When I was growing up, tomato season meant my mom’s gazpacho—cold, tangy, and served nearly every sweltering day. With every spoonful, she brought Spain, and her own childhood, right into our California kitchen.
These days, I still make her recipe all through the summer and fall, but with one small, waste-reducing twist: Instead of the three or four cucumbers it usually calls for, I use watermelon rind.
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It turns out the pale green flesh we usually toss into the compost bin has a mild, refreshing flavor and is remarkably similar in texture to cucumber. The result is every bit as delicious as the traditional recipe, but with the bonus of reducing both waste and cost. Next time you slice up a watermelon, save the rind.
Because watermelon rind is firmer than cucumber, a high-powered blender works best to get it silky smooth in a couple of minutes. Otherwise, you may want to strain the soup to catch any stubborn fibers.
Gazpacho is traditionally served with tropezones (literally “things you stumble upon”), finely diced toppings tomato, cucumber, onion, pepper, and bread cubes. For this variation, be sure to include finely diced watermelon in your tropezones, a colorful wink at the recipe’s secret ingredient.
Watermelon Rind Gazpacho
Serves 6–8
INGREDIENTS
2-inch-slice stale baguette
1 ½ cups water
⅓ cup good olive oil
⅓ cup white balsamic vinegar
1 large garlic clove
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground cumin
1 small, whole watermelon
2 ½ lbs red tomatoes (such as Roma)
½ small white onion
1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
Tropezones (garnishes):
1 bell pepper, finely diced
½ white onion, finely diced
½ cucumber, peeled and finely diced
½ stale baguette, cut into small croutons
Diced watermelon
DIRECTIONS
Soak the baguette slice in the water until softened.
In a blender, combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and cumin; blend on high for about 20 seconds until creamy.
Trim away and discard the watermelon’s dark green skin. Slice the pale rind away from the red flesh. Add rind pieces to the blender with the oil mixture (reserve the flesh for garnish or dessert). Blend 2–3 minutes until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl or pot.
Add the soaked bread and its water to the blender along with the tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper. Blend until smooth and add to the bowl with the rind mixture. Blend any remaining ingredients in batches, if needed.
Stir everything together, taste, and adjust seasoning. For a thinner gazpacho, add more water. Blend again in batches until very smooth. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, until well chilled.
Serve in bowls with a platter of tropezones so each diner can garnish their own — or sip straight from a glass for a refreshing snack.
Registered dietitian and food writer Laura McLively is the author of “The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook.” Follow her at @myberkeleybowl and www.lauramclively.com.