Refreshing, light watermelon gazpacho is an ideal vegan raw summer soup. This simple recipe takes about 15 minutes to prepare.
A few years ago my husband and I attended a cooking class in Hamburg as a wedding gift. We didn’t expect much, but it turned out to be full of ideas I kept coming back to—one of them being cold fruit- and vegetable-based soups. That class inspired a peach gazpacho we made, and from that I developed this watermelon gazpacho. Cold soups are perfect for summer when you don’t want to turn on the oven or stove.
This watermelon gazpacho is incredibly refreshing. Omit the garlic and enjoy it as a breakfast smoothie, or serve it for lunch or dinner with grilled ciabatta. It works well as a party appetizer or picnic dish: hydrating, energizing and light—exactly what you want on a hot day.
It’s also very easy to make—only a blender is required, no pots or pans. That’s a big advantage when you want minimal cleanup. This recipe is a great way to use up large watermelons that don’t fit well in the fridge. I often end up buying big, sweet melons and then playing fridge Tetris; turning the excess into gazpacho solves the problem and creates something delicious.
How to Make Watermelon Gazpacho
The method is straightforward: roughly chop the ingredients, blend until smooth, and chill. The core ingredients are seedless (or seeded and deseeded) watermelon, ripe tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, a little bread for body, white wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh basil and lime juice. You can serve the soup immediately or make it a day ahead for the flavors to meld. I like to serve it with grilled ciabatta slices drizzled with olive oil.
Give this watermelon gazpacho a try—it’s light, cooling and perfect for summer. The full recipe follows below.
Watermelon Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 6 slices ciabatta bread
- 400 grams tomatoes (about 0.9 lbs)
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed
- ½ large cucumber, peeled
- 600 grams watermelon (about 1.3 lbs), seeds removed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus extra to garnish
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (+1 tbsp for grilling ciabatta)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
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WATERMELON GAZPACHO: Roughly chop the tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber and watermelon. Keep 4 slices of ciabatta for the grill. Place the chopped solids into a blender and add lime juice, white wine vinegar and 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Blend until smooth, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in chopped basil and garnish bowls with extra leaves.
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GRILLED CIABATTA: Heat a grill or griddle to medium-high. Drizzle the reserved 4 ciabatta slices with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill 1–2 minutes per side until marked and crisp. Serve alongside the chilled gazpacho.
Notes
Nutrition
If you make this cold soup, take a photo and share it on your social accounts—it’s always fun to see variations and serving ideas.
Other Summer Recipes You’ll Love
- Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls
- Chipotle Corn Salsa
- Classic Insalata Caprese (Tomato Mozzarella Salad)
- Vegan Mexican Chopped Salad with Avocado Dressing
- Watermelon Feta Salad with Blueberries
