended the meal with some frosty vegan chocolate ice cream. It was the perfect pairing to celebrate summer!
This watermelon gazpacho would also be a fantastic starter for any grilled meal, such as:
How to choose a ripe watermelon!
Because this watermelon gazpacho is so simple, it’s important to buy the best quality ingredients. Here’s how to make sure a watermelon is ripe when you buy it:
- Look for the field spot. Most watermelons should have a yellow patch on them, which is where they were resting on the ground before being picked. This yellow patch turns creamy in color when the watermelon is ripe.
- Feel the weight. You’ll want a watermelon that feels heavy for its size (that means there’s lots of juice inside!).
- Give the melon a good thump. Yes, you will feel slightly odd doing this. Embrace it! A ripe, juicy watermelon should sound deep and hollow.
What to do with leftover watermelon rind? Make Pickled Watermelon Rind!
This watermelon gazpacho recipe is…
Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy free.
Watermelon Gazpacho
You won’t believe the flavor in this watermelon gazpacho! Pairing the sweet fruit with tomatoes and cucumber makes for the most refreshing summer soup.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: Spanish inspired
Ingredients
- 8 cups seedless watermelon, cubed (ours was half of one 16-pound watermelon)
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 medium tomato
- 2 medium shallots or 1/2 small red onion
- ¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- A few dashes hot sauce
Instructions
- Chop the watermelon into rough cubes. Place it in a blender and blend (the blended amount should fill a 1 ½ quart blender). Pour into a bowl or container, and set aside.
- Cut the cucumber in half; remove the seeds by scooping them out with a spoon. Peel the cucumber halves, then roughly chop them into a few smaller pieces. Roughly chop the tomato into quarters. Cut off the ends of the shallots and peel them; cut them into quarters (or peel the onion and cut into quarters).
- Place the cucumber, tomato, shallots, and basil leaves into the pitcher of the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the container with the watermelon mixture and mix them with a spoon until fully combined.
- Stir in the red wine vinegar, kosher salt, and a few dashes hot sauce. Place in the refrigerator and chill for about 2 to 3 hours, until cold. If desired, serve garnished with a few drops of olive oil.
Looking for more summer recipes?
Outside of this watermelon gazpacho, here are a few recipes perfect for summer:
- Tomato & Grilled Eggplant Stacked Sandwich
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Classic Nicoise Salad
- Grilled Cheese with Tomato & Basil
- Greek Grilled Veggie Skewers
- French Potato Salad
- Grilled Eggplant Parmesan
- Cucumber Salad with Vinegar
- Watermelon Cucumber Juice
- Watermelon Drink Ideas
- Caprese Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
- Classic Potato Salad Recipe
- Grilled Romaine Lettuce
- Grilled Shrimp and Vegetable Skewers
- Strawberry Summer Salad
Last updated: April 2020
Tried making this for a work potluck where watermelon was the secret ingredient, and it was a hit! I used red vinegar and salt to taste, and I think I ended up using a more than described in the recipe for both. It’s really refreshing, I highly recommend going for high quality ingredients on this one if you can.
I dont use shallots either
Hi,
i´m from spain and gazpacho has no basil.
I also do this soup, but try it with mint.
I like the flavours paired together… their so… unexpected.
This soup looks so easy! I love ordering gazpacho, but have never made it myself. Yum!
Wow! Gorgeous photo. I love the colours :)