Celery Free Basil-Pesto Cucumber Gazpacho Shooters
Cool, bright, and almost impossibly refreshing, these cucumber gazpacho shooters are the kind of appetizer that stops a party in its tracks. The base is built from English cucumbers blended smooth with lemon juice, shallot, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and a whisper of ground ginger — then strained until it's silky and clean. A vibrant basil pesto swirl gets dragged across the surface of each glass right before serving, adding a gorgeous ribbon of herby green that looks far more impressive than the effort required. Traditional gazpacho recipes often lean on celery for that vegetal backbone, but here the cucumber and ginger do all that heavy lifting beautifully, so nothing feels missing. Every single ingredient in this recipe is naturally free of the usual suspects, meaning you can serve these with total confidence to guests who need to avoid certain vegetables. They chill ahead of time, which makes them ideal for entertaining — just pour, swirl, and garnish at the last second. Elegant, plant-forward, and genuinely delicious, these little shooters prove that simple ingredients handled well are always enough.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!