This tomato watermelon gazpacho soup is a refreshing, light and delicious summertime appetizer. Juicy, sweet watermelon is blended with fresh summer vegetables, garlic, vinegar and olive oil to create a cold, crisp, vibrant and refreshing summer soup. This gazpacho with watermelon and tomatoes is as quick and easy to prepare as it is delicious to enjoy.

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Refreshing watermelon gazpacho with tomatoes

Gazpacho is a cold vegetable soup originating from the region of Andalusia in southern Spain. Spanish gazpacho or gazpacho Andaluz is traditionally made with a blend of raw summer vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and onions pureed together with bread, olive oil, garlic and vinegar to form a refreshing cold soup.

This cold watermelon soup is an interesting twist on the authentic Spanish gazpacho recipe as it is deliciously sweet and more fruity in taste, making it an even more refreshing but lighter alternative to the classic recipe.

A perfect dish to serve on a hot summers day, either as a starter or as a refreshing drink. Make plenty and store in the fridge for up to 3 days so you’ll always have a refreshment, appetizer or quick lunch on hand for the week ahead.

Which ingredients to use

• Watermelon: A sweet, ripe and juicy watermelon is what makes this soup refreshing and flavorful. If you can, use a seedless watermelon or remove the dark seeds before blending. The white seeds can be removed but that’s not necessary as they can be blended in.
• Tomatoes: Use any kind of fresh and ripe tomatoes for the best flavor. Roma (or Plum), vine, Heirloom and beefsteak tomatoes are all good varieties with a deep and balanced flavor. But any ripe tomato will do.
• Cucumber: I use English cucumbers as they have a thin skin, so no peeling needed, fewer seeds and are mild in flavor. Other cucumbers are best to peel and remove the seeds before blending.
• Bell pepper: I use a red bell pepper for extra crispness and sweetness, but feel free to use a green bell pepper to add a hint of bitterness.
• Garlic: A clove of garlic is the key ingredient in any good gazpacho recipe. Keep in mind that raw garlic can be rather pungent in taste, so don’t use too much. If you’re not sure, rather start with half a clove and add more after tasting.
• Olive oil: Adding olive oil helps emulsify the ingredients while blending, giving the soup a smooth texture. Opt for a good quality and fruity extra virgin olive oil to enhance the depth of flavor and bring a burst of Mediterranean taste to the soup.
• Vinegar: A bit of vinegar adds a mild acidity to the gazpacho to balance the sweet flavor of the other ingredients. Traditionally sherry vinegar is used but any other mild vinegar will do, like apple cider, white wine or balsamic vinegar.
• Seasoning: Just sea salt and cracked black pepper will do for seasoning, to taste.

Which toppings to use

Spanish gazpacho is traditionally served with various toppings. These toppings or garnish provide extra contrast in texture, enhances the flavor of the soup and makes the gazpacho look even more vibrant and colorful.

Serve with finely diced raw vegetables and fruit:

• Red onion – colorful and sweet
• Bell pepper – any color
• Cucumber – no need to peel
• Tomatoes – seeded
• Watermelon – remove the peel, but both red and light green parts (between the red flesh and peel) can be used

Serve with fresh basil leaves and/or mint for visual appeal and taste.

How to make tomato watermelon gazpacho

Note: All the exact quantities of the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

This cold vegetable soup is so quick and easy to make. There is no cooking involved and hardly any chopping. Easy right?

• Cut the watermelon: Remove the peel and the black seeds of the watermelon. You can remove the white seeds if you prefer but that’s not necessary as they are quite soft and will be mixed in the blender. Roughly chop the watermelon.
• Prepare the vegetables: Remove the stems and seeds from the pepper, core the tomato and peel the garlic. Roughly chop the tomatoes, garlic, bell pepper and cucumber. The peeling of the cucumber is optional.
• Blend the ingredients: Combine the watermelon, tomatoes, garlic, bell pepper and cucumber in the blender with the vinegar, salt and pepper. Blend on high speed for about 1 minute until everything is mixed and smooth.
• Add the olive oil: When the ingredients are all mixed, slowly pour in the olive oil while blending. Keep mixing for another 2 minutes on high speed until the soup is smooth. Pouring the olive oil in slowly will help to emulsify all the ingredients and will make the soup even creamier.
• Chill the soup: Place the soup in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour before serving. You can serve immediately but watermelon tomato gazpacho tastes even nicer when cooled.
• Serve: Serve in individual bowls or glasses with a choice of garnish and toppings, either in the bowl or glass or in separate small bowls.

Do I need to add bread?

Authentic Spanish gazpacho and especially Spanish salmorejo or cold tomato soup are traditionally mixed with a slice of stale bread. The reason is not only because of tradition but also to give the soup a smoother consistency while being used as a thickening agent.

However, I prefer not to add bread to this watermelon gazpacho as it can make the soup too heavy. With that said, feel free to add some bread according to personal choice. In that case, use a slice of stale white bread, but first leave it to soak in water for a couple of minutes before adding it in the blender with the other ingredients.

Without bread this gazpacho will be more liquid, but that is the nice part of gazpacho made with watermelon.

More refreshing and fruity recipes to try

• Watermelon salad with cucumber and feta
• Mango salsa with tomato and cucumber
• Strawberry burrata salad
• Strawberry bruschetta
• Grilled pineapple spears
• Beet tartare with apple and feta cheese

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment with rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #thetastychilli and tag me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.