Appetizers/Snacks

August 4, 2021

Summer Melon Gazpacho

This Summer Melon Gazpacho is an incredibly refreshing appetizer to serve when the weather is hot. The sweet, juicy melon and fresh mint are hydrating and cooling, making this a perfect dish for an outdoor barbecue or picnic. Melon gazpacho is both casual and classy, equally at home at a relaxed gathering of friends, or at an elegant tea party.

This Summer Melon Gazpacho was inspired by a dish I had a brewery in central Oregon a few years ago. I’ve never been much into gazpacho, because I’m particular about how I like to consume tomatoes. I don’t like tomato juice, so traditional tomato-based gazpacho doesn’t really appeal to me. But melon on the other hand? Give me all the melon! I devoured my first bowl of melon gazpacho, and immediately set out to recreate it when I got home.

I did in fact serve this at a tea party a few years ago. It was a beautiful late spring/early summer afternoon gathering. Knowing the weather was forecasted to be warm, I didn’t think the traditional soup course would be very enjoyable, so I decided to bring this chilled melon gazpacho instead. It was a smashing success, as it went beautifully with the other cold sandwiches and salads, and was a nice, light course in the meal.

Serve this Summer Melon Gazpacho at your next barbecue, served up in small glasses for guests to sip on. Or pour it into jars to easily pack on a picnic lunch! It’s an easy, fun, and unexpected dish that your friends will ask for again!

Ingredients assembled for Summer Melon Gazpacho
Assemble your ingredients.

Ingredients for Summer Melon Gazpacho blending up in a high speed blender
Remove the rind and seeds from the melon, and cut the melon into 1-inch chunks. Add the melon pieces to a high-speed blender along with the remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth, but not pureed.

Summer Melon Gazpacho served in a coupe glass garnished with a fresh mint leaf
Pour chilled gazpacho into small glasses and serve!


Two glasses of Summer Melon Gazpacho on a striped blue and white linen with mint and limes for garnish
Summer Melon Gazpacho is refreshing and cool for summer entertaining!


Original publication date: May 20, 2021

Summer Melon Gazpacho

This Summer Melon Gazpacho is an incredibly refreshing appetizer to serve when the weather is hot. The sweet, juicy melon and fresh mint are hydrating and cooling, making this a perfect dish for an outdoor barbecue or picnic.

Author:

Kira Freed - The Joyful Plateful

Prep:

15

min

cook:

0

min

total:

15

min

Ingredients

1/2 honeydew melon

Zest and juice of 1 large lime

2-3 sprigs of mint

1 Tbsp. agave syrup or honey (more or less to taste, depending on sweetness of melon)

Approx. 1/2 tsp. sea salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Remove seeds and rind of melon, and roughly chop melon into 1-inch chunks. Remove leaves from mint sprigs, and discard stems.
  2. Place melon pieces, lime zest, lime juice, mint leaves, agave syrup, and sea salt in a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, but not quite pureed. The gazpacho should have some texture, not be smooth like a juice.
  3. Pour into a large pitcher, and refrigerate about 2 hours before serving, to chill. Before serving, stir to combine, as the melon mixture will separate while resting. (Note: If you want to serve this immediately, refrigerate your melon for several hours before blending, so that the gazpacho is chilled and ready to serve right away.)
  4. Pour chilled gazpacho into small bowls or drinking glasses to serve.
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