Emulsifier Free Basil-Pesto Cucumber Gazpacho Shooters
Bright, chilled, and impossibly fresh, these cucumber gazpacho shooters are the kind of appetizer that stops a party in its tracks. The base is built entirely from whole, recognizable ingredients — crisp English cucumber, sharp lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, shallot, garlic, and a whisper of ground ginger — blended smooth and strained until silky. No stabilizers, no lecithin, no hidden additives that so often sneak into store-bought cold soups or jarred pestos. The AIP-style pesto swirl on top is equally clean: just packed fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and salt blended into a vivid green sauce that looks almost too pretty to eat. Dragging a toothpick through the swirl before serving creates a gorgeous marbled effect that makes these little shooters feel genuinely restaurant-worthy. Everything gets better the longer the gazpacho chills, so this is a great make-ahead option when you're entertaining and want one less thing to stress about at the last minute. Cool, herby, and completely free of anything processed, they're proof that elegant finger food doesn't need a single shortcut ingredient to shine.
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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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