Watermelon gazpacho is a sweet and spicy cold soup perfect for those hot summer nights when the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven or stovetop. Pair it with a few slices of prosciutto or top it with some mini mozarella balls and call it dinner!
There are three things that stick out most from my recent trip to Barcelona. One would be the Sagrada Familia. Before the trip, I hadn’t done much research (I like to keep expectations low!), and just figured it was like any other church I’d seen in Europe. Boy, was I wrong. This church is one of a kind. It’s still under construction yet it still managed to leave me awestruck.
Another favorite would be the Boqueria food market. Colorful and fresh juices, nuts, dried fruits, chocolates, saffron and other spices, all kinds of fish, wines, dried meats, yum. I even had a little tiff with a vendor in Spanish. It’s not a good enough story to explain, but I was proud that my Spanish skills came back in a time of need!
Last, but certainly not least, would be the daily tapas bar crawl. We picked a place, any place, grabbed a drink and ordered some tapas. Pintxos, paella, fried goodies, salty meats, patatas bravas, you name it! The options were endless and the prices matched our budgets.
{not quite tapas, but too good to leave out: churros con chocolate!}
We stumbled into one tapas place solely for a bathroom break, but the ambiance lured us in to stay for a drink. We had literally just eaten lunch so there was no need for more food, but the guys ordered anyways. This was more of a modern tapas bar, so the options were different than what we’d seen. This menu had watermelon gazpacho, which was quickly ordered. I don’t think I’d tasted gazpacho before this adventure, let alone watermelon gazpacho, but I knew it wouldn’t be the last time.
It turns out, gazpacho is pretty much the easiest thing ever to make. So I made my own. I’m glad I did because there were some hot and humid days this summer where you couldn’t force me to touch the oven with a ten foot pole.
Literally, all you need is a knife, cutting board, blender, and the ingredients.
Throw them in. Blend it up.
Gazpacho! (if said in the right tone, it sounds like an exclamation of excitement!)
- 2 cups // 300 grams watermelon, plus chunks for serving
- ½-1 hot pepper, depending on spice preference
- 1 large tomato, quartered
- ½ cucumber, deseeded and cut into chunks
- ¼ cup // 125 mL extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sherry or red wine vinegar
- 6 mint leaves, and more for garnish
- 1 small red onion, quarted
- ½ red or yellow bell pepper, quartered
- Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. If you like a smoother consistency, strain through a sieve. Garnish with small chunks of watermelon and a mint leaf.
11 Responses
I wish we could go back! what a great time! And that gazpacho looks fantastic =)
i know! so fun! maybe you will at least get lucky with a jonathon siting this weekend =)
Awesome post! Your photos captured our adventures beautifully!! I made some watermelon gazpacho as well, the week after we got home … it definitely left an impact :-). I’ll have to try your recipe next. I wish we were going back tomorrow!!
I love that you made it too 🙂 it was so good! I’m ready to go back too! I hear we need to make it to San Sebastian next…sounds like it was a blast.
You go on so many fun adventures! Thanks for sharing thru pictures, now I can pretend like I’m there too. This watermelon gazpacho sounds delicious! Perfect for a hot day.
it is pretty crazy how close these fun destinations are- it would be just like going to portland for the weekend! sounds like you may need some cool dinners for that heat wave you are having!
That church looks beautiful and that food market? To die for! This watermelon gazpacho looks great – perfect for a hot summer day!
Hello!
I am writing a round up post on my fitness blog, http://amysilvermanfitness.com about Paleo soups and stews. I included your recipe in the list with a link for the recipe to your blog page. I would like to include one of your images as well, with your permission.
Best,
Marni
no problem! thanks for letting me know and sharing!
Hi! I stumbled upon your awesome site while searching for a Junior Mint ice cream recipe. Well I found it and a lot more! We live in Napa just up the road from your home town and love all of the stuff that you write about. I just wanted to say thank you for the recipes, stories and inspiration. I will be a frequent visitor here. It was 100 degrees today and will be the same tomorrow so I will definitely be making this gazpacho!
Hi Jeff, So happy you like my blog! Ah yes, the 100 degree California sun definitely doesn’t allow for turning on the oven. This gazpacho is perfect for that. Feel free to sign up for the newsletter that includes some more recipes! 😉 Happy 4th of July weekend!