Watermelon Gazpacho With Calabrian-Chile Crema Recipe

By
Sohla El-Waylly
Sohla El-Waylly

Sohla El-Waylly is a culinary creator, video host, and CIA graduate whose work can be found on Serious Eats, Bon Appetit, The New York Times, Food52, YouTube, and more.

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Updated April 10, 2025
20180622-watermelon-garden-gazpacho-vicky-wasik-8
Photograph: Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Salting the vegetables in advance breaks down their cell walls, extracting more flavor.
  • Toasted almonds add texture and body.
  • Tangy crema and spicy Calabrian chiles balance the sweetness of the watermelon.

The addition of bright and juicy watermelon to the classic mix of tomato, cucumber, and onion makes this chilled summer soup even more refreshing. The delicate sweetness of the melon is balanced by a Calabrian chile–spiked crema, which adds richness and a touch of heat. To keep the gazpacho extra light, we swap the traditional bread for a handful of toasted almonds, which lend a nutty flavor and creamy texture. For superior flavor, use the best extra-virgin olive oil you can find.

Recipe Details

Watermelon Gazpacho With Calabrian-Chile Crema Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Active 15 mins
Marinating and Chilling Time 3 hrs
Total 3 hrs 5 mins
Serves 6 to 8 servings
Makes 2 quarts
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 6 cups watermelon (30 ounces; 840 g), roughly diced

  • 2 medium tomatoes (14 ounces; 400 g), roughly diced

  • 1 medium cucumber (14 ounces; 400 g), roughly diced

  • 1/2 medium red onion (4 ounces; 110 g), roughly diced

  • 1/2 cup toasted almonds (2 ounces; 60 g)

  • 1 tablespoon (12 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (1 ounce; 30 g)

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (2 ounces; 60 g)

  • 1/3 cup crema (2.7 ounces; 75 g); see note

  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) chopped Calabrian chiles

  • Additional diced vegetables, for garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, toss together watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, almonds, kosher salt, and pepper. Set aside to marinate for about 1 hour.

  2. In a blender, working in batches, purée vegetables and their liquid until smooth and creamy. Transfer soup to a large bowl. Whisk in sherry vinegar and olive oil and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

  3. Cover soup and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 3 days. When ready to serve, adjust seasoning again with salt and pepper to taste. Combine crema and chopped Calabrian chiles in a small bowl. Ladle chilled soup into bowls and garnish with crema mixture and diced vegetables (if desired).

Special equipment

Blender, mixing bowls, whisk

Notes

Crema's lighter body makes it easy to drizzle onto the soup, but anything tangy and cool, like Greek yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk, can be substituted.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
191Calories
14gFat
15gCarbs
3gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories191
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g18%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 636mg28%
Total Carbohydrate 15g6%
Dietary Fiber 2g9%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 20mg101%
Calcium 53mg4%
Iron 1mg5%
Potassium 407mg9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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