High Fructose Corn Syrup 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 ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, so you get pure, clean flavor without any of the sneaky sweeteners that tend to hide in bottled dressings, store-bought gazpacho, or jarred pesto. Fresh English cucumber forms a silky, refreshing base, sharpened with lemon juice and apple cider vinegar and given just a whisper of warmth from ground ginger. The basil pesto swirl on top is made entirely from scratch — just basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and salt — so it's genuinely vibrant and free of the additives that make most store-bought versions a gamble. Dragging a toothpick through the pesto creates that gorgeous marbled pattern that makes these shooters look like they came from a catering spread. Serve them straight from the fridge for maximum refreshment, and don't skip the cucumber round garnish — it ties the whole look together beautifully.
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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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