Artificial Food Coloring Free Basil-Pesto Cucumber Gazpacho Shooters
These chilled cucumber shooters are the kind of appetizer that stops a party in its tracks — cool, bright, and almost too pretty to drink. Every shade of green you see comes straight from real ingredients: fresh English cucumber, packed basil leaves, and a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil. There are no dyes, no color additives, and no synthetic shortcuts hiding anywhere in the glass. For anyone navigating artificial food coloring in packaged or restaurant food, this recipe is a genuine breath of fresh air because the ingredient list is entirely whole and unprocessed. The pesto swirl dragged across the surface with a toothpick creates a stunning marbled effect that looks like it took serious skill but comes together in under a minute. A hit of apple cider vinegar and fresh lemon juice keeps the flavor lively and sharp, so the shooters taste as vibrant as they look. Serve them straight from the fridge and watch them disappear before you even get a chance to explain what's in them.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the gazpacho base
- 2 large english cucumbers (about 2 lb total), roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
For the AIP pesto swirl
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- thin cucumber rounds, for serving (optional)
- fresh basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the chopped cucumbers, lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, shallot, garlic, apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, and ground ginger in a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 60 seconds.
- 2
Pour the blended gazpacho through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, pressing gently with a spatula until only dry pulp remains. Discard the pulp. Taste and adjust salt. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 30 minutes.
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