Watermelon Gazpacho

Summery watermelon gazpacho is a cold, refreshing soup with watermelon, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and cucumbers. Serve this recipe as a light first course or side dish.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated November 03, 2022
Elise Bauer
Watermelon Gazpacho
Elise Bauer

Have you ever tried watermelon gazpacho?

Watermelon gazpacho is a cold summer soup much like tomato gazpacho, but in this case watermelon takes the place of much of the tomato.

In our version, we are still using some tomato (one), so you get a little bit of tomato flavor in the soup, along with cucumber, onion, and bell pepper. Watermelon is light, juicy, and a little sweet, which is what it brings to this gazpacho.

Watermelon Gazpacho
Elise Bauer

As in the case when you make regular gazpacho, this soup improves overnight, as the flavors have had a chance to blend. It's perfect for a light meal on a hot day. You can easily make a large batch and enjoy it for days!

More Cold Summer Soups for Hot Days

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Watermelon Gazpacho

Prep Time 30 mins
Chilling 60 mins
Total Time 90 mins
Servings 6 servings

In the ingredient list there are separate quantities for chopped red onion, bell pepper, cucumber, and jalapeño. The roughly chopped onion, pepper, cucumber and jalapeño will go into the blender or food processor to be puréed. The finely chopped vegetables will be added back into the soup after the rest of it has been puréed, to add more body to the soup.

Ingredients

  • 1 red onion, 1/2 cup roughly chopped, 1/2 cup finely chopped

  • 1 to 2 red bell peppers, 1 cup roughly chopped, 3/4 cup finely chopped

  • 1 to 2 peeled and seeded cucumbers, 1 cup roughly chopped, 1 cup finely chopped

  • 1 jalapeño pepper, 1 tablespoon roughly chopped, 1 tablespoons finely chopped (more or less to taste)

  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

  • 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

  • 6 to 7 cups chopped watermelon, no seeds

  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup red wine vinegar (more or less to taste)

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

  • Sour cream, for garnish

  • Diced avocado, for garnish

Method

  1. Purée the roughly chopped vegetables, cilantro, tomatoes, and watermelon:

    Put the roughly chopped onion, bell pepper, cucumber, jalapeño, and cilantro into a powerful blender. (Reserve the finely chopped vegetables for adding later.)

    Add the tomatoes and pulse until puréed. Add the watermelon and pulse again until smooth.

    Pour into a large bowl.

    Simple Tip!

    If your blender isn't big enough, or if you prefer to use a food processor, you may need to work in batches. (An immersion blender will likely not work for this as there is not enough liquid.)

  2. Add the vinegar, salt, and olive oil:

    Taste the gazpacho and add red wine vinegar to balance the sweetness of the watermelon and tomatoes.

    Depending on how sweet your watermelon is—and how acidic or sweet your tomatoes are—you may need to add more or less red wine vinegar. So, start with 1/4 cup of vinegar, and keep adding a tablespoon at a time until you've reached a balance you like.

    Whisk in the salt and olive oil.

  3. Stir in the finely chopped vegetables, then chill:

    Stir in the finely chopped onions, bell pepper, cucumber, and jalapeño. Chill for at least an hour for the flavors so blend. (It's even better chilled overnight.) Add more salt to taste if it needs it.

  4. Serve:

    To serve, garnish with sour cream, diced avocado, and chopped fresh cilantro. Watermelon gazpacho is also good with a side of toasted rustic bread.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
228 Calories
13g Fat
28g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 228
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 644mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 7g 26%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 115mg 576%
Calcium 46mg 4%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 873mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.