Description
Cool Mediterranean flavors dance through this refreshing summer watermelon gazpacho, blending sweet and savory notes into a silky chilled soup. Spanish-inspired ingredients mingle seamlessly, offering you a delightful escape from summer’s heat with each spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits and Vegetables:
- ½ cup (118 ml) watermelon, diced
- ¼ (60 g) English cucumber, diced
- ½ green pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
- ½ small red onion, diced
Herbs:
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) mint or basil leaves, minced
Seasonings and Oil:
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the base by thoroughly washing and roughly chopping watermelon, tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, garlic, and shallot into manageable pieces for blending.
- Transfer the chopped ingredients into a high-powered blender, ensuring all components are included for maximum flavor extraction.
- Add lime juice, vinegar, salt, and black pepper to the blender to enhance the gazpacho’s taste profile.
- Pulse and blend the mixture until completely smooth, approximately 20-30 seconds, ensuring no chunks remain.
- If the blender capacity is limited, process the ingredients in multiple batches to maintain consistent texture.
- Pour the blended gazpacho into a large bowl or pitcher, creating a uniform liquid consistency.
- Seal the container and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour, allowing flavors to meld and develop fully.
- For optimal taste, consider chilling overnight to intensify the gazpacho’s complex flavor profile.
- Before serving, create a fresh garnish by finely dicing watermelon, cucumber, green pepper, red onion, and selected herbs.
- Gently mix the garnish ingredients to create a vibrant, textural topping.
- Ladle the chilled gazpacho into individual serving bowls.
- Distribute the prepared garnish evenly across each portion.
- Finish by drizzling extra virgin olive oil and sprinkling freshly ground black pepper on top.
- Serve immediately, presenting a refreshing and visually appealing summer soup.
Notes
- Batch Blending Tip: Work in smaller portions if your blender is compact to ensure a silky-smooth consistency without overflow.
- Flavor Intensification: Refrigerate the gazpacho overnight to allow ingredients to marry and develop a deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Garnish Freshness: Prepare the topping just before serving to maintain crisp textures and vibrant colors of the chopped vegetables and herbs.
- Temperature Matters: Serve thoroughly chilled for maximum refreshment, especially during hot summer days.
- Customization Potential: Adjust vinegar and lime juice quantities to balance sweetness and acidity according to personal preference.
- Olive Oil Finishing: A light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil adds richness and enhances the overall flavor complexity of the dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg