Summer Melon Gazpacho

With summer right around the corner I’m thinking a lot about recipes you don’t have to stand over a hot stove or grill to make. I tend to post things here that are similar to what I’m making for my own meals, and that’s where my mindset has been lately: cool and easy—and fruity.

Watermelon and cantaloupe are big hits in my house, and since both are in season right now I figured I’d find a way to incorporate them into a dish together. I did it once before on the site with this awesome Simple Melon Smoothie, but other than that watermelon has pretty much flown solo. However, as I work toward finding healthier things to make I plan to use more cantaloupe and other melons—there are way more of these than I expected!—going forward.

Today’s recipe is for a sweet and spicy Summer Melon Gazpacho. Believe it or not I’d never had cold soup of any kind before trying it at Café Pasqual’s in Santa Fe during an anniversary trip Laura and I took last year. The idea of a soup that isn’t hot was very strange to me. But then I decided to open up my mind a little bit and what do you know? It’s pretty darn great. So, inspired by that first time I’ve put together this gazpacho that foregoes the usual tomato base and instead relies on the melons and bell pepper for a sweet taste up front. Then the remaining ingredients bring in some savory and slightly spicy tastes to round it out.

This is a great opening dish for when you’re having people over for a barbecue or if you and your family simply want to start a meal with something cool and refreshing. I think you’ll really like it a lot, so give it a try and let me know how it goes in the comments below. And if you’re on social media, don’t forget to tag @nutfreevegan so I can see your great gazpacho photos!

Print

No ratings yet

Summer Melon Gazpacho

Keep it cool with this delicious Summer Melon Gazpacho. Watermelon and Cantaloupe make it cool, and peppers add a little spice. It's the perfect warm weather soup.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Yield: 0 About 6 cups

Author: The Nut-Free Vegan

Ingredients

• 5 cups watermelon cubed
• 2 cups cantaloupe cubed
• 1 jalapeño seeded and chopped
• 1 large yellow pepper diced
• 1 red onion sliced
• juice from one lime
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup basil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Instructions

• Set aside a few pieces of pepper and basil to garnish your bowls.
• Place melon in blender and blend for about 20 seconds.
• Add remaining ingredients and blend for another 30 seconds so the mixture is blended but retains some texture.
• Chill for 2 hours and then serve with peppers and basil garnish.

Notes

This recipe is gluten-free.

Gazpacho is a pretty versatile recipe, so you can sub in other types of fruits and/or vegetables to tailor it to your taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g