You can tell it’s hot here because this is the second chilled soup I’ve posted in a row. Refreshing is the name of the game in my kitchen this week! The combination of red ripe tomato and crisp watermelon in my Watermelon Gazpacho is unexpected and wonderful. The flavor is nicely balanced between sweet and savory – and depending on what color tomato and what type of watermelon you use, the color falls somewhere on the spectrum of an appetizing shade of peachy pink. Serve it ice cold.
I found the yellow watermelon at the farmers market on Sunday. I won’t pull your leg, it tastes exactly the same as regular watermelon, but I’m always in favor of supporting genetic diversity in the food chain 😉 and colorful food is fun! If you haven’t come across any of the yellow variety, use a regular one. Seedless will be a little easier to work with, but frankly I find seedless watermelons to have less flavor.
The formula is easy, equal parts tomato to watermelon, so you can make this in any size batch you want. I kept mine very simple, with just a squeeze of lime and some salt, but this could easily be the base for a more traditional gazpacho with minced red onion, cukes, and peppers.
I like to serve it with cubes of frozen watermelon for texture and they help to keep it icy cold on a hot night. A little garnish of mint or basil is really all it needs.
Watermelon Gazpacho
Ingredients
garnish
- mint leaves
- cubes of frozen watermelon
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes and rough chop. Add them to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
- Remove seeds from the watermelon and give it a rough chop. Add it to the processor. Pulse the machine on and off until the tomatoes and watermelon have been pureed. Scrape down the sides of the machine if needed.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl. Add the lime juice and salt to taste. Refrigerate until very cold.
- To serve, pour soup into small glasses and top with cubes of frozen watermelon and fresh mint leaves.
- To freeze watermelon, cut in small, regular cubes and set out on a parchment lined baking tray. Set the whole tray in the freezer and freeze until fruit is solid. Transfer the cubes to a zip top plastic storage bag after they have frozen for long term storage.
Nutrition
make it your own
- Spice it up by blending a rough chopped jalapeno in with the tomato and watermelon. Garnish with sliced jalapeno.
- Use colorful heirloom tomatoes.
- Add finely minced red onion, bell peppers, and cucumber for a more traditional gazpacho. Season with a dash of red vinegar and good fruity olive oil.
This is minimalist summer eating at its best. Low carb, gluten free, vegan, low calorie, and delicious!
For instructions on how to cut a watermelon in cubes, see this post.
I love watermelon gazpacho!!! We are going on a 2 week trip on our boat. Can I make and freeze this soup?
I’ve never tried to freeze it Kathy, so I can’t say for sure. You might try freezing the base and adding the tomato garnish fresh. I think that should work.
Try just watermelon, salt, and lime. One of the most amazing combos I have seen so far. Great recipe!
I will try that thanks!
A restaurant near me used to offer watermelon gazpacho on its menu. They, however, used cilantro in the mix—and I loved it. Since they stopped serving this dish, I’ve been on the lookout for a recipe, and yours is a great start. If I were to add fresh cilantro to it, how much would you recommend using? Also, what is the yield of your recipe as presented?
Hi Laura — this recipe serves 4-6, depending on the size of your portions. As for the cilantro, I would go by your taste, but start with maybe 1/3 cup loosely packed leaves? It sounds like it would be wonderful 🙂
So… pretty! I just love that yellow watermelon and also the simplicity of this gazpacho. So perfect for these sultry Southern days!
I am one for novel vegetables and fruit and believe that quality goes a long way to getting kids interested in food. When I first discovered yellow watermelon from one of the farms in our local Farmer’s Market I’d buy it weekly and put it in my eldest’s lunch. Not only did it attract the attention of her tablemates but I started getting phone calls and emails from Moms having to know where I got it as their kids were demanding the same! I can’t comment on the taste differential, but that lemony color gets a lot of attention. A perfect addition to your gazpacho which is gorgeous as always!