This time of year, even though I’m spending a lot of time indoors in air-conditioned buildings, I don’t relish the thought of eating a heavy meal—or turning on the oven to cook. This cold soup is perfect for lunch or a light dinner, and if you’ve got leftover proteins in the fridge, it’s easy enough to “beef-up” if someone wants a heartier meal. I find the easiest way to prepare it is in the food processor and it’s best after it’s been chilled for a few hours. My favorite garnishes at the moment are avocado, hemp seeds, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This is one tasty way to beat the heat!
Watermelon Tomato Gazpacho
- 4 cups diced, seedless watermelon
- 2 small to medium cucumbers, washed and finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
- ½ c fresh basil, stems removed and chopped
- ¼ c fresh parsley leaves
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 T balsamic or apple cider vinegar
- 2 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 t sea salt or to taste
Add all the soup ingredients to a food processor (this can be done in two batches). Process the mixture into finely chopped pieces. Transfer the soup into a glass or ceramic bowl and repeat the process with the other half of the ingredients. Refrigerate until chilled, then serve cold ‘as is’ or with garnishes as suggested below.
Garnishes:
- Avocado
- Olive oil
- Hemp seeds
- Olives
- Pesto
- Nuts (pine, walnuts, almonds, etc.)
- Fresh herbs (more parsley, basil, oregano, etc.)
- Shaved hard cheese (parmesan, pecorino, etc.)
- Goat cheese
- Baked or grilled, chopped chicken
- Baked, flaked fish
- Hard boiled eggs