Watermelon Gazpacho
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Who says gazpacho has to be all about tomatoes? This watermelon gazpacho recipe is a playful twist on the classic—perfect for hot summer days.
This watermelon gazpacho recipe, a fun twist on the classic Spanish gazpacho Andaluz, comes from Juice Manifesto: More than 120 Flavor-Packed Juices, Smoothies and Healthful Meals for the Whole Family by Andrew Cooper (Chronicle Books, 2016). You might recognize Andrew as the lawn-mowing heartthrob from the viral “Diet Coke guy” commercial.
This soup is one of my favorites—a cool, summery twist with a kick of ginger and chile that plays off the sweetness of the watermelon and the acidity of the lime. I usually dial up the heat—it really makes the flavors pop. Serve it as a starter or a light lunch with some crusty bread on the side.
“Wonderful summer soup. I have made this recipe a half dozen times in the last month.”
What you’ll need To Make Watermelon Gazpacho
- Watermelon, tomatoes & red bell peppers – These make up the sweet, juicy, and colorful base of the soup.
- Celery & cucumber – Add a cool, refreshing crunch that balances out the sweetness.
- Ginger, chile pepper & basil – Bring a little heat, zip, and herby freshness to brighten the soup—feel free to adjust depending on how bold you want the flavors.
- Lime juice & apple cider vinegar – For acidity and tang, which keep the soup from tasting too sweet.
- Salt & pepper – Just enough to bring all the flavors into focus.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Prep the garnish. Set aside 4 cubes of watermelon, a couple of celery pieces, and a few leaves of basil to use as a garnish for the soup.
Step 2. Blend and chill. Add the remaining ingredients to a blender. If it’s too full, pulse briefly to make room, then continue blending until it reaches a soup-like consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
Pro Tip: To speed up chilling, transfer the soup to a metal or glass bowl and pop it in the freezer for about 30 minutes before refrigerating.
Step 3. Garnish and serve. Finely chop the reserved watermelon, celery, and basil, then spoon a little of the garnish over each serving. You can serve the soup in bowls or glasses—whatever feels right for the moment.
More chilled soups for hot days
Watermelon Gazpacho
With its pretty color and zippy, refreshing flavor, this watermelon gazpacho makes the perfect start to any warm weather meal.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cubed watermelon (1-inch cubes)
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 3 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
- ½ English/hothouse cucumber, roughly chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (see note)
- ½ a red chile pepper
- Juice of 2 limes
- Handful fresh basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Set aside 4 cubes of watermelon, a couple of celery pieces, and a few leaves of basil to use as a garnish for the soup.
- Put the remaining ingredients into a blender (if you run out of room, blend the vegetables for a few seconds to make more space for the other ingredients). Pulse until it reaches a soup-like consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Chill in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours before serving. Finely chop the reserved watermelon, celery and basil. Pour the gazpacho into bowls or glasses and top with garnishes.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
- Note: If you touch the seeds of the chile pepper, just be sure to wash your hands well and avoid touching your eyes.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 90
- Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Sugar: 14 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 31 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I had a watermelon and a bunch of tomatoes to use up and found this recipe. It was delicious and I will make it again.
What a refreshing summer soup and a great way to use watermelon when you buy a whole one.
Like all Jen’s recipes, it’s great as is and lends itself to personal taste variations. I used a quarter of a poblano pepper instead of a red chili to tame the heat for a breast feeding mother and it was perfect with a little after taste tingle. All the flavors shine – the refreshing cucumber, the ripe tomatoes, the peppers (I used one red and one orange pepper) are sweet and the ginger gives it just the right zing and all with the underlying sweetness of ripe juicy watermelon. I forgot to add the apple cider vinegar but the gazpacho was so good on its own that it didn’t need it. I added shredded fresh mint to the garnish along with the basil and cucumber and watermelon. It was so easy to prepare and just gets better when the flavors meld, it makes just the right amount (most gazpacho recipes tend to be made in bigger batches that I can never finish before the soup tastes old).
This is a wonderful recipe. Can this be frozen ?
Jasmine
Glad you like it. 🙂
Unfortunately, I don’t think it will freeze well — sorry!
Wonderful summer soup. I have made this recipe a half dozen times in the last month. Usually I have to double the recipe so that it lasts more than a day. The proportions are perfect. I grow Serrano peppers so I tend to use them instead of other peppers. Serranos work beautifully in this recipe. Thank you, Jenn. Another 5 star recipe!