Watermelon Gazpacho

I’m sure there are lots of jokes to be had about this… but I love watermelon. Juicy, sweet, full of fiber and plentiful in the summertime… I’m good forbuying a couple of ’em, letting them ripen in the house for a few days, then finding a few thousand ways to freak it.

This is one of those ways.

A gazpacho is usually a tomato soup served cold… but instead of tomatoes, I gave it a different spin using lighter veggies and a little more variety. I even grabbed some of my favorite tortilla chips and used them as a side.

Watermelon gazpacho, however, is just a tad bit different.

With sweet flavors that remind you more of lunch instead of dinner, it’s light and just sweet enough to leave you satisfied without feeling stuffed.

1 medium cucumber, chopped into chunks

1/4 cup red pepper

3 cups cubed fresh watermelon

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced onion

a teaspoon of cilantro

a teaspoon of dill (you may not want or need this.. totally up to you)

a teaspoon of garlic

a pinch of sea salt

a handful of tortilla chips

You can use a blender for this, or you can do it the by-hand way.. I’ll explain both, here. Toss your onion, vinegar, olive oil and only half of your watermelon in the blender and puree it. Perfectly okay to have chunks inside. In a separate bowl, combine chopped cucumber with chopped watermelon. Pour mixture over the top of the blend of cucumber and watermelon. Add your liquids, herbs and spices, and you’re done! Grab a big ladle, be sure to scoop all the way to the bottom to get the extra fruit, and add a few chips to the side to give it an extra crunch! Bon appetit!

PS: If you want to do it by hand, just take the back of a big spoon and smash chunks of watermelon until it’s mainly juice and smashed fruit! A little more natural and homemade that way, anyhow!