Peanut 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 built from fresh English cucumbers blended with lemon juice, shallot, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and a whisper of ground ginger — then strained until silky smooth and chilled until it's practically refreshing on contact. The real showstopper is the vibrant basil pesto swirl dragged across the surface of each glass, made with nothing but fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and salt. No nuts anywhere in this recipe, which means you can serve it confidently without scanning labels or worrying about cross-contact from store-bought pesto. Blending and straining the gazpacho takes only a few minutes of active effort, and the rest is just patience while it chills in the fridge. Served in shot glasses with a thin cucumber round and a fresh basil leaf on top, these little shooters look like they came out of a restaurant kitchen. They're the perfect make-ahead bite for warm-weather entertaining when you want something impressive without breaking a sweat.
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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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