Honey Free Basil-Pesto Cucumber Gazpacho Shooters
Cold, bright, and almost shockingly refreshing, these cucumber gazpacho shooters are the kind of appetizer that stops a party in its tracks. English cucumbers get blended with fresh lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, shallot, garlic, and a whisper of ground ginger, then strained until the result is silky-smooth and perfectly chilled. The AIP-style pesto swirl — just basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and salt — gets dragged across the surface of each shooter in a single elegant stroke, turning a simple sip into something that looks genuinely impressive. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of sweeteners, so there's no need to scan labels or swap anything out — the recipe just works as written. Many store-bought gazpachos and pestos sneak in added sugars or sweetened vinegars, but this one keeps things clean with straightforward pantry staples. The result is herbaceous, tangy, and deeply savory in the best possible way. Serve them at your next gathering and watch them disappear before you've even finished pouring.
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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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