Gazpacho or Andalusian Gazpacho is a cold soup made of raw, blended vegetables ( usually tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions and garlic) with a little bit of olive oil and vinegar. It’s widely eaten in Spain during hot summer months as it’s refreshing, cooling and flavorful.
There are a number of dishes that are closely related to Andalusian gazpacho and are often considered as variants, such as ajoblanco, salmorejo, pipirrana and porra antequerana. My recipe is similar to the traditional Andalusian Gazpacho or Gazpacho Andaluz but calls for watermelon instead of his cucumber cousin ( yes, they belong to the same Cucurbitaceae family!). The watermelon just adds a slightly sweet and tangy depth of flavor to the dish.
I first prepared this dish for Rouxbe Cooking School’s graduation four years ago and it was a total success. This is my go-to summer recipe. I hope you enjoy it.
- 8 vine-riped tomatoes, chopped - 600 gr
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped - 40 gr
- 1/2 medium size onion, chopped - 50 gr
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lb watermelon, seeded and diced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons white vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade ( optional)
- In a high speed blender, puree the tomatoes, bell pepper, onions and garlic for 2 minutes.
- Add the watermelon, oil and vinegar and continue to blend until smooth
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour into chilled bowls and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Serve with fresh basil
