Watermelon Gazpacho

Pairing watermelon with tomatoes, cucumbers, shallots and hot sauce in this watermelon gazpacho might sound a bit unexpected, but it’s seriously refreshing.

Cold soups are a great way to stay cool in the summer. We’re huge fans of gazpacho, a cold soup made of everything summer: tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, and peppers. (And especially big fans after we tried it in Spain!) So why not add watermelon to the mix? We’d been dying to try this idea since we saw it in a cookbook back in December. Finally, with summer in full swing, we could put the huge watermelon we found at the market to use in this watermelon gazpacho recipe.

Making watermelon gazpacho

Pairing watermelon with tomatoes, cucumbers, shallots 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.

We enjoyed this watermelon gazpacho as a starter for a summer-themed meal with friends, along with summer pasta with zucchini and some fresh corn muffins. And 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 grilled veggie burgers, Greek portabello burgers, or grilled vegetarian stuffed zucchini.

How to choose a watermelon

Because this watermelon gazpacho is so simple, it’s important to buy the best quality ingredients. You’ll want a watermelon that feels heavy for its size (that means there’s lots of juice inside!). 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. And make sure to 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.

Let us know what you think of this recipe in the comments below!

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
• Caprese Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
• Classic Potato Salad Recipe
• Grilled Romaine Lettuce
• Grilled Shrimp and Vegetable Skewers
• Strawberry Summer Salad

This watermelon gazpacho recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy free.

Watermelon Gazpacho

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(6 votes, average: 4.83 out of 5)

4.8 from 6 reviews

• Author: a Couple Cooks
• Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 4 to 6 1x

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Description

Pairing watermelon with tomatoes, cucumbers, shallots and hot sauce in this watermelon gazpacho might sound a bit unexpected, but it’s seriously refreshing.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 8 cups seedless watermelon, cubed (ours was half of one 16-pound watermelon)
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 medium tomato
• 2 medium shallots
• ¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• A few dashes hot sauce

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Instructions

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Place the cucumber, tomato, shallots, and ¼ cup loosely packed 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.
4. 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.

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• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: Spanish inspired

Keywords: Watermelon Gazpacho, Gazpacho Recipe, Appetizer Recipes, Summer Recipes, Watermelon Recipes

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