Watermelon Gazpacho

A refreshing, chilled Spanish-inspired soup with a sweet and savory balance. Watermelon provides the sweetness, while ripe tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and red onion add freshness and depth. Lemon, olive oil and a little Urfa biber bring everything together.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Chilling time: 1–2 hours

Equipment

• Wooden cutting board

Ingredients

Gazpacho

• 700 g watermelon flesh, rind and large seeds removed, cut into chunks

• 250 g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 150 g cucumber, peeled if the skin is thick, cut into chunks

• 100 g red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped

• 50 g red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 small garlic clove, peeled

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1½ tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

• ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste

• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• ½ tsp Urfa biber (İsot), or to taste

For serving

• A little watermelon, cut into small cubes

• A little cucumber, finely diced

• Fresh basil, roughly torn

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• A pinch of Urfa biber

• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare the watermelon

Remove the rind and any large seeds from the watermelon.

Weigh out 700 g of edible watermelon flesh and cut it into rough chunks.

2. Prepare the vegetables

Roughly chop the tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper and red onion.

Peel the garlic clove.

There is no need to make the pieces particularly small because everything will be blended.

3. Blend

Add the watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion and garlic to a blender.

Add the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, black pepper and Urfa biber.

Blend until completely smooth.

Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to work in two batches.

4. Taste and adjust

Taste the gazpacho.

Adjust according to your preference:

• More lemon juice for acidity

• More vinegar for a sharper flavor

• More salt to bring out the flavors

• More Urfa biber for additional warmth and depth

• A little more olive oil for richness

The soup should taste refreshing and slightly acidic rather than simply sweet.

5. Chill

Transfer the gazpacho to a covered container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours.

Serving it thoroughly chilled makes a big difference.

6. Prepare the garnish

Cut a small amount of watermelon into tiny cubes.

Finely dice some cucumber.

Roughly tear a few basil leaves.

7. Serve

Give the gazpacho a gentle stir before serving.

Pour into chilled bowls or glasses.

Top with a small amount of diced watermelon, cucumber and basil.

Finish with a small drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a pinch of Urfa biber and a little freshly ground black pepper.

Optional variations

More savory

Reduce the watermelon to 600 g and increase the tomatoes to 300 g. Add another ½ tsp vinegar.

Slightly spicy

Add ½–1 finely chopped jalapeño before blending.

Creamier

Add ½ small avocado to the blender. This makes the gazpacho thicker and gives it a silky texture.

With feta

Crumble a little feta cheese over the top when serving. The salty feta works particularly well with the sweet watermelon and Urfa biber.

Storage

Keep covered in the refrigerator and use within 1–2 days for the best flavor and texture.

The gazpacho may separate slightly during storage. Simply stir or briefly blend it again before serving.