Hello, my thrifties. This week we’re gonna dive into the world of this Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa where every spoonful is a symphony of flavor! Picture this: you, lounging on your deck, a late summer breeze, and a bowl of this gazpacho just waiting to cool you down.
Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa
Best of all, this gazpacho is like dining on a bowl of budget brilliance – a vacation for your tastebuds and your wallet, too. “How?” You might ask. Keeping these costs down usually isn’t about what you’re eating, but all about the timing and and savvy shopping strategies. More about that, below.
About Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa:
First of all, a disclaimer. I do have the recipe I’ve been using for decades on my site already, Classic Gazpacho. Why two recipes? Why not! I love that recipe but this one is super easy, has a fun cherry tomato salsa garnish, and tastes delish, too.
I did a mish-mash from a recipe I found in Food & Wine and my own Classic Gazpacho. I gotta tell ya I love love love my other gazpacho but this Easy Gazpacho has several advantages and honestly, I will probably be making it more.
- First of all, there’s no worry about peeling the tomatoes. That’s a huge time saver.
- There is no precision or finely chopping or cutting the veggies since it’s blended.
- Best of all, it’s sooo quick!
Yeah, I do have to wash the blender but that’s nothing compared to how much hand work my other gazpacho recipe has!
Making Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa:
This really is a seriously simple recipe. Roughly chop all the veggies (peeling, trimming, and deseeding, first, of course.) Toss everything in the blender and finish by drizzling in the olive oil as the blender runs. This is just drop-dead simple. Make sure to allow plenty of time to chill – at least 4 hours.
Then mix together the salsa ingredients. You’ll want them to sit at room temperature for at least an hour so the flavors can blend. When ready to serve, dish out the gazpacho and top with the salsa fresca.
Options for this or any Gazpacho:
This particular recipe calls for Sherry Vinegar. It’s so good but also good would be a red wine vinegar, or a white wine vinegar if you’re so inclined. You might want to use a little more of either than you would of the Sherry.
The cherry tomato salsa is fun but other options include a crouton topping (take the time to make them from old bread – a boxed grocery store crouton will not work here) or a topping of a few of the veggies used in the recipe finely chopped.
Storing:
You’ll want to store your Gazpacho in the fridge, with the Gaz[acho in one container and the salsa in another. Both are best used before three or four days.
Mix both items before serving then combine them at the the table.
Imperfect Farm Stand Tomatoes
Saving Money on Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa:
Gazpacho embraces simplicity with a hint of extravagance and a touch of elegance. The big question: How do we turn ordinary tomatoes and garden veggies into a chilled masterpiece that’s as easy on your purse as it is on your palate? Let’s get into it.
- First of all, know the best pricing for this savory summer soup is going to be during mid to late summer when the veggies used are in season.
- If you can’t find great prices at farm stands or farmers markets at least time your gazpacho making to the sales at the grocery, or seek out alternatives like your big box store or discount markets like Aldi or Lidl. If you are near an Asian market you might find great deals.
- Know your pricing so you can easily compare and know where the best place for you to shop is based on your own personal preferences. You might not have time or energy for running all over the place so buy where the items you buy most are the best value.
- When you get your veggies home, make them last longer with this simple trick: Toss them in the fridge in their bags, but once they’re chilled, take them out, turn the bags inside out, and replace your veggies. Condensation promotes rot and this two-minute exercise keeps your veggies out of that condensation that forms inside the bag as they are cooling in the fridge.
- Don’t waste any of your veggies or fruit! Wash them well and use peelings and sometimes seeds to flavor your “Spa Water.”
Spa Water on a Budget: This one is made from cucumber seeds and peelings
Tomatoes: We’re not gonna use those snobby heirloom tomatoes that cost an arm and a leg. Seek out the uglies. Along with the “character” they have tons of flavor and you may find them at a discount. A friend and I split a crate we found at a farm stand at a steep discount. If that’s not an option, see hint #2, above.
Cucumber: Look for sales on cucumbers – you’ll find them on sale often. Generally, our plain old US Kirby-style cucumbers are less than the fancy ones, even after the seed removal is factored in. They can last for ages in the fridge as long as they aren’t sitting with a bag tightly wrapped around them. Give them a bit of air.
Bell Pepper: Bell peppers can be super pricey! Know where to buy them or buy them on sale. If you should happen to have some languishing in the fridge, use it in recipes like this where looks don’t matter; a few wrinkles never hurt anyone. This recipe calls for red bell pepper partially because of the sweetness and partially because it helps the coloring. The reds are often higher, so if you’re budget-minded and aren’t concerned about the bright red, use what is cheapest.
Shallot: Here is an item that is often considerably less at an Asian market. – or do what I do: if the recipe isn’t dependent on that particular flavor (this one isn’t) sub in a bit less of a red (or other) type of onion.
Olive Oil: A drizzle of olive oil adds luxuriousness without going overboard. Quality trumps quantity here. Keep several types of olive oil for cooking and for flavoring. A good virgin olive oil is what you are looking for in this recipe (it doesn’t have to be a great one, but not the cheapest) and you’re likely to find great pricing at your buyer’s club or discount stores.
Vinegar: Surprise! Vinegar pricing is seasonal even if vinegar isn’t. Basic white & apple cider and the fancy varieties of vinegar will usually be on sale during Lent and look for summer specials, too. The sales are often unadvertised and again, this is a great item to find at your buyer’s club or discount stores.
Cherry Tomatoes: The recipe calls for a mix of colors and frankly that can be pricier than tomatoes that are just ordinary red. Watch for sales; they’ll last several days to a week. Or shop at your discount stores where the prices are usually fabulous.
Well, friends, when you make this gazpacho you can savor the dish and savor the fact that you’ve brought it to the table on a budget, all without compromising on the flavor. And you can savor the fact that this is not only delish but so healthy! This dish is also a great save when you realize you have just too many tomatoes and they need to be used asap! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!
Mollie
Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa
Easy Gazpacho with Cherry Tomato Salsa
- Total Time: 20 minutes plus chill
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients
Gazpacho:
- 2 1/2 pounds large tomatoes, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
- 1 cup tomato or vegetable juice (such as V8)
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salsa Fresca:
- 2 cups multicolored cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- 1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
For the gazpacho:
Add tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, salt, vinegar, and tomato juice to a blender. Pulse until broken down and blend until smooth. With blender running, drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and adjust flavors, adding more salt or vinegar as desired. Chill, covered, for at least 2 hours and up to 3 to 4 days.
Make the salsa fresca:
Stir together cherry tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until well combined. Let salsa fresca stand, uncovered, at room temperature up to 1 hour.
When ready to serve, stir gazpacho together and adjust seasonings with additional salt and/or vinegar to taste. Place in bowls and top with salsa fresca and fresh herbs.
To make ahead or store, refrigerate both items, the gazpacho and the salsa in separate containers, tightly covered.
Keywords: Bell Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumber, Food & Wine, Gazpacho, Hot Peppers, Jalapeno, Lime, Sherry Vinegar, Soup, Tomato Juice, Tomatoes, V-8, Vegetarian Meal, Vinegar
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