Nutmeg Free Basil-Pesto Cucumber Gazpacho Shooters
Cold, bright, and impossibly refreshing, these cucumber gazpacho shooters are the kind of appetizer that stops a party in its tracks. English cucumber blended smooth with fresh lemon juice, a touch of apple cider vinegar, and a whisper of ground ginger creates a base that's clean and lively without being one-note. The real showstopper is the basil pesto swirl — just basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and salt blended into something vivid and aromatic — dragged into a pretty pattern right on top of each shooter. Traditional spiced soups and warm-weather appetizers can sneak in warming spices you'd rather avoid, but every single ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify at a glance. Straining the blended base through a fine-mesh sieve gives the gazpacho a silky, restaurant-quality texture that feels far more impressive than the effort involved. Serve them in little shot glasses with a thin cucumber round balanced on the rim and you've got something that looks catered but came together in under an hour. These are the kind of bites guests reach for twice before they even realize the tray is empty.
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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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