Watermelon Gazpacho
Cool refreshing watermelon gazpacho with chunks of cucumber, cantaloupe, watermelon, mint and nutty asiago shavings. This gazpacho recipe is a winner with both children and adults, and makes a lovely meal or appetizer in the thick of the summer heat.
The first time I tried a cold soup, I wasn’t too sure what I thought about it.
It was so ingrained in my mind that soup meant hot, that I had a tough time accepting a chilled version. It had nothing to do with the flavor or texture. It was simply a temperature issue.
Shortly after that first encounter with gazpacho, I found out I was pregnant with my first child.
From day one, baby Ava turned my body into a fiery furnace that could never quite be quenched. Throughout the entire muggy mid-west summer following, I craved cold foods with passion.
I could not get enough of them… popsicles, chilled salads, jello, large cups of ice, even cold leftover pizza is a treat when your body feels like it’s going to burn to ash.
Cold soup suddenly sounded very appealing.
I grew a sudden love for watermelon gazpacho. Really, a gazpacho recipe of any variety was something I looked forward to. We ate watermelon gazpacho multiple times over the next few months, experimenting with gazpacho recipes to incorporate our favorite summer produce.
After all, making gazpacho is so easy! Even for hot impatient pregnant women…
You simply load the blender with watermelon chunks, and various savory ingredients like garlic and onion, to offset the sweetness.
Then puree the gazpacho recipe until it’s nice and smooth.
Top each bowl with chunks of fresh fruits and veggies and a shaving of nutty asiago cheese.
Watermelon gazpacho is a cure-all for summer heat, and a feast for the senses.
Try serving gazpacho with a loaf of crusty bread and a nice glass of white wine.
Watermelon Gazpacho Recipe
Ingredients
For the Watermelon Gazpacho Base:
- 4 cups chopped seedless watermelon
- 3 tablespoons diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon packed mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped poblano pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the full Gazpacho Recipe:
- 1 cup diced watermelon
- 1 cup diced cantaloupe
- 1 cup diced peeled cucumber
- 4 mint sprigs
- 1/4 cup shaved asiago cheese
Instructions
For the Watermelon Gazpacho Base:
- Place all the ingredients into the blender, withholding the oil for later. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Then cover and puree until very smooth.
- Then open the vent (on the lid of the blender) and slowly pour the olive oil into the gazpacho while the blender is running to emulsify. Taste for salt and pepper and add more if needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To Serve:
- Mix the diced watermelon, cantaloupe and cucumber in a bowl. Pour the watermelon gazpacho base into 4 serving bowls, then spoon the diced toppings into the middle of each bowl. Top with a mint sprig and a sprinkle of asiago shavings.
My friend and I are going to be cooking for an upcoming women’s retreat at the end of August. I told her that I wanted to serve this and she said “eeewwww…” Then I made some and had her taste it. Her eyes lit up as she declared that the ladies would LOVE this. It is so fresh, tangy and cool, definitely a winner in our books. Can’t wait to serve this to all my friends later this month. I’m actually making the gazpacho base ahead of time and freezing it so all we have to do is cut the fruit and vegetables on the day we are serving the dish, and pour out the thawed soup over them. Easy peasy, yum!
I made this Sunday afternoon, as we’ve had unusually hot weather this spring (80 degrees Fahrenheit on the 13th).
We didn’t really care for it, to be honest. I sort of regret wasting the fresh veg and fruit on it (a cool, refreshing bowl of fresh fruit would have been more enjoyable).
Maybe it’s an acquired taste. My family just found it strange, though. YMMV, etc.
I tried this recipe tonight and I loved it. However, next time I will hold the pepper. Thanks for a new gazpacho variation!
Looks, great! This will be a new taste for me…