Cool, crisp, and surprisingly complex, this watermelon gazpacho is a refreshing twist on the classic chilled soup. Juicy watermelon takes center stage, balanced by ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and a hint of red onion for depth. A splash of lime and a drizzle of olive oil tie it all together, creating a sweet-savory blend that’s light, hydrating, and full of flavor. Served ice-cold, it’s the perfect starter or side for sweltering summer days—bright, beautiful, and just a little unexpected.
Some call it liquid salad, but whatever you call it, this garden-fresh raw veggie soup is so refreshing and delicious in the heat of the summer! Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, and garlic puréed together with lime juice, earthy spices, and cilantro, this is the quintessential summer food! Serve it with a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream, garnish it with a squeeze of lime, avocado, and cilantro, plus a slice of crusty bread and you have meal perfection!
You Pick Your Color Scheme
You can make your gazpacho any color you like: orange, yellow, red or green, depending upon the color of tomatoes and peppers you use. One time, while we were visiting Spain, we had a meal where they served four different colors of gazpacho. Traditionally we make the red gazpacho, because red tomatoes are so much more plentiful and easier to find.
Take Your Time Selecting and Preparing the Veggies and Watermelon
This recipe takes some time to prepare all of the veggies, getting them cleaned, seeded, and chopped. Plus we like to grill our red onion before adding it to the mix because no one in our family can endure raw onion. If you’re the same, you need to be ready to grill some onions, baby. But, don’t worry, if you love raw onions, then by all means, just chop them and add them to the food processor! Gazpacho is best when made serval hours or a day ahead so that the flavors have time to meld.
When selecting the ingredients for your gazpacho, be sure to use only ripe, fresh vegetables. It’s fun to vary the vegetables that go into your gazpacho. For example, use yellow tomatoes and yellow bell peppers to create a golden yellow soup one time, followed by red or orange tomatoes and red or orange bell peppers the next. The key to making gazpacho is to balance the mix so that no one ingredient overpowers the rest. It should be a harmonious blend of seasonal produce.
How to Select a Good, Ripe Watermelon
Look for a creamy “field spot” on the watermelon. This is the place where the watermelon sat on the ground during the ripening stage. Find a melon that is either round or oblong, but uniform and heavy for its size. The watermelon should have a dull, matte surface, rather than a shiny surface. And, finally, the watermelon should have a deep, hollow sound, like a drum, when you tap on it with your hand or fist.
Watermelon Gazpacho
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
Ingredients
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves stems removed
- 2 large cucumbers peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 large red, yellow or orange bell pepper stem and seeds removed and coarsely chopped
- 1 poblano pepper stem and seeds removed and coarsely chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers stem and seeds removed and coarsely diced
- 1 tomatillo paper skin removed and diced
- 1 medium red onion peeled and sliced or chopped (can saute, grill, or use raw)
- 8-10 large tomatoes stem removed and quartered
- 4 cups diced watermelon flesh (use 2 cups in the puree and 2 cups on top of soup when serving.)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2-3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2-3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp. cumin powder
- 1 tsp. mild New Mexico chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
- Garnishes: nonfat Greek yogurt, fresh cilantro sprigs, avocado slices, lime wedges
Instructions
- Clean all veggies. Peel cucumber. Cut rind off watermelon. Cut all veggies (and watermelon) into medium-sized chunks. Place the first 9 ingredients into the bowl of a large food processor. Pulse processor 6-7 times for a chunky gazpacho and 2 minutes more for a smoother soup. If you only have a small processor, do it in batches by processing each type of veggie one at a time and transferring to a larger bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to incorporate. Chill for several hours or overnight. Garnish with avocado, plain yogurt, cilantro, reserved diced watermelon, and lime wedges,
