Shellfish 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 smooth with lemon juice, shallot, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and a whisper of ground ginger — then strained until it's silky and crystal clear. A vibrant basil pesto swirl gets dragged across the top of each glass with a toothpick, turning a simple shooter into something that looks genuinely stunning. Because everything here is made from whole, fresh produce and good olive oil, there's zero guesswork about hidden shellfish-derived additives that can sneak into store-bought cold soups and dressings. The whole process is straightforward — blend, strain, chill, pour, swirl — and the result tastes like a farmers market in a glass. Serve these at your next gathering and watch them disappear before you've even finished plating the rest of the spread.
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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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