Watermelon Gazpacho Recipe

At backyard barbecues and pool parties, big slices of sweet, juicy watermelon are practically a requirement. But that’s not the only way to enjoy summer’s most iconic fruit. This savory watermelon gazpacho is a revelation—combining the melon with tomatoes, cucumbers, and jalapeños makes for a slightly spicy chilled soup that really hits the spot on hot summer nights. Though the traditional Spanish recipe calls for smashing the raw ingredients with a mortar and pestle, using a blender speeds up the process considerably.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Yield: about 6 servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the gazpacho: 
6 cups seedless watermelon, rind removed and coarsely chopped
4 Persian cucumbers, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 large tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, seeds removed and sliced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnishing
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For serving: 
4 red radishes, thinly sliced
1 large handful mint leaves, torn
1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Instructions

Make the gazpacho
Blend watermelon, cucumbers, tomato, jalapeño peppers, olive oil, and vinegar in a high-speed blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then transfer mixture to a large bowl. Cover and chill in fridge for 1 hour.

Serve
Taste mixture again for seasoning, then transfer between bowls. Top with radish slices, mint leaves, and feta cheese then drizzle with olive oil.

Photo credit: Alicia Cho