Hazelnut Free Basil-Pesto Cucumber Gazpacho Shooters
Cool, bright, and impossibly elegant, these cucumber gazpacho shooters are the kind of appetizer that stops a party in its tracks. The base is blended smooth and strained until it's almost silky, with fresh lemon juice, a hint of apple cider vinegar, and a whisper of ground ginger giving it a lively, layered flavor that goes way beyond a simple cucumber drink. The pesto swirl on top — made from packed fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, and lemon — is completely nut-free, which matters more than you'd think: traditional pesto almost always calls for pine nuts or, worse, hazelnuts as a cheaper substitute. Here, the basil does all the heavy lifting on its own, and the result is a vivid, aromatic swirl that looks like it came out of a restaurant kitchen. Dragging a toothpick through the pesto to create that marbled pattern is genuinely satisfying and takes about three seconds. Serve these straight from the fridge in shot glasses for a no-cook, no-stress starter that feels luxurious without a single ingredient you'd need to second-guess.
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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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