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 is a a fun twist on the classic Spanish gazpacho Andaluz. The recipe comes from Juice Manifesto by Andrew Cooper, who you might recognize as the lawn-mowing heartthrob from the viral “Diet Coke guy” commercial. It’s one of my favorite summer soups, with a refreshing flavor and 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 to make the flavors pop. Serve it as a starter or a light lunch with 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.
- 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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This was very good and unlike the usual gazpacho I make. I did add a clove of garlic and used sherry vinegar instead of the apple cider vinegar. The ginger almost overpowered the other flavors, so I will leave it out next time even though I love ginger. Overall a good recipe and the first time I’ve made gazpacho with watermelon.
Any idea how this would work substituting either honeydew, cantaloupe, or mango for the watermelon? Thank you.
Carolyn, I think any of those would work nicely without any additional changes. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it! 🙂
Delicious!
This is some good soup! I added a shallot, used half sweet half thai basil, and instead of a chili pepper, I used Gochujang (Koren fermented hot chili paste). Love it!!
Hi! Can I use dry chili red pepper instead?
Thanks!
Sure, Selma.
My guests and I love it. Wouldn’t change a thing.
This was the best gazpacho I’ve ever made! I loved the addition of the ginger and the red pepper. It added a nice slightly spicy, extra heat flavor to the watermelon and tomatoes. I used red wine vinegar instead of apple cider and it was fine. Thanks for another terrific, flavorful, easy recipe Jen!
This is easy and wonderful. My blender couldn’t handle all the ingredients, so I switched to my food processor. Perfect! This is the best gazpacho I’ve ever had. Thank you, Jenn!
What vegetarian main dish could you make with this (but not pizza)?
Hi Sandy, I think this would be good with grilled tenderloin, flank steak, Peruvian chicken, tequila lime grilled chicken, or grilled cheese. Hope that helps!
Great, and what about a vegetarian suggestion 🙂
The grilled cheese with sun-dried pesto would work, or what about a frittata or pasta?
Do you think this could be done in a food processor?
Sure, Maggie, that should work. Enjoy!